Add Page Numbers to PDF guide
Stamp page numbers on any PDF, from plain 1, 2, 3 to "Page 1 of 10" or your own text like "Exhibit A, page 1". Skip the cover, start at any number, and place numbers in any corner or on the outside edge for printed books. The file stays on your device.
Page numbers are the easiest way to look organized
Numbered pages are one of those small things people notice only when they're missing. A reviewer says "see the second paragraph on page 14" and there is no page 14. A court clerk rejects an exhibit bundle because pages aren't numbered. A contractor faxes back page 3 of your proposal and you can't tell which version it came from. A merged PDF of five different documents has five different numbering schemes, or none.
This tool stamps clean, consistent page numbers onto any PDF in your browser. The file is never uploaded, so it's fine for legal filings, medical records and anything confidential.
How to add page numbers to a PDF
Choose a PDF. Pick a position, a format, and where numbering should start, and the little page preview shows roughly where the number will land. Press Add page numbers, then Download. You can change settings and press the button again as many times as you want: each run starts from your original file, so numbers never get stamped twice.
Formats cover the common styles: plain 1, 2, 3; Page 1; Page 1 of 10; 1 of 10; 1 / 10; and the centered - 1 - style common in books. Custom text lets you write anything with {n} for the page number and {total} for the last number, such as "Exhibit A, page {n}", "Smith v. Jones, p. {n}" or "Draft 3, {n}/{total}".
Skip the cover page and start at any number
Two settings do most of the real-world work. Pages to number controls which pages get a number: type 2- to skip a cover page, 3- to skip a cover and a table of contents, or 5-20 for just one section. Start numbering at sets the first number printed. Numbering counts only the selected pages, so with pages 2- and start at 1, the page after your cover says 1.
Start at a higher number when a PDF continues another document. If Chapter 1 ended on page 48, set chapter 2 to start at 49. The same trick works for adding a new batch of exhibits to an existing filing. For "Page X of Y", Y is the last number printed, not the raw page count, so a 20-page file with the cover skipped reads "Page 1 of 19" through "Page 19 of 19". That's usually what you want.
Placement that works for print and binding
Bottom center is the safe default for reports and papers. Bottom right is standard for legal documents and business proposals, since that's where your eye goes when you flip pages. Top right suits academic manuscripts; APA style puts the page number in the top right header on every page.
Printing double-sided and binding like a book? Choose Bottom, outside corner. Odd pages get the number on the right, even pages on the left, so numbers are always on the outer edge where you thumb through.
Margin sets the distance from the page edge in points (72 points = 1 inch). The default 28 points is just under 0.4 inches. Most office printers can't print closer than about a quarter inch (18 points) to the edge, so don't go below that if the document will be printed. Font size 10 to 12 is standard; 9 looks refined in a report, 14 or more starts to look like a mistake.
What it handles for you
Mixed page sizes and orientations are fine. Each number is positioned relative to its own page, so a landscape spreadsheet in the middle of a portrait report gets its number in the right spot, and pages saved with a built-in rotation (common with scans) get upright numbers along the edge you actually see.
The numbers are real PDF text in a standard font (Helvetica, Times or Courier), not an image, so they stay sharp at any zoom and are searchable. The built-in PDF fonts cover English and Western European characters; custom text in other scripts or with emoji won't draw, and the tool tells you if that happens. Everything else in the document is untouched: text stays selectable and images keep their quality.
Build the whole document first
Add page numbers last. If you number a PDF and then merge another file in, or delete a page, the numbering breaks. The right order is: merge PDF to combine, delete PDF pages to remove blanks, reorder PDF pages to fix the sequence, rotate PDF to straighten anything sideways, and only then add page numbers.
How we calculate: sources
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
Everything runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded to a server or stored by us.
How do I add "Page X of Y" to a PDF?
Choose the Page 1 of 10 format and press Add page numbers. Y is the last number printed, so skipped cover pages are not counted.
How do I skip the cover page?
Type 2- in Pages to number. Numbering starts on page 2 and, with Start numbering at set to 1, that page shows 1.
Can I start numbering at a number other than 1?
Yes. Set Start numbering at to any number, for example 49 when a file continues a document that ended on page 48.
Where should page numbers go?
Bottom center suits reports, bottom right suits legal and business documents, and top right is APA style. For double-sided printed books, use the outside corner option.
Can I add custom text like Bates-style labels?
Yes. Choose Custom text and type something like "Smith v. Jones, p. {n}". {n} is replaced with the page number and {total} with the last number.
Will the numbers be searchable and sharp?
Yes. They are real PDF text in Helvetica, Times or Courier, not images, so they stay crisp at any zoom. These fonts cover English and Western European characters.
Does it work with landscape or rotated pages?
Yes. Each number is placed relative to the page as you see it, so landscape pages and scanned pages with a built-in rotation get upright numbers in the right corner.