Add Page Numbers to PDF
Number the pages, in the format and position you want. Runs in your browser — the file is never uploaded.
Numbering happens locally — nothing is uploaded
Distance from the edge of the page
Pages before the start page are left unmarked
Preview — page 1
Working…
How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF
- Drop your PDF in, or click to choose one.
- Pick a number format and where it should sit.
- Skip a cover page or change the first number if you need to.
- Check the live preview.
- Click Add Page Numbers and download the result.
Your PDF is never uploaded to a server. Everything happens locally.
Start page and first number are different things
These two controls get confused constantly, and they solve different problems.
Start on page is about which sheets get marked at all. A report with a title page usually should not have a "1" on the cover, so start on page 2 and the cover is left alone.
First number is about what to call the first page that does get marked. Numbering a chapter that continues from a previous document, you might start on page 1 but call it 47.
They combine freely. Skip a two-page front matter and start the count at 1 by setting start page 3 and first number 1 — which is what most reports want, and what produces "Page 1 of 18" on the third sheet of a 20-page file.
Which format to use
| Format | Looks like | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| Number only | 7 | Books, long reports, anything bound. Quiet and conventional. |
| Page N | Page 7 | Loose documents where a bare digit could be mistaken for something else. |
| N / total | 7 / 20 | Faxes, submissions, anything where a missing sheet must be obvious at a glance. |
| Page N of total | Page 7 of 20 | Contracts and signed documents. The most common request, and the safest default. |
Where a total appears, it counts the pages actually numbered rather than the pages in the file. Skip a cover in a 20-page document and the last sheet reads "Page 19 of 19", not "19 of 20" — which is the honest count, since page 20 of the file is page 19 of the numbering.
Specifications
- Accepts
- PDF — .pdf
- Gives you
- <name>-numbered.pdf
- Where it runs
- Your browser — the file is never uploaded
- Sign-up
- None
- Cost
- Free, with no usage limits
FAQ
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Numbers are drawn with pdf-lib inside your browser and the new file goes straight to your downloads. Nothing is uploaded.
Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?
Yes. Set "Start numbering on page" to skip a cover sheet or title page — those pages are left unmarked. Separately, "First number" controls what the first numbered page is called, so a chapter continuing from another document can start at 47.
Can I use "Page 1 of 20"?
Yes. Four formats are offered: just the number, Page N, N / total, and Page N of total. The total counts the pages that get numbered, not the pages in the file, so skipping a cover gives "Page 1 of 19" rather than "of 20".
Will the numbers overlap my content?
They sit in the margin at the position you choose, which is empty on most documents. The live preview shows exactly where they land before you commit, and the margin control moves them if your layout runs close to the edge.
Does the text stay selectable?
Yes. Nothing is re-rendered. The numbers are drawn as text on top of pages that are otherwise untouched, so everything underneath keeps working — selectable text, links, the lot.
What if the PDF already has numbers printed on it?
You will end up with two sets, because the existing ones are part of the page image or text and cannot be detected reliably. Position the new ones somewhere else, or use a PDF where the numbering has not already been burnt in.