Add Page Numbers to PDF
Paginate a report, thesis, contract or merged document. Choose where the number sits, which format it takes and which number the count starts at, and leave the cover page unnumbered if that is the convention you follow.
Runs in your browser
How to use
- Drop a PDF.
- Choose position, format, starting number and size.
- Click Add page numbers.
- Download the numbered PDF.
How it works
Numbers are drawn as small vector text in Helvetica, 1 cm (28 pt) from the edge so they stay inside standard printer margins. Because it is real text and not an image, it prints sharply at any size and can still be selected and searched in the finished file.
With “Don't number the first page”, numbering starts on page 2 with your chosen start value, and the “1 / 10” format counts only the numbered pages — a 49-page document with an unnumbered cover reads “1 / 48”, as in most theses and reports.
Files are processed in your browser with the open-source pdf-lib and pdf.js libraries — they are never uploaded.
Examples
- Thesis
- Skip the cover, start at 1, bottom centre, format “1 / 48”.
- Merged report
- Number after merging so the count runs continuously instead of restarting in each part.
- Contract for signature
- Bottom right, format “Page 1”, so every party can refer to a page without ambiguity.
Common uses
- Theses, dissertations and reports
- Legal documents and contracts
- Merged documents that need continuous numbering
- Printed handouts and booklets
- Scanned documents that arrived without numbers
Privacy & security
This tool runs entirely in your browser. Your files and text are never uploaded to our servers — processing happens on your device and results are created locally. How each tool handles files
Frequently asked questions
Is paginating a PDF the same as numbering its pages?
Yes. Paginating means writing a number on each page, which is what this tool does; it does not change the page order. To reorder pages, use Organize PDF.
Can I start the numbering at something other than 1?
Yes. Set any starting value — useful when a document is one chapter of a longer work, or when the front matter is numbered separately.
Does it work on a scanned PDF?
Yes. The number is drawn on top of the page, so a scan with no text layer is numbered like any other document.
Can I number only part of the document?
Only the first page can be skipped. For a narrower range, split the file with Split PDF, number the part you need, then merge the pieces again.
Can I use Roman numerals?
Not yet — Arabic numerals only.
Can the numbers be removed afterwards?
No. They become part of the page, unlike a page-number field in Word. Keep the original file if you may need an unnumbered version.
Will it cover existing content?
Numbers are placed in the margin; check pages whose content reaches the edge, and move the number to another corner if it clashes.
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