Processed entirely on your device — nothing is uploaded
How to use the add page numbers to pdf
- 1Drop the PDF into the box above.
- 2Pick a position and a number format.
- 3Set the starting number and tick 'skip the first page' if there is a cover.
- 4Press Add page numbers and download the result.
Why this comes up so often
Page numbers are usually added by the program that created the document — until the document is no longer in that program. A PDF assembled from several sources, a scan of a printed report, a contract received from a counterparty, a merged bundle of exhibits: none of these have a source file you can simply edit.
The need is nearly always practical rather than aesthetic. Court and tribunal filings often require sequential numbering across a bundle. Academic submissions specify numbering conventions. Anyone presenting from paper needs a way to say "turn to page fourteen" and have it mean something. And a document that has been printed, dropped and gathered up is far easier to reassemble when its pages are numbered.
Most online tools that do this want an upload, and the documents involved — legal bundles, financial reports, submissions — are frequently the kind you would rather not hand over.
Getting the numbering right
Position is largely convention. Bottom centre is the default for reports and manuscripts. Bottom right suits documents that will be bound on the left, because the number stays visible when flicking through. Top right is common in legal filings and business documents. Any of them is fine as long as it is consistent.
The format changes the meaning. A bare number is unobtrusive. "Page 4 of 12" tells a reader whether anything is missing, which is genuinely useful for a document that may be printed and circulated — a recipient can tell at a glance whether they have the whole thing.
The starting number exists for documents that are part of a sequence. If this file is the second volume of a bundle and the first ended at page 47, start at 48 and the whole set reads continuously. Combined with the skip-first-page option, you can also handle the common case of a cover sheet that should not be counted.
Size, margin and printing
Around 10 to 12 points is right for most documents — large enough to read comfortably, small enough not to compete with the body text. Legal filings sometimes specify a size, so check any rules that apply.
The margin controls how far the number sits from the edge of the page. Twenty-eight points is roughly a centimetre, which clears the unprintable border on essentially every desktop printer. Going below about 18 points risks the number being clipped when the document is printed, and some print shops trim more aggressively still.
Watch for collisions. If the document already has a footer, a printed page number from a previous process, or content running close to the edge, the new number can land on top of it. The safest check is to look at the first and last pages of the output before circulating it.
What the numbering does not do
Numbers are drawn as text on top of the existing page content. They do not become part of a header or footer structure, because PDF has no such structure to join — a PDF page is a canvas, not a document with regions.
This means the numbers cannot be edited or removed later by a reader, which is usually the point, but also means a mistake requires going back to the original file and running it again. Keep the unnumbered original until you have checked the result.
The text is real, selectable text rather than an image, so it stays sharp at any zoom and can be searched. Nothing else in the document is re-rendered or recompressed, so the rest of the file is untouched.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip numbering the cover page?
Yes. Tick 'skip the first page' and numbering starts on page two, which is the usual convention for a report with a cover.
Can I start from a number other than 1?
Yes. Set the starting number to continue a sequence from another volume or an earlier bundle.
Will the numbers overlap existing content?
They can if the document already has a footer or content near the edge. Increase the margin, or move the numbers to a different corner.
Are the numbers selectable text or an image?
Real text, drawn with an embedded font. They stay sharp at any zoom and can be searched.
Does this re-compress the rest of the document?
No. Only the numbers are added; every other page object is left exactly as it was.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The numbering is applied in your browser and the file never leaves your device.