Add Page Numbers to a PDF
Numbering looks trivial until a document is assembled from three sources and the reader needs to cite page 47.
What this tool does
Numbers the pages in the format and position you pick, starting from any number — the narrow version of Header & Footer when numbering is all you need.
How it works
Choose the numbering line, the position, the font and the first number, then apply it to a range if the cover sheet should stay unnumbered. Pick the bottom-centre position for the usual reader-facing footer, or bottom-right for the convention most contracts use.
- Choose the PDF, or drag it onto the page.
- Set numbering line and location on page — the settings below explain what each one changes.
- Run the tool and download the result.
Settings that decide the result
- Location on page — Header left, Header center, Header right, Footer left, Footer center, Footer right
- Font — Times New Roman, Helvetica, Courier
- Document margins — Leave unchanged, Increase margins
- Numbering line — Compose with [PAGE_ARABIC], [PAGE_ROMAN], [TOTAL_PAGES_ARABIC] and [BASE_NAME].
The remaining 3 controls stay on the tool page, where each one sits next to the live preview.
When to reach for it
- A merged document needs one continuous count. Start from any number and number every page.
- Front matter wants Roman numerals. The numbering line accepts the format you type.
Questions we get
Can the numbering say “Page 3 of 10”?
Yes — the text box takes {n} for the current number and {p} for the total. Facing pages can have mirrored numbering, and the count can start from any value.
Where it fits
The tools people usually open next to Page Numbers:
- Create Bookmarks — Add, modify and remove bookmarks from PDF document outline
- Watermark — Add an image or text watermark to PDF documents.
- Edit Metadata — Change PDF Author, Title, Keywords, Subject and other metadata fields
Every tool works on a copy, so the original file is never modified. Uploads are stored under an unguessable id and deleted automatically two hours after you last open them; nothing is listed, shared or indexed. More on the security page.