Add page numbers to a PDF
Number every page, choose the position and format, and start from wherever you like.
Add Page Numbers to PDF
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How to add page numbers to pdf
- Drop the PDF. The first page previews so you can position the numbers.
- Choose format and position. Corner or centre, top or bottom. Plain numbers, "Page 3", or "3 of 20".
- Apply and download. Numbers are drawn onto the pages and the file saves here.
About add page numbers to pdf
Page numbers get added after the fact more often than you would think. A document assembled from several sources has no consistent numbering. A scanned bundle has none at all. A court filing, a tender response, or a set of minutes needs every page referenced so people in a meeting can say "page fourteen" and land in the same place. The numbering has to be in the file rather than in the viewer, which rules out most quick fixes.
The tool draws numbers directly onto each page with pdf-lib. You choose the corner or centre, top or bottom, and one of three formats: the bare number, "Page 3", or "3 of 20" with the total filled in automatically. Margin, font size, and colour are adjustable because a number that collides with existing footer text is worse than no number at all — check the preview before applying.
Two offsets matter for real documents. The starting number lets you begin at something other than 1, which is what you want when this file is a continuation of another. The first numbered page lets you skip a cover or title page, so numbering begins on page 2 or 3 while the pages before it stay clean. Combining the two covers most conventions: skip two front pages and start counting at 1 on the third.
Numbers are drawn into the page content, so they print, they survive being merged into a larger document, and they cannot be toggled off. If you later reorder the pages, the numbers do not renumber themselves — they are ink, not a field. Get the page order right first, then number. That sequence is worth remembering because doing it the other way round produces a document that contradicts itself.
Format options
| Format | Renders as | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Number only | 7 | Reports and printed documents |
| Page N | Page 7 | Formal filings and correspondence |
| N of total | 7 of 24 | Bundles where completeness matters |
| Custom prefix | Exhibit A-7 | Legal exhibits and tender annexes |
Add Page Numbers to PDF FAQ
Can I start numbering on page 3?
Yes. Set the first numbered page to 3 and the cover pages stay clean. You can separately set what number that page displays.
Can the numbers start at something other than 1?
Yes. Set the starting number to continue a sequence from another document — useful when a bundle is split across several files.
Will the numbers overlap my existing footer?
They might, which is why the preview is there. Increase the margin or move the numbers to the opposite corner if they collide.
Do the numbers update if I reorder pages later?
No. They are drawn into the page content, not stored as fields. Set the page order before numbering, not after.
Will the numbers print?
Yes. They are part of the page rather than an annotation, so they print and they survive merging into a larger document.
Is the file uploaded to add numbers?
No. pdf-lib draws the text in this browser tab and hands back the modified file. Nothing is transmitted.
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