Add Page Numbers to PDF
Add page numbers to a PDF for free. Choose the position, style and starting number, skip the cover page, and download — no upload, no watermark.
Click to choose a file or drag & drop here
One PDF file · numbered privately on your device
Page numbers are invisible until they are missing. A court filing without them is rejected. A dissertation without them fails a formatting check. A contract without them makes "see page 12" meaningless, and a printed report without them turns into a shuffled deck the first time someone drops it.
This tool draws real page numbers into a PDF — in the position, style and starting number you choose — and gives you the file back. They are part of the document from then on, so they print, they survive emailing, and they show up in every reader.
Because the work happens in your browser, this tool is safe for documents you would never upload to a random website — contracts, payslips, medical records, bank statements, passport scans. Nothing is transmitted, so there is no server copy to be retained, indexed or breached.
How to use the Add Page Numbers to PDF
Open your PDF
Drag the file in. The page count appears immediately and the live preview updates as you change settings.
Pick a position
Any of the six standard spots — three along the top edge, three along the bottom. Bottom centre is the safest default for printed documents.
Choose a style
Just the number, "7 / 24", "Page 7 of 24", or a dashed "– 7 –". Legal and academic work usually wants the plain number; reports read better with the total.
Set the starting number and skip the cover
Numbering can begin at any value, and the first page can be left blank — the two things front matter almost always requires.
Download
The numbers are drawn into the file itself, at the size and margin you chose.
Why the starting number matters
Very few documents are numbered from one on the first physical page. A report has a cover and a contents page that are either unnumbered or numbered in roman numerals. A chapter submitted separately might need to start at 84 because it follows 83 pages of earlier material. A bundle of exhibits often has to continue the numbering of the bundle before it.
Setting the start value handles all of these. Combined with the "skip the cover page" option, you can leave the title sheet clean and have the numbering begin on the page after it, at whatever number the rest of the document expects.
Choosing a position that survives printing
Printers cannot reach the very edge of a sheet, and binding eats into one side. A number placed too close to an edge can be clipped by the printer or swallowed by a staple, a comb binding or a hole punch.
The margin control is measured in points — 72 points to an inch, so the default 28 points is a little under a centimetre. For anything that will be bound on the left, avoid the bottom-left and top-left positions; centre is the safest choice for double-sided printing, because it looks correct whichever side of the spine the page falls on.
| Document type | Usual convention |
|---|---|
| Academic thesis | Bottom centre, plain number, front matter in roman numerals |
| Legal filing / exhibit bundle | Bottom right, continuous through the bundle |
| Business report | Bottom centre or bottom right, "Page N of M" |
| Double-sided print | Bottom centre — correct on both sides of the spine |
| Single-sided handout | Bottom right — falls under the reader’s thumb |
| Contract | Bottom centre, "Page N of M" so a missing page is obvious |
Why "Page N of M" is worth the extra width
Showing the total is not decoration. If a contract says "Page 7 of 24" and you are holding 23 sheets, you know instantly that one is missing. Without the total there is no way to tell a complete document from an incomplete one, which is exactly why the convention exists in legal and financial paperwork.
For a document that will be read on a screen and never printed, the plain number is tidier. For anything that might be photocopied, posted or filed, use the total.
The numbers are drawn, not overlaid
The text is written into the page content stream using a standard PDF font, so it is real text: selectable, searchable, and crisp at any zoom level. It is not an image stamped on top, and it does not depend on the reader supporting anything unusual.
One consequence worth knowing: if your pages already have content in the corner you chose, the number will sit on top of it. The preview shows roughly where it will land — if it clashes, move to a different corner or increase the margin.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers to a PDF for free?
Open the file here, choose a position and style, and download. There is no account, no watermark and no page limit, and the document is never uploaded anywhere.
Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?
Yes. Set any starting value — useful for a chapter that continues from earlier material, or for a bundle that follows another one.
Can I leave the cover page unnumbered?
Yes. Switch on "skip the cover page" and numbering begins on the second page, at whatever start value you chose.
Will the numbers print correctly?
Yes — they are written into the document itself, not added as a viewer overlay. Keep the margin at 20 points or more so nothing is clipped by the printer or lost in the binding.
Can I remove the numbers later?
Not from the exported file — they become part of the page content. Keep your original PDF, which this tool never modifies, if you might need an unnumbered version.
Can I use roman numerals?
Not currently. The four styles available are the plain number, "N / M", "Page N of M" and a dashed number. For roman front matter, number that section separately in your word processor before exporting.
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