How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF
A PDF without page numbers is a document nobody can discuss. 'Check the paragraph in the middle' is not an instruction; 'see page 4' is. Whether you are filing a court document, submitting an assignment or circulating a contract, numbering is what turns pages into something people can reference.
Adding numbers normally means opening a desktop editor that costs a subscription. In the browser it takes about twenty seconds — and every option updates a live preview, so you see the result before you commit.
The steps
Add Page Numbers works on any PDF, including scanned documents, because it writes a new numbering layer on top of the existing pages rather than rebuilding them:
- Open Add Page Numbers and load your PDF.
- Choose where the number should sit — six positions are available.
- Pick a format: 1, 1 / 5, Page 1 or Page 1 of 5.
- Decide between numbering every page or only a page range.
- Press Add page numbers and save the file. The preview already showed you exactly how it will look.
Which format fits your document?
There is no single correct answer, but the wrong one gets noticed immediately:
| Format | Looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Clean reports and books where the total keeps changing |
| 1 / 5 | 3 / 12 | Forms and letters that people quote page counts from |
| Page 1 | Page 3 | Assignments and submissions with a required cover style |
| Page 1 of 5 | Page 3 of 12 | Court filings and contracts where every page must be accounted for |
Two options that save the most time
Skip the cover page and start counting at 1 on page 2
Cover pages should not be numbered '1'. Switch from All pages to Page range, then set Start from to the number your body text should begin with. Set it to 1 and number pages 2 onwards, and the first numbered page of the document reads '1' exactly as a reader expects — no hand-editing required afterwards.
Prefix, suffix and draft stamps
The Prefix and Suffix fields let you put fixed text around the number. Common uses: 'Sec. ' before the number in a multi-part agreement, or ' — Draft' after it so nobody mistakes a working copy for the final version. Both are plain text, so they work with any numbering format.
Position, font and colour
You can place the number in any of six positions: Top Left, Top Center, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Center or Bottom Right. Bottom Center is the safest default — it is where people look, and it clears letterheads, logos and page borders.
- Top positions suit documents with a heavy footer or a running header you want to keep.
- Bottom positions are best when the top of the page already carries a letterhead or stamp.
- Four fonts cover almost everything: Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Times and Courier — matching them to the document's body text makes the numbering look native.
- Set the colour to match the document. Black for formal filings, a muted grey when you want the number present but not shouty.
Headers, footers and 'Bates' style numbering
If you need more than a number — a document title at the top of every page, a confidentiality line at the bottom, or a reference code — use Add Header Footer, which applies free text to every page in the same way. Legal teams can combine both ideas: a prefix such as 'ABC-', a start number of 000001 and a file name that matches the exhibit list produces the classic Bates-style stamp used in discovery, without buying litigation software.
Frequently asked questions
Does numbering break the text in my file?
Can I number only some pages?
What happens to page numbers if I edit the PDF afterwards?
Is it really free, and does it work offline?
Tools used in this guide
Add Page Numbers →
Insert customizable page numbers, header/footer text and positioning easily.
Header & Footer →
Insert professional document headers and footers with title, author and dates.
Merge PDF →
Combine multiple PDFs into a single, organized document in seconds.
Organize PDF →
Sort, reorder, rotate and delete pages visually with drag and drop.