To add page numbers to a PDF, select Select PDF Files, choose a Numbering Style and Placement, and check the preview on each page card. Then select Save Numbered PDF. The default is plain 1, 2, 3 at the bottom center in 12-point type. Your pages are copied unchanged and the numbers are added as text, all inside your browser.
How to add page numbers to a PDF
- Load the PDF. Select Select PDF Files or drag the file onto the drop area. Use Add More PDFs to append more files.
- Pick a format. Under Number Format, choose a Numbering Style, a Start Number and a Font Size. Add a Prefix or Suffix if you want text around the number.
- Place the numbers. Under Position, choose a Placement such as Bottom Right and adjust Side Margin and Top/Bottom Margin. Under Apply To Pages, choose which pages get a number.
- Save. Check the preview, then select Save Numbered PDF or Save Final PDF. The file downloads with the Output Name you set.
Page number styles you can use
| Numbering Style | Page 4 shows | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, 3 | 4 | Reports, manuals, most documents |
| 01, 02, 03 | 04 | Short sets that should line up |
| I, II, III / i, ii, iii | IV / iv | Front matter, prefaces, appendices |
| A, B, C / a, b, c | D / d | Exhibits and attachments |
| Page 1 | Page 4 | Letters and printed handouts |
| Page 1 of 10 | Page 4 of 10 | Contracts and forms where missing pages matter |
Prefix and Suffix wrap any style. A prefix of Exhibit 3, p. gives Exhibit 3, p. 4; a suffix like / Draft marks every page. The 01, 02, 03 style pads to two digits, so page 10 and beyond print as 10, 11 and so on.
How to skip the cover page or start at another number
Set Apply To Pages to All Except First to leave the cover blank. The count only includes pages that get a number, so with Start Number 1 the second page shows 1. If you want it to show 2, set Start Number to 2.
Other options are First Page Only, Odd Pages, Even Pages and Custom Range, where you type pages like 3-12,15. Each card in the preview is tagged Numbered or Skipped, so you can confirm the result before saving.
With the Page 1 of 10 style, the total is the number of pages in the whole output file, including any you skipped. For a 10-page file with the cover skipped, the last page reads Page 9 of 10, so in that case plain 1, 2, 3 is often the clearer choice.
Position, size and color
Numbers can sit at the Bottom Center, Bottom Right, Bottom Left, Top Center, Top Right or Top Left. Margins are measured in PDF points, where 72 points equal one inch. The defaults, 24 points from the side and 22 points from the top or bottom, sit about a third of an inch from the edge. Increase them if the number overlaps a footer that's already on the page, or set 0 to put the number right at the edge.
Font Size runs from 6 to 72 points (12 by default), and Text Color starts as a dark slate gray. The numbers are drawn in Helvetica, which covers English and Western European letters. Prefixes in scripts such as Cyrillic, Arabic or Chinese can't be drawn and stop the save with an error.
Some scanners store landscape pages sideways with a rotation setting. Those pages are handled too: the number goes on the edge you see when the page is displayed, reads upright, and the preview shows it in the same spot.
How to add page numbers to several PDFs at once
Load two or more PDFs and they're combined into one numbered file, in the order you added them, with numbering that runs straight through. That's handy for a report with separate appendices or a bundle of exhibits. If the files are in the wrong order, put them right with the PDF merger first, then number the merged file.
Your original pages are copied, not redrawn, so text stays selectable and the numbers themselves are real, searchable text. PDFs that need a password to open can't be loaded; remove the password with the PDF password remover first.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers to a PDF for free?
Load the PDF on this page, pick a style and position, and select Save Numbered PDF. It's free, no account is needed and no watermark is added.
Can I insert page numbers in a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. This tool numbers PDF pages in any modern browser, on Windows, Mac, Android or iPhone, with nothing to install.
How do I start page numbering on page 2?
Set Apply To Pages to All Except First. Then set Start Number to 2 if you want the second page to read 2 rather than 1.
Can I use Roman numerals for page numbers?
Yes. Choose I, II, III for capitals or i, ii, iii for lowercase in the Numbering Style menu.
Will adding page numbers change my PDF's quality?
No. The original pages are copied as they are and the numbers are added on top as text, so nothing is recompressed.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is read, numbered and saved in your browser. It never leaves your device.