Add page numbers to a PDF
Number every page of a PDF, or just a range. Choose the position, format, start number and font size, and skip pages such as the cover.
๐ Your files are never uploadedTo join several PDFs first use merge PDF; to turn or remove pages use rotate & delete pages; to stamp text such as "Confidential" across every page use PDF watermark.
When you need it
After merging documents โ files that each had their own numbering end up with numbers that jump around. Numbering the merged file gives one sequence from start to end.
Scanned paper โ pages that never had numbers, before filing or submitting them.
Skipping the cover โ set the range to "2-" and the start number to 1 and the page after the cover becomes page 1.
Double-sided printing โ "Bottom outside" puts odd pages on the right and even pages on the left, so the numbers sit at the outer edge when the pages are bound like a book.
Why not upload the file
Documents that need page numbers are usually the ones that matter โ contracts, theses, reports, legal exhibits. Most online tools send the whole file to a server before adding a single digit. This page reads, numbers and saves the PDF with your own browser. It works offline once loaded, there is no size cap beyond your device's memory, and nothing is kept when you close the tab. The existing content is never removed: the number is drawn on top, so if the document already has numbers you may see two. Move yours to the opposite edge or adjust the margin โ the preview shows exactly where it will go. Landscape and rotated pages get the number in the same place relative to how the page is viewed.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Reading, numbering and saving all happen inside your browser; the page keeps working with the internet switched off. It was built for files you would not hand to a stranger.
How do I leave the cover unnumbered and start the body at 1?
Enter 2- in "Pages to number" and keep the start number at 1. Pages 2 to the end get 1, 2, 3โฆ With a two-page cover use 3-.
What is the 12 in "1 / 12"?
The number of the last page that gets numbered. In a 12-page file with the cover skipped and numbering starting at 1 on page 2, the numbers run "1 / 11" to "11 / 11".
Can I use another language or a custom label?
The formats use digits and the words "Page", "of" and "p." because those can be written with the font every PDF reader has built in. Other text would require embedding a font file, which makes the PDF much larger, so it is deliberately not offered.
Does the text stay selectable? Is quality affected?
Yes and no, respectively. Pages are not turned into images; only a small text object is added to each page. The original text remains searchable and copyable, images keep their resolution, and the file grows by a few kilobytes.
What about password-protected PDFs?
Files with an open password cannot be read and a message tells you so. Remove the password in your PDF reader, save, and try again.