PDF Tools
Add Page Numbers to PDF
Stamp page numbers onto a PDF in the corner or centre you prefer, with a starting number and format of your choice. The file is numbered inside your browser and never uploaded.
Your file and options
Choose where the numbers go and how they should read.
This tool runs entirely inside your browser. Your file is never uploaded, never stored, and disappears when you close the page.
Result
Choose a file to number its pages.
About this calculator
This tool stamps page numbers onto an existing PDF, letting you choose where they sit, what number they start from, and how they're formatted. It's useful for reports, manuscripts, or scanned documents that don't already have numbering.
How to use it
- 1.Choose the PDF you want to number.
- 2.Pick the position, the number format and which page the count starts from.
- 3.Select Add page numbers and download the numbered copy.
Good to know
Numbering skips any pages left out of the page range, which is handy when a cover page should stay blank.
Numbers are drawn as real text on top of the page, so they stay crisp at any zoom and can be searched for in a reader.
How it works in plain English
The tool works entirely inside your browser, using JavaScript and WebAssembly to read the PDF you select and draw new numbers directly onto each page. Because the file never leaves your device, there's no upload, no server-side processing, and no copy kept anywhere once you close the page. You get back a new PDF with numbers added, while your original file stays exactly as it was.
You choose where the numbers sit, typically options like bottom centre, bottom right, top centre, or top right, matching whichever convention your document already follows. You can also set the starting number, which matters if the PDF is one section of a larger document and needs to continue a sequence rather than start at one, and you can limit numbering to a specific page range if you only want certain pages, such as the body of a report, numbered while a cover page or appendix is skipped.
Formatting options let the numbers match the style you need: a plain number like '5', or a fuller format like 'Page 5 of 20' that also shows the total page count. Font size is adjustable too, so the numbers can sit unobtrusively in the corner of a densely packed page or stand out clearly on a mostly blank one. Once the settings look right, the tool generates the numbered PDF and offers it as an immediate download.
Worked example
Suppose you have a 20-page report that starts with an unnumbered cover page, and you want the remaining 19 pages numbered starting from 1, shown in the format 'Page 1 of 19', centred at the bottom of each page.
You upload the PDF, set the page range to start from page 2, set the starting number to 1, choose 'Page X of Y' as the format, and pick bottom centre for position. The tool applies the numbering only to pages 2 through 20, leaving the cover page blank, and hands back a new file ready to print or share.
Common page number positions and typical use cases
| Position | Typical use |
|---|---|
| Bottom centre | Most common for reports, essays, and books |
| Bottom right | Common in business documents and letters |
| Top right | Common in academic papers and manuscripts |
| Top centre | Used when the bottom margin is reserved for footnotes |
| Bottom left | Less common, sometimes paired with a logo on the right |
General document formatting conventions
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server to add page numbers?
No. The entire process runs locally in your browser through JavaScript and WebAssembly. The PDF is read from your device, the numbers are stamped onto it there, and the finished file is returned to you directly. Nothing is transmitted anywhere, and no copy of your document is stored once you leave the page.
Can I start numbering from something other than 1?
Yes. You can set any starting number, which is useful if the PDF is a chapter or section that should continue the numbering from an earlier document rather than restart at one. The numbers will then count upward from that starting point across the pages you choose to number.
Can I leave a cover page unnumbered?
Yes, by setting the page range to begin after the cover page. For example, on a document where the cover is page 1, you can set numbering to start at page 2 while still choosing 1 as the first number shown, so the cover stays blank and the rest of the document counts normally from there.
What does the 'Page X of Y' format mean?
It's a format that shows both the current page number and the total number of pages being numbered, like 'Page 5 of 20'. It's common in longer reports and manuscripts because it tells the reader how much of the document remains, rather than just showing an isolated number in the corner.
Will adding page numbers change the rest of my document?
No. The tool only draws the number onto each page in the position and style you choose; it doesn't alter the existing text, images, or layout underneath. The rest of the PDF's content stays exactly as it was, and if a page already had visible content near the chosen position, the new number is simply layered on top of it.