Add page numbers to PDF Portable Document Format Free Online Secure
Number the pages. Choose where they sit, what they say, and which page counts as one.
Work on your PDF
Drop a PDF here, or choose one.
Your file never leaves this device. Everything runs in your browser.
Nothing uploaded
Why pages can be moved at all
Inside a PDF, the pages are not a continuous stream. Each one is a separate object, and a catalogue at the front lists them in order, the way a card index lists the cards in a drawer. Rearranging, adding or removing pages therefore means editing the catalogue and the objects it points to, not re-rendering the document. That is why merging two files takes an instant while converting one to Word takes a while, and it is why a page keeps exactly the appearance it had — nothing about it is recalculated. The structure dates from the format's first version in 1993 and has survived every revision since.
Where you need it
Putting a scanned signature page back with the contract it belongs to; splitting a two-hundred-page report so that each department receives its own section; taking the appendix out of a submission because the portal has a size limit; removing the blank pages a scanner inserted; numbering the pages of a document assembled out of several. Most of this is paperwork that would once have meant a photocopier and a stapler.
Questions people ask
Do links and bookmarks survive?
Links within a document — a table of contents pointing to a chapter — survive if the pages they point to are still there, and break if those pages were removed, exactly as a reference to a torn-out page would. Links to web addresses are unaffected. Bookmarks are usually carried over when merging and are the first thing to check afterwards, since they are also the first thing a reader will use.
Why is the merged file bigger than the two originals added together?
Usually fonts. Each document carries its own copy of the fonts it uses, and a simple merge keeps both copies even when they are the same font, so a little weight is added at every join. The effect is noticeable when merging many small files, and barely visible when merging two large ones. If size matters, compressing the merged file afterwards generally recovers most of it.
Does the file lose quality?
It depends on what the two formats can hold. Converting between formats that store the same thing — a PNG to a BMP, a WAV to a FLAC — loses nothing. Converting into a format that throws information away to save space, such as JPEG or MP3, loses a little every time, and converting back does not bring it back. Where a choice exists, this page errs towards keeping the original quality rather than making the smallest file.
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion happens inside your browser, on your own machine; the file never leaves it and there is no server here that could receive it. That is why a large file is limited by your own memory rather than by an upload, and why nothing you convert can appear in anybody's logs — including ours. The audio and video tools do fetch their conversion engine from this site the first time you use them, some thirty megabytes once; after that the work still happens entirely on your machine.
Why people add page numbers to a PDF
A document without page numbers is hard to work with. You cannot say "see page 12" in an email. You cannot tell whether a printed copy is complete. A meeting that tries to discuss a long report ends up with everyone scrolling to different places. The moment a PDF has more than a handful of pages, numbers stop being decoration and become a basic tool for navigation, reference and checking. That is why so many people want to add page numbers to a PDF that arrived without them: a scanned bundle, a report assembled from several parts, a contract merged from separate files, a thesis submitted as a series of chapters.
Numbers also protect against loss. If a printed document has numbered pages, the reader can see at once whether one is missing or out of order. Courts, committees and tenders often require numbered pages for exactly that reason. Whenever a document might be printed, signed, cited or reviewed by several people, numbering it is a small courtesy that saves a great deal of confusion later.
This page lets you add page numbers to a PDF entirely in your browser. The file is not uploaded to a server, which matters for contracts, legal bundles and personal papers. Below you will find how to choose where the numbers sit, what they say and which page counts as one, what the tool does not do, and how to avoid the usual slips.
What you can choose
Where the numbers sit
You decide where on the page the number appears. The usual choices are the bottom centre, the bottom right, the top right and the bottom left, though the options on the page may offer more. For a document that will be bound or printed double-sided, many people prefer the outer corner of each page; for a screen-only document, the bottom centre is neat and unobtrusive. Whatever you choose, apply it to the whole document so that the numbering looks consistent.
What they say
The number does not have to be a bare digit. You can choose what the text says, for instance a plain number, "Page 5", or "5 of 40" if the tool offers a total. Formal documents often prefer "Page 5 of 40" because it also tells the reader how many pages there should be. A short, plain format is easiest to read and does not compete with the page's own content.
Which page counts as one
Not every document should start numbering on its first page. A report usually has a cover that should not carry a number, and a contents page that is traditionally counted but unlabelled, or numbered in a different style. This tool lets you say which page counts as one, so the numbering begins where you want it to. If the first page of your file is a cover, you can start at the second page and have the contents page labelled as the first numbered page.
Why the starting page matters
Imagine a thirty-page report where the first page is a cover. If you number from the very first page, the cover is page 1, the contents page is page 2 and the introduction is page 3. A reader who sees a contents list that says "Introduction, page 1" will be confused. By choosing which page counts as one, you make the printed numbers match the contents list, and nobody has to subtract two in their head.
How the numbers are drawn
On top of the pages, which stay untouched
The numbers are drawn on top of the pages; the pages themselves are untouched. Everything underneath, the text, images and layout, stays as it was, with its original quality and selectable text. Only the small numbers are added. This means the PDF behaves as before: you can still search it, select text from it and zoom in, and the file grows only slightly.
Why "on top" is the right method
Some tools rebuild each page to make room for a number, which can shift the layout, change fonts or turn text into a picture. Drawing the number over the existing page avoids all that. The only risk is that a number could land on top of existing content near the page edge, which is why the position you choose matters, and why you should look at the result.
What this tool does not do
It adds numbers; it does not replace them
If your pages already have numbers printed on them, those stay where they are. This tool adds new numbers; it cannot erase old ones. If you add page numbers to a PDF that is already numbered, you will see both sets. Check the document before you start: if it already has numbers you want to change, you will need to deal with the old ones another way, for example by going back to the source file and renumbering there.
The numbers are pictures, not text
The numbers are drawn as pictures rather than selectable text. You cannot select a number, search for "Page 7" or copy it. For almost every use that is fine, since numbers exist to be read, not copied. If you need them to be real text, for accessibility or for text extraction, put the numbering into the source document before you create the PDF.
It does not build a table of contents
Numbering the pages does not create bookmarks or an index. If the reader needs a contents list that points to pages, you need to write one in the document itself. The numbers added here are what the contents list will refer to, so it is worth fixing the numbering first and writing the contents afterwards.
What happens when you add page numbers to PDF files
A PDF is a document made of pages, each of which records exactly where every letter and picture sits. That fixed record is why a PDF looks the same on every device. When you add page numbers to PDF files, a program draws a small number on each page while leaving the page's own record alone. The result is the same document with a tidy number at the foot, or wherever you chose. The original stays untouched, so you can add page numbers to PDF again with different settings if you change your mind.
That is how this page works. It reads your PDF in the browser, draws a number on every page from the one you named as page one, and writes a new file. You can add page numbers to PDF documents of any kind, scanned or typed, short or long, and every page keeps its text, images and layout underneath the number.
Add page numbers to PDF versus printing with numbers
Some tools number pages by printing the document to a virtual printer with a header or footer switched on. That re-renders every page, which can turn selectable text into a picture and change the layout. Drawing the number on top avoids that. If you have ever tried to add page numbers to PDF by printing and found the text could no longer be searched, this is the reason, and it is why a real overlay is better.
Numbering a document made of several parts
The most common reason to add page numbers to PDF files is that the document was put together from pieces. Each piece, whether a chapter, an annex or a separate report, arrives with its own numbering, or with none. Once you merge them, the sequence is a mess: page 1 of the first part, then page 1 of the second, and so on. The cleanest fix is to merge everything first, and then add page numbers to PDF as a single operation on the finished file.
That way the numbers run 1, 2, 3 to the end, regardless of how the document was assembled. If you must keep the original numbers of some parts, for example because a contents list refers to them, choose the starting page carefully, and remember that numbers already printed stay in place when you add page numbers to PDF.
Front matter and appendices
Formal documents often number the front matter, such as the contents and preface, in a different style from the main text, for example in roman numerals. This tool numbers with plain numbers, so for such documents the simplest approach is to leave the front matter unnumbered and start the numbering at the first page of the main text. Choosing which page counts as one is the setting that makes this possible.
Numbers, accessibility and printing
Because the numbers are drawn as pictures, a screen reader will not announce them, and they cannot be copied. For most documents that is no problem, since the page order is clear to a reader anyway. If accessibility is a requirement, number the document in the source file before you create the PDF, so the numbers are real text. In every other case, you can add page numbers to PDF files here with confidence.
When you print, numbers help you reassemble a document that has been dropped or shuffled. Put the numbers in a corner where a printer's margin will not clip them, and choose a size that is easy to read without dominating the page. After you add page numbers to PDF, print a single page as a test if the document is important, to be sure nothing is cut off.
Double-sided printing
For documents printed on both sides and bound, outer corners are conventional: odd pages carry their number on the right, even pages on the left. If this tool offers only one position for all pages, choose the bottom centre, which looks right on both sides, and you will avoid the awkwardness of a number tucked into the binding.
How to add page numbers to a PDF here
Add your PDF
Drop the PDF onto the page or pick it from your device. It is read inside your browser and is not uploaded.
Choose the settings
Pick the position of the numbers, the wording and the page that counts as one. If you are unsure, start with the bottom centre and a plain number.
Add the numbers and check
Press the button and download the numbered PDF. Scroll through it: check that the numbers are legible, that none lands on top of existing text, that the first numbered page is the one you intended and that the last number matches what you expect.
Tips for good page numbering
Finish the document first
Add numbers after the content is final: merge the files, remove unwanted pages and reorder everything first. If you number first and change the document afterwards, the numbers will no longer match. The right order is to finish, then number.
Leave the cover unnumbered
A cover page rarely carries a number. By choosing which page counts as one, you can start numbering after the cover, so the printed numbers agree with the contents list.
Check the margins
A number placed too close to the edge of a page may be cut off when printed, and a number placed over existing footer text will be hard to read. Look at the corners and edges of the result before you print or send.
Questions people ask before adding numbers
Are the original pages changed?
No. The numbers are drawn on top, and everything underneath is untouched.
Why do I see two sets of numbers?
Because the pages already had printed numbers and this tool adds new ones rather than replacing the old. Go back to the source if you need to renumber.
Can I start numbering later in the document?
Yes. You choose which page counts as one, so numbering can start after a cover or contents page.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser and the file never leaves your device.
Who needs to add page numbers to PDF files
Students and researchers
Theses, dissertations and reports are normally expected to be numbered. Numbering the final PDF lets examiners refer to exact pages.
Legal and administrative staff
Bundles, evidence packs and tender documents are numbered so that every party can cite the same page and notice if one is missing.
Anyone merging documents
When you combine several PDFs into one, the original numbers restart in each part. Adding fresh numbers to the merged file gives a single clean sequence.
Common mistakes
Numbering before the document is final
If pages are added or removed afterwards, the numbers become wrong. Number last.
Forgetting the existing numbers
Adding numbers to an already numbered file gives double numbering. Check first.
Not checking the corners
A number can land on top of a footer. Look at the result before sending it.
Related tools
The natural first step for a multi-part document is to merge PDF files, and the natural neighbours are remove pages from PDF to drop what you do not need, and add watermark to PDF to mark a draft. Once the document is finished, you can protect it with a password or sign it. If a page is the wrong way up, rotate it before numbering.
When to add page numbers to PDF files, and when not to
Numbering is right whenever a document will be read by more than one person, printed, cited or reviewed. It is unnecessary for a one-page document and often unwelcome on a cover or a letter. It is the wrong tool if the pages already carry numbers you want to keep, since the new numbers would appear beside them. And if you need numbers as real text for accessibility, put them in the source document instead.
For the common cases, such as reports, bundles, merged documents, theses and contracts, it is quick, private and exact to add page numbers to PDF files in the browser. Your original is never changed, so you can add page numbers to PDF again with a different position or start page whenever you like.
Large PDFs and slow devices
Everything runs on your own device, so very large PDFs depend on its memory. A hundred pages is no trouble. A thousand-page scan may be slow on an older phone. If a huge file struggles, split it, add page numbers to PDF parts separately with the right starting page for each, and merge them again afterwards.
Keeping the file size sensible
Numbering adds very little to the file size. If the PDF is already large because it contains scanned pages, compress the PDF afterwards. Doing that after you add page numbers to PDF documents means the numbers are part of the finished version.
A numbering routine that avoids mistakes
Finish the content, then merge, trim and reorder. Check the orientation of every page. Decide where numbering starts. Then add page numbers to PDF and scroll through the result, looking at the first numbered page, a page in the middle and the last page. If anything looks wrong, go back to the original and try again; because nothing was changed, you lose nothing.
Splitting a numbered document later
If you later split the numbered file into parts, each part keeps the numbers it carried, which can be useful: someone holding only pages 12 to 20 can still refer to them by their original numbers. This is one more reason to add page numbers to PDF documents while they are whole.
Your file stays on your device
The numbering happens locally. Your PDF is read by your own browser, the numbers are drawn there and the file is handed back. Nothing is uploaded, so there is no copy on a server and no one else who could see the contents. For contracts, legal bundles and personal papers, that is the safe way to add page numbers to a PDF.
A worked example
Say you have a thirty-page report merged from four parts, with a cover page and a contents page at the start. You drop the file here, choose the bottom centre and a plain "Page 5" style, and set the third page, the first page of the introduction, as page one. You press the button and download the PDF. You scroll: the cover and contents carry no numbers, the introduction is page one and the last page is page twenty-eight. The numbers match your contents list, and the document is ready to print.
Where the PDF comes from matters
PDFs reach you from many sources, and the best moment to number a document depends on where it came from. If you wrote it yourself in a word processor, the easiest route is often to switch on page numbers in the source and export again, since the numbers then become real text. If it came out of a scanner, a photo app or a conversion tool, there is no source to go back to, and numbering the PDF itself is the practical option.
The same goes for documents made from other files. A set of photographs turned into a document with the JPG to PDF converter has no page numbers at all, because photographs do not have pages in the first place. A Word file turned into a PDF with the DOCX to PDF converter may or may not carry the numbers that were in Word's footer, since headers and footers are part of the page setup that is re-flowed during conversion. In both situations, numbering the finished PDF is the dependable way to be sure the pages are numbered.
Checking whether numbers already exist
Before you start, scroll to the bottom of a few pages. Look at the corners and the footer. A small number may be easy to miss, particularly on a scanned page with a thin footer. If numbers are already there, decide whether you want a second set; in most cases you do not, and you should deal with the source instead.
A tidy finish
Once the numbers are in, glance through the whole file one more time at normal size, then save it with a name that makes sense. Because a numbered PDF is usually the final version, it is worth keeping the unnumbered file too, in case you ever need to change the page order and start again.
Before you close the page
Check that you downloaded the numbered PDF, that the numbers are legible and begin where intended, and that you kept the unnumbered original.
Summary
To add page numbers to a PDF here, drop the file, choose where the numbers sit, what they say and which page counts as one, and download the result. The numbers are drawn on top and the pages are untouched. Numbers already printed on the pages stay where they are, because this adds and does not replace, and the new numbers are pictures rather than selectable text. Nothing leaves your device.