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Add Page Numbers to PDF

Stamp sequential page numbers onto a PDF with a choice of position and starting number.

Runs in your browser. Nothing you add is uploaded.

What the Add Page Numbers to PDF does

Plenty of documents must be paginated before they can be filed — court submissions, dissertations, tender responses, contracts referenced by page. Adding numbers by hand in a word processor means re-exporting the whole PDF; stamping them directly onto the existing file takes a second and changes nothing else about the document.

How to add page numbers to a PDF

  1. Upload the PDF.
  2. Pick where the numbers sit — bottom centre is the usual convention for printed documents.
  3. Set the starting number if the first page should not be numbered 1.
  4. Apply and download the numbered copy. The original is untouched.

The Add Page Numbers to PDF runs entirely in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded, stored, or logged.

When to use it

Meeting a filing requirement

Courts and tender processes frequently require every page numbered so that submissions can be referenced precisely. Unnumbered filings are routinely rejected.

Paginating a merged document

Combining several PDFs produces a file whose original page numbers restart at each section. Stamping a continuous sequence over the top makes the whole document navigable.

Preparing a document for review

Reviewers need to be able to say 'page 14, second paragraph'. Numbering is what makes that possible.

Good to know

  • Bottom centre is the standard for printed documents; bottom right suits single-sided material read on screen.
  • Set the starting number above 1 when front matter is numbered separately in roman numerals.
  • Numbers are drawn on top of the existing content, so check they do not land over a footer or footnote.
  • Number after merging, not before, or you will end up with two competing sequences.

Frequently asked questions

Can I start numbering from a page other than 1?

Yes. Set any starting number, which is useful when front matter is numbered separately.

Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?

You can set the starting number to any value, which shifts the whole sequence — set it to 3 and the first page shows 3. Skipping the first page entirely, so that page one is unnumbered, is not currently supported.

Will the numbers overlap my existing content?

They are drawn on top, about 28 points in from the edge. That falls within the margin of most documents, but a page with an existing footer at the same position will collide. Check the output and choose a different corner if needed.

Can I change the font or size of the numbers?

Not currently — numbers are drawn in 10pt Helvetica in mid grey, which is unobtrusive and prints cleanly. Position and starting number are the available controls.

Does this change anything else in the document?

No. Existing text, images, and layout are untouched; a small text object is added to each page and the font is embedded so it renders identically everywhere.

Is the PDF uploaded?

No. The document is modified in your browser with pdf-lib and saved directly to your device.

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