Add Page Numbers to a PDF (bottom center, corner, skip the cover)
Stamp 1, 2, 3 or "Page 1 of 10" on every page of a PDF
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How it works
Tap or click the box to pick the document, then choose where the number goes. Bottom center is the familiar spot in books, theses and reports; the top right corner is common on legal filings and business correspondence. Choose a plain number or the "Page 3 of 12" pattern; the second tells the reader the document is complete, which matters when a multi-page file is submitted to an office or court. To leave the cover unnumbered, set the start page to 2: the cover stays blank, the second page becomes 1, and the total counts only the numbered pages. A 12-page report with start page 2 ends on "Page 11 of 11". You can add a short line next to the number — a company or document name — so every page reads "Annual Report 2026 · Page 3 of 12". Accented letters print correctly; characters outside the standard set are drawn with an embedded font. The number sits 12 mm (about half an inch) in from the edge, in 10-point dark gray, and reads upright even on scanned pages that were rotated. The result line shows the first and last number. The rest of each page is untouched and the file never leaves your browser.
This tool is also known as add page numbers to pdf, number pdf pages, insert page numbers in pdf, pdf page numbering, page x of y pdf, add footer to pdf.
What is Page numbering?
Page numbering is the visible number printed on each page of a document, and it can be added to a PDF after the fact. A PDF viewer already shows the page position, but that position is never printed; when a printed stack gets shuffled or a few pages are quoted on their own, only the number on the page itself tells the reader where they are. This tool writes the number into the page content, so it shows up on screen and on paper alike.
What is Footer?
A footer is the line repeated at the bottom of every page, usually holding the page number, the document title or the organization's name. In a word processor it is set up with the document, but once the file is a PDF it is hard to change. This tool's "text next to the number" box works as a simple footer: the short text you type is added on the same line as the number on every page. Pick a corner that is empty so it does not overlap an existing footer.
What is Starting numbering on page 2?
Theses, reports and proposals usually leave the title page unnumbered and start counting at 1 where the content begins. Setting the start page to 2 here does exactly that: the cover stays blank, the second page becomes 1, and the total in "Page 1 of N" counts only numbered pages. If a table of contents or preface should stay unnumbered too, set the start page to wherever the body text begins, such as 3 or 4.
Will the number overlap existing text?
The number is added as a new layer of text on top of the page; it does not look at what is underneath and does not cover it with a white box. If the corner you chose already holds text, a logo or an old number, the two will overlap. Glance at the document first and pick a corner that is empty.
Most documents exported from a word processor have a bottom margin of about an inch; the number sits half an inch from the edge, so it fits comfortably. On scanned paper the bottom edge is usually blank. On presentation slides that run edge to edge, the top right corner is often the safer choice.
Removing old numbers is not this tool's job; writing over text inside a PDF only makes a mess. If a document carries wrong numbers, placing the new ones in a different corner is the cleanest fix.
Which format and position to use
Books, theses and long reports conventionally use bottom center with a plain number. For documents handed to an office or court, where pages may be scanned separately, "Page 3 of 12" is safer: a missing page is obvious at a glance. Legal filings and contract exhibits often put the number in the top right.
If you are submitting several documents as one file, merge them first with the PDF merge tool and number afterwards, so the count runs through without restarting. The same goes for reordering pages: do it before adding numbers, because a stamped number is part of the page and will not change when pages move.
- Thesis or book: bottom center · number only · start page 2
- Submission to an office: bottom center or bottom right · Page 3 of 12
- Legal filings and exhibits: top right · Page 3 of 12
- Merge and reorder first, number last
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers to a PDF?
Select the document, pick the position and format, and press the button. A number is written on every page in the spot you chose and the new file downloads. The result line shows which number went on the first and last page so you can check before opening it.
How do I number a PDF without numbering the cover?
Type 2 in the start page box. The cover stays unnumbered and the second page becomes 1. In the "Page 1 of 10" format the total also leaves out the cover, so an eleven-page file ends on "Page 10 of 10".
Can I add a company name next to the number?
Yes. Type up to 60 characters in the "text next to the number" box; it appears on the same line as the number on every page. Accented letters print correctly, and characters outside the standard set are drawn with an embedded font.
Can I change the font or size of the number?
No. The number is always 10-point, plain and dark gray. That is deliberate: formal documents call for a number that is readable without drawing attention. You can choose among three positions.
Can I number a password-protected PDF?
No. If a file asks for a password, the tool stops and says so. Save an unprotected copy from a program that opens the document and number that copy.