Add Page Numbers to PDF
Number PDF pages in any corner or centre as 1, Page 1 of 10, Roman numerals or Bates numbers, starting at any page and number, with a live preview of each page.
The interactive tool loads here when JavaScript runs.
About this toolWhat is Add Page Numbers to PDF?
Add Page Numbers to PDF stamps a number on each page in the position you choose: top or bottom, left, centre or right. Pick a format such as 1, Page 1, Page 1 of 10, 1 / 10, Roman numerals or Bates numbers, set the first number, and choose which pages to number.
Skipping a cover is a matter of typing 2- in the page range. By default the first numbered page shows your starting number, so a report whose cover is unnumbered starts at 1 on page 2. Turn on Count skipped pages if gaps in the selection should still advance the count, and Mirror on even pages for documents printed double-sided so numbers sit on the outer edge.
Numbers are added as real text in a standard PDF font, so they print sharply and can be searched. The preview renders the actual output for any page you step to, and the PDF never leaves your browser.
- Six positions, with optional mirroring for double-sided printing
- Formats: 1, Page 1, Page 1 of N, 1 of N, 1 / N, - 1 -, i, I and Bates
- Any first number and page range, with or without counting skipped pages
- Prefix and suffix text, Bates digits from 1 to 12
- Font, size, colour and margin control with a live per-page preview
- Runs entirely in your browser: the PDF is read, edited and saved on your device and is never uploaded to a server.
How to use Add Page Numbers to PDF
- Drop a PDF onto the page or try the sample.
- Click a position: top or bottom, left, centre or right.
- Choose a format and the first number. Add text before or after if needed, or a prefix and digit count for Bates numbers.
- Set which pages to number (2- skips the cover) and the options for counting skipped pages and mirroring.
- Adjust size, margin, font and colour, check the preview and the summary line, then click Add page numbers and download.
Worked examples
Report with an unnumbered cover
Input
10 pages, Pages 2-, format Page 1 of 10, start 1, bottom centre
Output
Page 2 shows "Page 1 of 9", page 10 shows "Page 9 of 9"
The total is the last number printed, so the cover does not inflate it.
Bates numbers for a production set
Input
Format Bates, prefix ACME, 6 digits, start 1201, bottom right
Output
ACME001201 on page 1 through ACME001250 on page 50
Starting at 1201 continues the sequence from the previous 1,200-page batch.
Double-sided handbook
Input
Bottom right, mirror on even pages, margin 0.5 in
Output
Odd pages numbered at bottom right, even pages at bottom left
When printed double-sided, every number sits on the outer edge.
Background and insight
Printers and publishers put numbers on the outer edge or the bottom centre because that is where readers look when flipping. In a bound or stapled double-sided document, odd pages are on the right and even pages on the left, so a number in the outer corner has to swap sides; the mirror option does that by switching left and right on even pages.
"Page X of Y" counts Y from the numbers actually printed. With a cover skipped and start 1 in a 10-page file, the last page reads Page 9 of 9, which is usually what readers expect. Roman numerals are traditional for front matter (i, ii, iii); they cover 1 to 3999 here. Note that these are printed numbers on the page; the page labels some viewers show in their toolbar are a separate document setting (ISO 32000-1, section 12.4.2) that this tool does not change.
Bates numbering, named after the Bates automatic numbering machine patented in the late nineteenth century, gives each page in a set of documents a unique, sequential identifier, usually a prefix and a zero-padded number such as ACME000042. It is standard in legal discovery and in regulatory and insurance submissions so that any page can be cited exactly. Choose the Bates format, set the prefix and digits, and continue the sequence across files by setting the first number of each batch.
Common use cases
Reports and theses
Number a document assembled from several exports so the table of contents can refer to pages.
Legal and compliance
Apply Bates numbers to documents produced in discovery or submitted to a regulator.
Merged packs
Number a board pack or tender submission after combining files with Merge PDF.
Printed handouts
Help readers keep loose printed pages in order.
Tips and limitations
- Margin is measured from the page edge to the text. 0.5 in (36 pt) clears most printers' unprintable border; go to 0.6 in or more for pages with footers.
- If the page already has a footer, put the number at the top or in a different corner to avoid overlap. Check the preview.
- The built-in PDF fonts only cover Western characters, so prefixes in other scripts are rejected.
- Numbers are stamped on the page. The page labels some readers show in their toolbar are a separate setting and stay unchanged.
- For a sequence across several files, number them one after another and set each file's first number to continue from the last.
- Pages with a rotation or crop box are numbered as they appear on screen, so the number is upright and inside the visible area.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers but skip the first page?
Type 2- in Pages to number. With a first number of 1, page 2 shows 1. If you want it to show 2 instead, set the first number to 2.
What is Bates numbering?
A unique, sequential identifier on every page of a document set, such as ACME000042, used in legal discovery and regulatory filings so any page can be referred to exactly. Choose the Bates format and set a prefix and digit count.
How does Page X of Y count the total?
Y is the last number printed. If you skip a cover in a 10-page file and start at 1, pages read 1 of 9 through 9 of 9.
Can page numbers alternate sides for double-sided printing?
Yes. Pick a left or right position and turn on Mirror left and right on even pages, so numbers always sit on the outer edge.
Can I use Roman numerals for the front matter?
Yes. Number the front pages with the i, ii, iii format, then run the tool again on the same file with Arabic numbers on the remaining pages, starting at 1.
Are the page numbers searchable text?
Yes. They are drawn as text in a standard PDF font, so they can be selected, found with search and printed sharply.
Is there an in-depth guide to Add Page Numbers to PDF?
Yes. “PDF Page Numbers and Bates Numbering: Formats, Placement, Rules” covers the background, how it works, common pitfalls and worked examples. Read the full guide.
People also search for
- add page x of y to a pdf
- number pdf pages but skip the cover page
- start pdf page numbering at 2
- add bates numbers to pdf for free
- roman numeral page numbers in a pdf
- page numbers on alternate sides for double sided printing
- add page numbers to a merged pdf
- bottom center page numbers on a pdf
Related Tools You May Like
Free, in-browser tools that pair well with this one.