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Add Page Numbers to PDF

Add page numbers to any PDF with custom position, format, start number and margin. Everything runs locally in your browser.

Click to select or drag a PDF file here One file at a time. The page count is read first and your original file is never modified

Example: the label reads "4"

Shown on the first numbered page, 0 is allowed

Distance from the page edge to the text, 36pt is about 0.5 inch

How to use

  1. Click the drop zone or drag one PDF in. The file is read locally and shows its total page count, with a time hint above 200 pages.
  2. Pick the number position: bottom center, bottom right, bottom left or top center.
  3. Pick the number format: 1, 1 / N or Page 1 of N. All three use ASCII characters only, so every viewer can render them.
  4. Adjust the start number, font size and margin. Tick "Skip the first page" when a cover sheet should stay clean.
  5. Click "Generate & download" to write the numbers and save original-name-numbered.pdf. The source file is never modified.

FAQ

Does it change my original file?
No. The tool reads the file, builds a new PDF in memory and writes the numbers into that copy. The download is named -numbered.pdf and the file you selected stays exactly as it was.
Can I number only some of the pages?
You can skip the first page, which keeps a cover or title page clean. Every other page is numbered in order, and the start number still applies to the first numbered page.
Why are there no non-English number formats?
Numbers are drawn with the built-in Helvetica standard font, which covers Latin characters only. Embedding a full CJK font for one label would inflate the file, so the formats stay numeric and English.
Does it work with encrypted PDFs?
Files with an open password cannot be parsed and get a clear message asking you to remove it first. Files that only carry printing or copying restrictions are usually read without problems.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Reading the document, drawing the numbers and saving the result all happen inside your browser with the open-source pdf-lib library. Your file never leaves your device.

How to use

  1. Load a PDF file

    Click the drop zone or drag one PDF in. The file is read locally and shows its name, size and total page count. Documents above 200 pages also show a time hint.

  2. Pick position and format

    Place the number at the bottom center, bottom left, bottom right or top center. Formats are 1, 1 / N and Page 1 of N, all pure ASCII so every PDF viewer can render them.

  3. Set the start number and style

    The start number is what the first numbered page shows, and 0 is allowed. Font size defaults to 12pt and margin to 36pt, measured from the page edge to the text box.

  4. Skip the first page when needed

    A cover sheet usually needs no number. Tick Skip first page and page one stays untouched while numbering starts on page two, with the start number still applied.

  5. Generate and download

    Press Generate and download to write the numbers locally and save the result as the original name plus -numbered.pdf. The source file is never modified and the download starts on its own.

About this tool

This tool adds page numbers to a PDF inside your browser. After picking a file you choose the position, the label format, the first number, the font size and the margin, then generate the result. All work runs through the open-source pdf-lib library on your own device, so the document never reaches a server. The output is a new file whose name ends in -numbered.pdf, while the file you selected stays exactly as it was. Numbers are drawn with the Helvetica standard font, so labels stay numeric and English, which matches the three format choices.

Typical jobs include theses, proposals, contract attachments and scanned paperwork. Reports usually look best with numbers at the bottom center, aligned with the text margin. When several files continue one sequence, set the start number of the next file to the last number of the previous one. The combined set then reads as a single document. Covers, title pages and sheets that already carry a printed number can be left alone by skipping the first page.

How it works

PDF pages put their origin at the bottom left corner and measure in points, where one point is about 1/72 inch. A bottom label sits at a baseline of margin plus descender height. A top label sits at page height minus margin minus ascender height. Horizontally the tool measures the label width first, then splits the leftover space in half for centering. Left and right alignment pin the text to the margin instead. The text box therefore lands inside the chosen margin, and the white space looks even on all sides.

Rotated pages take one extra step. The tool reads the page rotation and converts the label position from the displayed coordinate system back into page coordinates. The text rotates together with the page, so landscape scans get a level number instead of a sideways one. In the formats 1 / N and Page 1 of N, N is the number printed on the last page. With a start number of 5 the final page still reads N / N or Page N of N.

When to use it

  1. Thesis and report final drafts

    Add bottom center numbers to a finished thesis or report. Printed copies are then easy to check page by page. Keep the margin aligned with the body text, and the reader never has to hunt for the number on the page.

  2. Contract sets with attachments

    Number the main contract and its attachments as one sequence. Start each file at the last number of the previous one. Every page then carries a unique number, so an archive lookup needs no file name first, and no gaps appear.

  3. Scanned paperwork gets numbers

    Pages exported from a phone or a scanner often arrive without numbers. A top center or bottom right label makes the print order obvious at a glance. Landscape pages that carry a rotation flag are handled as well, so no manual rotation step is needed.

Tips & tricks

  • Bottom center suits most documents, because a number on the vertical axis rarely collides with footer content.
  • Scanned pages often carry a 90 degree rotation flag. Labels follow the displayed direction, so numbers stay level on landscape pages.
  • Leave at least 24pt of margin on pages with wide tables or captions. Labels sit above the page content and can cover the last line when the margin is tight.

Things to watch

  • Encrypted PDFs cannot be read

    A PDF with an open password cannot be parsed. The page then says so plainly and asks you to remove it. Files that only restrict printing or copying usually load without trouble. Try those before you give up on the document.

  • N follows the last number

    In 1 / N and Page 1 of N the letter N is the last number printed. It is not the page count of the document. With a start number of 5 in a ten page file the final page reads Page 14 of 14. Keep the start number at 1 when the last label should equal the page count.

  • Tight margins cover text

    Labels are drawn on top of the page content. Below about 20pt of margin a number can cover the last text line or a footer table, and scanned pages suffer most. Keep at least 30pt and check the last page after generating.

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