A forty-page PDF without page numbers turns every review call into "the page after the chart, no, the next one". Printed stacks get dropped and reshuffled, and court bundles, theses and tender documents often must be numbered by rule. This tool writes a number onto each page of an existing PDF, in the position and style you choose.
Pick where the number goes and how it reads, set the first number, and press Convert. The numbers are added as real text in the PDF, the rest of each page is left exactly as it was, and the whole job runs on your device without uploading the file.
What adding page numbers does to a PDF
Each page gets a short label such as Page 3 of 12, drawn in dark gray Helvetica at the size you set. The label is added on top of the existing content, the way a stamp would be, so the original text, images and layout are untouched. Because it is text rather than an image, the number stays sharp at any zoom and can be found with the viewer's search.
Numbering follows the order the pages have in the file. For a different order, rearrange the pages first with Organize PDF and number the result. If a page is rotated, the label is still placed and turned so it reads upright in the position you picked, as the page appears on screen.
When page numbers matter
Merged documents and bundles
After combining a cover letter, a contract and several annexes into one PDF, the original numbering restarts in every part. Numbering the merged file from 1 to the end gives everyone the same reference.
Theses, reports and course packs
Universities and publishers often ask for numbers centered in the footer with the title page unnumbered. Turn on No number on the first page, keep Bottom center and the cover stays clean while page 2 shows 1.
Documents that will be printed
Loose printed pages are easy to put back in order when each carries its number. The 1 / 10 or Page 1 of 10 formats also show at a glance whether the last page is missing.
Position, format and numbering options
Position offers the three spots at the top and the three at the bottom of the page: left, center and right. Margin (mm), 12 by default, sets the distance from the page edge; at the bottom it is measured to the baseline of the text. Font size (pt) ranges from 6 to 72, with 11 matching typical body text. Format chooses between Page 1 of 10, 1 of 10, 1 / 10, Page 1 and a plain 1.
First number sets the number on the first numbered page, which helps when the PDF is chapter two of a longer work and should start at 37. With No number on the first page switched on, the first page is left blank and page 2 receives the first number. The total in formats such as 1 of 10 is always the last number printed, so the final page reads 10 of 10 even when you skipped the cover or started higher.
How to use this tool
- Drop one or more PDFs on the box above, or click Choose files (up to 200 MB each).
- Choose a Position and a Format, and set the First number if the count should not start at 1.
- Adjust Font size (pt) and Margin (mm) if needed, and switch on No number on the first page to leave a cover unnumbered.
- Press Convert, then download the numbered PDF, which keeps the original name with -numbered added.
Limitations
- The words Page and of are always in English, and digits are Western Arabic numerals (0 to 9), because the standard PDF fonts used here only cover Latin text. For other languages, choose the 1 or 1 / 10 format.
- The number has no background, so it overlaps anything already printed in that spot. Increase the margin or choose another position if it collides with a footer.
- Roman numerals are not offered and each file gets one continuous sequence. If front matter needs its own count, number the sections as separate files and merge them.
- Password-protected PDFs and files locked against changes are refused, and an existing digital signature stops validating after the numbers are added.