How can I avoid putting a page number on my cover page?

The cleanest method is to use Split PDF to separate Page 1 (your cover) from Pages 2–End, add page numbers to the body document starting at 1 (or 2), and then re-attach the cover page using Merge PDF.

What if my PDF contains both portrait and landscape pages?

Our engine reads the exact width and height of every individual page before drawing the number, ensuring that bottom-center or bottom-right numbers sit accurately in the margin on both portrait and landscape sheets.

Which font is used for the page numbers?

We use Helvetica, one of the 14 standard core fonts built into every PDF reader worldwide. This guarantees crisp rendering and keeps your file size virtually unchanged.

Can I start numbering from a number higher than 1?

Yes. Simply set the 'Starting number' field to any integer you need (such as 10 or 51) if your document is Chapter 2 or Part B of a multi-file submission.

Does this overwrite existing page numbers that were already printed on the page?

It draws new page numbers in the margin position you select. If your PDF already has old, mismatched page numbers in the footer, you can trim the old footer margin off first using Crop PDF and then apply fresh page numbers.

Add Page Numbers to a PDF — Free Online Tool

Drag and drop a PDF here

PDF files up to 100 MB

Your files are processed locally in your browser and are not uploaded to our servers.

How to Use the Add Page Numbers to PDF Tool

1
Upload the PDF document that needs page numbering.
2
Select one of the six page positions: Top-Left, Top-Center, Top-Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Center, or Bottom-Right.
3
Choose your preferred numbering format (e.g., '1', 'Page 1', '1 of N', or '— 1 —') and set the starting page number.
4
Click 'Add Page Numbers' and download your newly numbered PDF ready for printing or filing.

Practical Use Cases

Lawyers & Paralegals

Paginating Court Bundles & Exhibit Packets

Apply continuous 'Page X of Y' numbering across merged legal affidavits and evidence exhibits so judges and opposing counsel can reference exact pages.

Students & Researchers

Numbering Merged Dissertation Appendices

Add sequential page numbers starting from a custom number (e.g., starting at page 45) when appending external PDF charts to a thesis.

Business Owners & Consultants

Polishing Multi-Source Client Proposals

Unify a proposal assembled from Word exports, spreadsheet tables, and scanned certificates with clean bottom-center page numbers.

Add Page Numbers to PDF Features

Six Header & Footer Positions

Place numbers at the top or bottom of the page, aligned to the left margin, center, or right margin.

Custom Starting Number

Start counting from 1 or any custom integer when your PDF continues pagination from a previous volume.

Four Professional Numbering Styles

Format labels as plain digits ('1'), labeled ('Page 1'), total-aware ('1 of 24'), or book-style dashed ('- 1 -').

100% Client-Side PDF Processing

All document parsing, page manipulation, and file assembly happen locally in your browser memory using WebAssembly and pdf-lib. Your files are never uploaded to our servers.

Free, Unlimited & Watermark-Free

Process as many documents as you need with zero watermarks, no daily task limits, and no account registration required.

Cross-Platform Desktop & Mobile Support

Engineered with responsive touch controls and keyboard accessibility so you can manage PDFs smoothly on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

Technical Specifications & Best Practices

✓Uses standard embedded Helvetica typography so page numbers display cleanly across all operating systems and printers without font-missing errors.
✓Supports custom starting numbers (e.g., start at 1, or start at 15 if the file is Volume 2 of a larger report).
✓Automatically calculates page coordinates for each individual page, even if your PDF mixes A4, Letter, portrait, and landscape pages.
✓If you want to leave a cover page unnumbered, split the cover off first, number the body pages, and merge the cover back at the front.

Add Page Numbers to PDF