Number Pages
Stamp page numbers onto your PDF. Choose position, format, and starting number.
Drop your PDF here, or click to select
Single PDF file · Max 100MB
Stamping page numbers onto a PDF
Page numbers in a PDF are not metadata — they are text painted onto each page. A PDF exported from slides, scanned from paper, or merged from several sources usually has no numbers, or numbers that restart partway through. This tool adds a fresh, consistent number to every page in one pass.
When you actually need this
- A merged contract or report. You combined three PDFs and the original numbering is now wrong or absent. Number the whole file end-to-end so reviewers can say "see page 14" and land there.
- A scanned booklet. Scans are image pages with no numbers. Stamping gives readers and printers a reference, even though the page content stays an image.
- A chapter that continues a larger work. Your appendix is pages 211 onward — set the start number to 211 and the file picks up from there.
- A deposition or exhibit set. Court and discovery workflows expect every page to carry a locator. A clean "X / N" footer makes citing exhibits unambiguous.
- Printed handouts. A "Page 1 of 12" footer tells anyone holding a loose stack whether a page is missing.
What the tool stamps, exactly
The number is drawn in Helvetica and appended to each page's existing content — your original text, images, and layout are left untouched underneath. You choose:
- Position: bottom-center, bottom-left, bottom-right, or top-center.
- Format: a plain number (
5),Page 5, or5 / 10(the total is filled in automatically from the page count). - Start number: any value, so the printed number can differ from the physical page index.
- Font size: 6–24 pt.
Numbering follows the document's physical page order. With a start number of 211, the first page reads 211, the next 212, and so on.
Practical tips
- If a document already has running footers, use top-center or a corner to avoid stamping on top of them.
- Keep the size small — 10–12 pt sits cleanly in a footer; 14 pt and up competes with body text.
- The number is opaque text, not a faded mark. Over a dark background image it can be hard to read, so move it to an empty corner.
Honest limits, and when to reach for another tool
This tool only adds numbers; it cannot remove numbers already printed on the page, since those are part of the original content stream. If a file has wrong numbers baked in, there is no clean way to strip them here.
- Want a diagonal "DRAFT" mark across the page instead of a corner number? Use Watermark PDF (
/watermark-pdf), which lays angled, semi-transparent text over the whole page. - Need to reorder, delete, or rotate pages before numbering? Do that first in Organize PDF (
/organize-pdf), then number the result. - Want free-form text, notes, or highlights at specific spots rather than one number per page? Use Edit PDF (
/edit-pdf). - Splitting one numbered file afterward? Split PDF (
/split-pdf) does the cutting.
How it works
- Upload the PDF you want to add page numbers to.
- Choose the position (header or footer; left, center, or right), the number format, and the starting number.
- Click Number Pages to stamp the numbers onto every page.
- Download the numbered PDF instantly to your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does adding numbers re-flow or move the rest of my text?
No. The number is drawn in Helvetica as a new layer on top of each page; your original text, images, and layout stay exactly in place underneath. Nothing re-wraps or shifts.
Can I number only some pages or restart numbering partway through?
Not in a single run. Every page in the uploaded file gets a number in one continuous sequence. To number a subset, extract those pages first with Extract PDF, number the smaller file, then merge it back.
Can it remove or fix page numbers already printed on the file?
No. The tool only adds numbers. Numbers baked into the original content stream (for example from a scanned booklet or a prior export) cannot be stripped here, so a number you stamp may sit near existing footers.
Can I start numbering from a value other than 1?
Yes. Set any start number, so an appendix that is physically page one can read 211 onward. Numbering still follows the document's physical page order from that starting value.
What positions and formats are available?
Position can be bottom-center, bottom-left, bottom-right, or top-center. Format can be a plain number, 'Page 5', or '5 / 10' with the total filled in automatically. Font size is adjustable from 6 to 24 pt.
Will the number be readable over a dark image or photo page?
It may not be. The number is opaque text, not a faded mark, so over a dark background it can be hard to read. Move it to an empty corner, or use Watermark PDF if you want angled semi-transparent text instead.