Page numbers turn a bundle of pages into a document people can navigate and cite: "see page 14" only works if page 14 is marked. Add Page Numbers stamps a number on each page you choose, in the position you pick, starting from whatever number suits the document, whether that's 1 or the continuation of an earlier volume.
How to use Add Page Numbers
- Add the PDF.
- Choose a Position: bottom center, bottom right, bottom left, top center or top right.
- Set the Start number, which is the number shown on the first page of the document.
- Deselect any pages that shouldn't show a number, like a cover.
- Select Add Page Numbers and download the numbered PDF.
How numbers are counted
- Position in the document: The number on each page comes from its position in the document: the first page shows the start number, the second shows one more, and so on.
- Skipped pages still count: Deselecting a page leaves it without a visible number, but it still counts. So if you skip the cover of a 20-page document, the next page still shows 2. That's how printed books usually work.
- Starting after a cover: To make the first numbered page after a cover show 1, set the start number to 0.
Placement and style
- Size and margin: Numbers are set in a small 10-point gray font, roughly a third to half an inch from the page edges so they survive printing.
- Alignment: Centered numbers are measured and centered precisely, and right-hand numbers are aligned to the right margin, including on landscape and rotated pages.
- Content near the edge: Numbers are added on top of the page, so a page whose content runs right to the edge may overlap. Check a few pages after processing.
Numbering in a longer workflow
- Number near the end: Add numbers near the end, after merging, reordering and removing pages, so the numbering matches the final document; Merge PDF and Organize PDF come first.
- For legal productions where each page needs a unique identifier with a prefix, use Bates Numbering, and for repeated titles, Header & Footer.
- Where to read more: The print-ready guide covers margins and duplex printing.
When people use Add Page Numbers
Reports and theses
Number a final report or thesis so examiners and reviewers can refer to exact pages.
Court and tender bundles
Number a compiled bundle so every party can find the same page during a hearing or evaluation.
Printed handouts
Keep loose printed pages in order and easy to reassemble if they get shuffled.
Limitations to know
Add Page Numbers prints plain numbers only, in a fixed small gray font, in five positions. Numbering follows page order, deselected pages still count, and existing printed numbers are neither removed nor detected.
Add Page Numbers: common questions
Can I start from a number other than 1?
Yes. Enter any start number. The first page of the document shows it and each page after counts up by one.
How do I skip the cover page?
Deselect the cover on the page grid so it shows no number. The next page shows the second number in the sequence. Set the start number to 0 if that page should show 1.
Can I use a format like "Page 3 of 10"?
No. The tool prints the number on its own. For extra words, add a footer with Header & Footer, positioned so the two don't overlap.
Will existing page numbers be replaced?
No. Existing numbers are part of the page content and remain. New numbers are added on top, so choose a position that doesn't collide with them.