Add PDF Page Number stamps numbering onto an existing PDF. Pick where the numbers sit, which page counts as page one, and how they are written — then download the numbered document. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
Why an unnumbered document causes trouble
Numbering looks like a formality until someone has to refer to a specific page. Courts and tribunals ask for paginated bundles. Universities require numbered pages in a thesis or project report. Tender committees evaluate documents against a page-numbered index. In a meeting, “the table near the middle” wastes a minute that “page 34” would not.
The awkward part is that the documents most likely to need numbering are the ones least likely to have it: merged bundles, scanned paperwork, and files assembled from several sources. This tool adds the numbering after the fact, without rebuilding anything.
How to add page numbers to a PDF
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Open the documentDrop your PDF onto the page or browse for it. The pages load as thumbnails so you can see the layout you are numbering.
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Choose a positionPlace the number in the header or the footer, aligned left, centre or right. Pick a spot that clears your existing content and margins.
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Set the numberingDecide the starting number and which page it lands on, so a cover sheet can stay unnumbered while the body still begins at 1.
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Apply and downloadThe numbers are written onto the pages and the finished PDF is saved to your device. Your original file is not changed.
Getting the placement right
Bottom centre is the safe default. It reads naturally, survives printing, and rarely collides with body text. Bottom right suits documents that will be single-sided and flicked through by hand, since that corner is where a thumb lands.
Two things to watch. Scanned pages often carry content much closer to the edge than a word-processed page does, so check the first and last pages before assuming the footer area is empty. And if the document is going to be bound or hole-punched, keep the number away from the binding edge — otherwise half of them disappear into the spine.
Where it gets used
- Legal bundles. Paginated exhibits and case papers that have to be cited precisely.
- Theses and project reports. Numbering that matches a submitted table of contents.
- Tender and bid documents. Numbered pages tied to a checklist or index the evaluator works through.
- Merged application packets. A file assembled from several sources, numbered once at the end so the sequence is verifiable.
- Scanned records. Archived paperwork given consistent numbering for filing and retrieval.
- Printed handouts. Material that will be read on paper, where a dropped page is otherwise hard to notice.
Processed on your device
The numbering is drawn onto the pages by your own browser. Your document is read locally, modified locally, and handed back to you — it is never transmitted to us or to a third-party service.
Since the documents that need pagination are often confidential by nature — case files, contracts, sealed bids, personal records — that matters more here than on most tools. There is no upload, so there is no copy sitting on anyone’s server waiting to be deleted.
Points to keep in mind
Numbering is added as a new layer on top of the existing page content. It does not remove or replace numbers that were already printed there, so a document that already carries its own pagination can end up with two sets. Check for existing footers first; if the old numbers are wrong, the cleaner fix is usually to regenerate the source document.
Mixed page sizes behave slightly differently. If your file combines A4 pages with scans at other dimensions, the number is positioned relative to each page’s own edges, so the visual placement may shift a little between pages. Reviewing the thumbnails after applying is the quickest way to catch that.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?
Yes. Choose which page the numbering begins on, so covers and title pages can be left clean.
Can the count start at a number other than 1?
Yes. Set your own starting value — useful when a document continues on from an earlier volume.
Where can the numbers be placed?
In the header or footer, aligned to the left, centre or right of the page.
Will the numbers cover my existing text?
They are placed in the margin area, but scanned pages sometimes have content very close to the edge. Check the preview and move the position if needed.
Can I remove page numbers later?
Not with this tool — the numbers become part of the page. Keep your unnumbered original, which is left untouched.
Is my document uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything happens inside your browser and the file never leaves your device.
Is there a watermark or a page limit?
Neither. The tool is free, unlimited, and adds nothing to the document except the numbering you asked for.
Related tools
Number a bundle in the right order by finishing the assembly first: Merge PDF to combine the parts, then Organise PDF to set the sequence, and number last.