Add Page Numbers

Add Page Numbers to PDF puts a number on whichever pages you choose, where and how you want it. Numbers are real text, so they stay sharp at any zoom and can be selected or searched. The file is opened, numbered and saved in your browser and is never uploaded.

How to add page numbers to a PDF

1. Drop your PDF onto the tool or click Choose file.
2. Choose a format and a starting number.
3. Pick a position, font, font size, margin and colour.
4. Choose which pages to number: leave the box blank for all pages, or type ranges such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
5. Check the live preview, then click Add page numbers.
6. Download the new PDF, named after your original with -numbered added.

Choosing a number format and start number

The presets cover the usual styles: a bare number (1), a worded number (Page 1), a compact fraction (1 / N) and a full label (Page 1 of N). N is always the total number of pages in the document, not the number you selected. The number 8 in a 40-page file reads 8 / 40 or Page 8 of 40; N never shrinks to the number of pages you selected.

For anything else, choose Custom and use {n} for the page number and {total} for the page count. For example, Annex A – {n} or {n}/{total}. Keep custom text short and use ordinary characters: the standard PDF fonts do not cover every script or symbol.

Numbering runs in ascending page order across the selected pages. If you select pages 2, 3, 4 and 9 and start at 5, they become 5, 6, 7 and 8. The number is a sequence, not the page's position in the original file. If you want them to match, number every page and start at 1. A start of 0 is allowed if a cover page should be page zero.

Position, font, size and margin

There are six positions: top or bottom, and left, centre or right. Bottom centre is the default because it stays clear of most body text. The margin is measured in millimetres from the edge of the displayed page. If the margin is too large for the page, the tool clamps it so the text stays inside the printable area. Placement also allows for the font's ascent and descent, keeping tall letters and descenders clear of the edge.

Helvetica, Times and Courier are standard PDF fonts, so no font file needs uploading and the text adds very little to the file size. The default size of 10 pt suits most documents; use larger sizes for posters, plans and forms read from a distance. The colour is black by default, with a picker for dark grey or a brand colour.

The preview shows the page with a dashed guide box around the number. It uses the same calculations as the saved file, though the browser's font can differ slightly.

Rotated pages

PDF pages can carry a /Rotate value of 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees, telling the reader to turn the page clockwise when displaying it. The tool places the number relative to the page as you see it and rotates the text to match, so it reads upright in the PDF reader. The page's rotation is unchanged and nothing is re-rendered. Mixed rotations are handled page by page, which matters for reports containing portrait text, landscape charts and sideways scans.

What is preserved and what is not

Your original PDF is never changed. The tool opens a copy, draws the numbers and saves a new file. Body text, images, page sizes, links, bookmarks and form fields are normally kept because the document is edited in place rather than rebuilt from copied pages. Very complex features, such as XFA forms or Reader-enabled documents, may not survive the rewrite, so keep the original if the file is valuable.

Limits worth knowing:

• Password-protected files cannot be opened. Remove the password in your PDF reader and save an unprotected copy first.
• Digital signatures stop being valid as soon as content is added. Work from an unsigned copy if the signature matters.
• Page numbers are added content, not a header or footer setting. They do not update if pages are later inserted, deleted or reordered.
• Standard fonts cover common Western European characters, but not every alphabet or emoji. If a custom pattern contains a character the font cannot draw, the tool explains the problem instead of saving a broken file.
• Very large documents are limited by your browser's memory, especially on phones and tablets.

When to use it

Use this tool when a PDF needs page numbers for printing, filing, reference or review: legal bundles, reports, manuals, scanned paperwork and files assembled from several sources. A custom prefix such as an annex letter or matter number gives every page a unique reference.

It works best as the last step, after organising, merging or removing pages, because the sequence follows the final page order. If you number a file and then reorder it, the numbers stay where they were drawn; run the tool again on the reordered copy instead.

Related PDF tools

• To reorder, rotate or delete pages before numbering, use Organize PDF.
• To combine several files and number the result, use Merge PDF.
• To remove unwanted pages so the remaining numbers stay consecutive, use Remove Pages from PDF.
• To trim the margins before adding numbers, use Crop PDF.
• To put text or a logo across the pages, use Watermark PDF.
• To split a numbered document into sections, use Split PDF.

Add Page Numbers FAQ

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. The file is read, previewed and saved by your own browser. Nothing is sent to Lembog or any other server, so the tool is safe for confidential documents.

Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?

Yes. Enter 0 or any higher whole number in Start at. This is useful when a cover page should not carry a number, or when numbering continues from another file in a printed bundle.

Can I number only some pages?

Yes. Leave the page box blank for every page, or type a list such as 2-6, 9, 12-. Selected pages are numbered in ascending order and the rest are untouched. There is no odd/even shortcut, so for alternate pages type them explicitly.

Do the numbers appear upright on rotated pages?

Yes. The tool reads each page's rotation, places the number in the displayed position and rotates the text to match, so it reads normally in the PDF reader. The page's own rotation is left as it was.

Does this add a header or footer?

No. It draws the number directly on each selected page at the position you choose. It is added page content rather than a header or footer field, so it will not reflow or update when the document is edited elsewhere.

Can I use Roman numerals?

Not automatically. The numbered value is always an Arabic numeral. You can add words or symbols around it with a custom format, but the tool will not turn 1, 2, 3 into i, ii, iii. Use a word processor or page-layout program for Roman numerals.

Will bookmarks and form fields still work?

In most ordinary PDFs they are kept, because the tool edits a copy rather than rebuilding it page by page. Complex XFA forms, some embedded media and digital signatures may be affected, so check the saved copy before relying on those features.

Can I remove the numbers afterwards?

The tool does not remove numbers from a PDF. The saved file is a new copy, so keep the original and run the tool again with different settings if you need a change.