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Upload a PDF, pick where the numbers go and how they read, and download a numbered copy. Free, no account, no watermark.
Max file size: 60 MB1 file per uploadGet 300 MB per upload, freeSign up free
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How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF
Quick answer: To add page numbers to PDF files free, upload one, choose the position and format, press Add Page Numbers and download the copy. No account is needed up to 60 MB. Try it with your own file.
A PDF is a fixed-layout page format (Library of Congress format notes), so we draw each number onto the page as real text in the text layer. pdftotext extracted every one in our 12 page test.
Steps to Number Your PDF Pages
Upload. Drop one file, up to 60 MB, or 300 MB with a free account.
Set the options. Position defaults to Bottom Center, Format to {n}. Font Size runs 6 to 36 points.
Press Add Page Numbers. A 300 page file took about 2.6 seconds.
Download. You get yourfile_numbered.pdf.
Tip: test a short extract in the form above first.
Page Number Formats and Positions
Pagination sits in the header or footer: Bottom Center (the default), Bottom Right, Bottom Left, Top Center, Top Right or Top Left. The page number format sets the label. Page 4 of a 12 page file prints:
Format box
Page 4 prints
Good for
{n}
4
Manuscript or thesis
Page {n} of {total}
Page 4 of 12
Contract
({n})
(4)
Exhibit
Report p. {n}
Report p. 4
Proposal
Unicode labels in Latin, Greek and Cyrillic draw correctly. Arabic, Hebrew and other joined scripts are refused with a message. There is no Roman numeral counter, so iv prints iv on every page.
Skip the Cover Page or Start at Another Number
Start on page is the first numbered page, so you add page numbers to PDF files after the title page. First number, from 0 to 9,999, is what that page prints.
On 12 pages, Start on page 3 with First number 5 printed 5 through 14. In the page x of y style, Start on page 2 gave Page 1 of 11, because {total} is the last number printed.
What the Tool Can and Cannot Do
Mixed page sizes work. Letter, A4, landscape and a /Rotate 90 page got an upright number; the PyMuPDF page documentation covers page rotation and the crop box.
Styling is fixed. Black Helvetica, one file per run.
Numbers are static. Reorder pages, then run it again.
Protected files ask for the password first and the copy is not locked again.
What Happens to Your File
We add no watermark; the file properties carry a small SEO Site Checker note. Your upload is deleted when the job ends. The copy sits at a long random address for about two hours.
Related PDF Tools
Number last, so you add page numbers to PDF files once.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is a list of common questions and answers provided to quickly address common concerns or inquiries.
How do I add page numbers to a PDF for free?
To add page numbers to PDF files free, upload the file, pick a Position, type a Format such as Page {n} of {total}, press Add Page Numbers and download. Files up to 60 MB need no account.
Can I skip the cover page and start numbering on page 2?
Yes. Set Start on page to 2 and the cover stays clean, so page 2 prints First number, which is 1 by default. A start past the last page returns a message instead of a file.
How do I write Page 1 of 10 style numbers?
Type Page {n} of {total} in the Format box. The {total} value is the number on the last numbered page, not the file length, so a 12 page file with Start on page 2 printed Page 1 of 11.
Can I choose the position, size or color of the numbers?
Position and size, yes: six positions and a Font Size from 6 to 36 points. Long labels shrink to fit. Color is always black and the font is Helvetica, so match your document to that.
Does it work on password protected, scanned or rotated PDFs?
Yes for rotated, mixed size and protected files, with a caveat for scans. A protected file asks for its password first. Scans get numbers drawn over the image. Rotated pages kept the number upright, and mixed sizes worked too.
Are the page numbers real text, and will they stay if I reorder pages?
They are real, selectable and searchable text. They are also fixed, so if you reorder or delete pages afterwards the old numbers travel with their pages. Reorder first, then run the tool on thenew file.
How big can the PDF be, and is my file kept?
One file per run: 60 MB as a guest, 300 MB with a free account, and a 61 MB file was refused in our test. The upload is deleted when the job ends, and the copy is removed after about two hours.
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