How to add page numbers to a PDF
Page numbers make a document easy to reference and look properly finished — essential for reports, contracts, and anything you'll print and hand around. If your PDF came out of a tool that didn't add them, you can stamp them on afterwards in seconds.
Here's how, including numbering that doesn't have to start at 1.
Step by step
- 1
Open the Page Numbers tool
Go to the Page numbers tool and add your PDF.
- 2
Choose position and start
Pick where the number sits (e.g. bottom-center) and the starting number — handy when a cover page shouldn't count as page 1.
- 3
Apply and download
Stamp the numbers and download the result.
Need more than a number?
For running text like “Confidential” or “Page 3 of 12” in a header or footer, use the Header & Footer tool, which supports {page}, {pages}, and {date} placeholders. For legal-style sequential stamps across a document set, use Bates Numbering.
FAQ
Can I start numbering at a page other than 1?
Yes — set the starting number, useful when a cover or title page shouldn't be counted.
Can I put numbers in a header instead of the footer?
Use the Header & Footer tool for top-of-page text and placeholders like “Page {page} of {pages}”.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No — numbering runs in your browser.