How to use the Add Page Numbers tool
- Add your PDFDrop the PDF onto the box or click to choose it.
- Pick a position and styleClick one of the six positions and choose a format such as “1”, “Page 1” or “Page 1 of 10”.
- Set where numbering startsSkip a cover or table of contents with “Number pages from page”, and choose the first number.
- DownloadClick “Add page numbers & download”. The preview shows how the numbers will look.
Features
- Flexible placementTop or bottom, left, center or right, with an adjustable margin.
- Popular formats1, Page 1, 1 / 10, Page 1 of 10 and - 1 - styles.
- Skip front matterStart numbering on any page and begin counting from any number.
- Book-style mirroringPut numbers on the outer edge of left and right pages for double-sided printing.
- Handles rotated pagesNumbers appear upright and in the right place even on landscape or rotated pages.
Why number the pages of a PDF?
Page numbers make long documents easier to navigate, discuss and print. They are essential for reports, theses, contracts, manuals and legal filings, where people need to refer to “page 14, paragraph 3”. They also help readers put printed pages back in order if they get mixed up.
Choosing a format
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
1 | Books, theses and clean, minimal layouts |
Page 1 | Business documents and reports |
1 / 10 or Page 1 of 10 | Contracts, forms and anything where a missing page must be noticed |
- 1 - | Traditional or formal documents |
Skipping the cover page
Most documents don’t show a number on the cover. Set Number pages from page to 2 to leave the cover blank. If you want the second page to show “2” rather than “1”, set First number to 2 as well. For a thesis with a title page and table of contents, you might number from page 4 starting at 1.
Numbers for double-sided printing
In printed books, page numbers usually sit on the outside edge: on the right for odd (right-hand) pages and on the left for even (left-hand) pages. Choose a left or right position and tick Mirror left/right on even pages to get this layout automatically.
Good to know
- Numbers are added on top of the page content. If a page already has text in the margin, increase the margin or move the numbers to the top.
- A margin of 28 pt is about 1 cm; 36 pt is half an inch.
- Combine several PDFs first with Merge PDF so the numbering runs across the whole document.
- Want a stamp like “CONFIDENTIAL” instead? Use Watermark PDF.