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Add page numbers to a PDF

Print numbers onto the pages themselves. Choose where they sit, what number to start from, and whether to include a total.

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Work surface · ISO 216
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How it works

Add page numbers to a PDF in three steps

  1. Add the PDFnumbering will cover every page.
  2. Set position and formatuse {n} for the number and {total} for the page count.
  3. Savenumbers are drawn onto the pages permanently.
Why use this one

What you get

Start from any number

A document that continues from another can begin at 47, or a cover page can be skipped by starting at 0.

Formats beyond bare digits

Page 3 of 40 is one field away — write Page {n} of {total} and it fills itself in.

Sits clear of the content

Numbers are placed inside the standard margin so they don't land on top of body text.

Specifications

Limits and formats

PositionsBottom center, bottom right, top right
Format tokens{n} for page number, {total} for page count
FontHelvetica, 10pt
Starting numberAny integer from 0
Questions

Common questions

Can I skip the cover page?

Set the starting number to 0 and the cover carries a 0 while page two becomes 1. Alternatively, split the cover off, number the rest, and merge them back.

Can I use Roman numerals?

Not currently. For a document that needs i-iv then 1-40, split it, number each part separately, and merge.

Will the number cover up my content?

It's placed in the margin, which is clear on most documents. Pages with content running to the very edge are the exception — check the first page before trusting the whole run.

Can I change the font size or color?

Not yet. It's set to 10pt dark gray, which reads clearly without competing with the page.

Does the number appear on the printed page?

Yes. It's drawn into the page content, not added as an annotation, so it prints and survives being merged into other documents.

Where this fits

What people do around this step

Assembling a submission bundle

  1. Merge PDF filescombine the separate documents into one file
  2. Reorder PDF pagesput the sections into the order the form expects
  3. Add page numbers to a PDFYou are here · number the pages so the bundle can be referenced

Changing a PDF you don't have the source for

  1. Remove pages from a PDFmost of the time, the change is removing something
  2. Add page numbers to a PDFYou are here · and adding rather than rewriting is always safer