Add Page Numbers to PDF

1. Upload a PDF file by dragging and dropping or clicking to browse.
2. Select where page numbers should appear (e.g., bottom-center).
3. Optionally adjust the starting number and font size.
4. Click "Add Page Numbers" to process the document.
5. Download the resulting PDF with page numbers added.

What is PDF Page Numbering?

PDF page numbering adds sequential numbers to every page of an existing PDF document. Many PDFs, especially those compiled from multiple sources or created through scanning, lack page numbers entirely. This tool lets you add page numbers at any of six positions (top or bottom, left, center, or right), with a configurable starting number and font size. The entire process runs in your browser using JavaScript, so your documents never leave your device.

How It Works

The tool loads your PDF using the pdf-lib library, iterates through each page, and draws a text string at your chosen position. The page number is calculated by adding the starting number offset to the current page index. The font, size, and placement coordinates are determined by the options you select. The modified PDF is then saved and made available for download. Because this modifies the actual PDF content rather than adding an overlay, the page numbers are permanent and will appear when the document is printed.

Common Use Cases

• Adding page numbers to scanned documents and combined PDFs
• Preparing documents for professional printing and binding
• Numbering legal documents, reports, and manuscripts
• Adding sequential numbering starting from a specific page number
• Creating printable handouts with page references

Tips for Best Results

Bottom-center is the most common page number position for professional documents. Use a font size of 10 to 12 points for standard readability. If your document is part of a larger collection, set the starting number to match where the previous section ended. For documents that will be bound, consider using bottom-right or bottom-left placement to avoid the binding edge. When printing double-sided, alternating left and right positions is conventional, though this tool applies a uniform position to all pages.

For other PDF operations, try the Merge PDF tool to combine documents, Split PDF to extract individual pages, or Rotate PDF to fix page orientation.