Add page numbers
Drop a PDF, pick where the numbers go and in what format. 100% in your browser, works offline, — the file never leaves your device.
Drop a PDF file here
or click to choose from your device
Choose a PDFHow to add page numbers
- Drop your PDF or click to choose it.
- Pick a position — top or bottom, left, center or right.
- Choose a format ("1", "1 of 10", "Page 1 of 10", etc.) and font size.
- Optionally skip the title page or start numbering at a different value.
- Click "Add page numbers" — your file downloads instantly.
What does "Add page numbers" do?
It stamps a small number onto each page of a PDF, in a position and format you choose, so anyone reading the printed or shared file can tell which page they're on. PDFtez writes the numbers as real PDF text — selectable, searchable, vector-sharp at any zoom — drawn on top of the existing page content. Pages already in the source PDF are not re-rendered, so nothing else about the document changes.
PDFtez gives you control over:
- Position — six choices: top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, bottom-right.
- Format — five formats:
1,1 / 10,1 of 10,Page 1, orPage 1 of 10. - Font size — 9 to 18 pt. Default 12 pt suits most documents at standard paper sizes.
- First numbered page — start the numbering on a specific page (e.g. page 2, leaving the cover blank).
- Start numbering at — start the count at a different value (e.g. start at 5 if these pages continue from an earlier document).
When to use Add Page Numbers
Page numbers feel mundane but they're surprisingly often missing — and missing page numbers are surprisingly often costly:
- Submitting reports to clients. "See page 4" is much easier to follow than "see the chapter that begins after the introduction". Adding page numbers before sharing makes review faster for everyone.
- Legal exhibits and court bundles. Court rules typically require numbered pages so judges and counsel can navigate quickly. Many jurisdictions specify the format (bottom-centre, sequential, including the cover).
- Academic submissions. Most universities require page numbers on theses and assignments. If your word processor's automatic page numbers got lost when you exported the PDF, add them in PDFtez.
- Merged documents. When you merge several files using Merge PDF, the source page numbers (if any) restart at each section. Re-numbering the merged document gives a single coherent sequence.
- Printed handouts. Long printed handouts without page numbers are confusing when collated, dropped, or referenced in a meeting. Numbering them first costs ten seconds.
- Scanned contracts and forms. Multi-page scans often arrive without page numbers, which causes problems if pages get separated. Stamp them on so each page is identifiable on its own.
How PDFtez adds page numbers (under the hood)
PDFtez's Page Numbers tool runs entirely inside your browser. pdf-lib opens your source PDF, walks the pages from the "First numbered page" onward, and draws the appropriate number string at the chosen position on each page. The number is real embedded PDF text in a standard font (Helvetica) at the chosen size — not an image, not an annotation. The original page content is untouched; the number is added on top.
Because the numbers are real text, they:
- Stay sharp at any print resolution and any zoom level.
- Are selectable and searchable in the output PDF.
- Add a negligible amount to the file size — usually a fraction of a percent.
No upload, no server, no logging. The entire operation happens in your browser's memory.
How is PDFtez Page Numbers different?
Most online page-number tools (iLovePDF, SmallPDF, PDF24) upload your file to a server before adding numbers — and many add a watermark or a "Powered by..." stamp on the free tier. PDFtez does the work locally, with no watermark on the output and no daily limit. The format flexibility is also broader than most free tools: choices like "Page 1 of 10" and the ability to start numbering on any page (skipping a title page) cover most real-world numbering conventions in one tool.
For very specialised numbering schemes (Roman numerals on the front matter, Arabic on the body; chapter-based numbering like "3-1, 3-2"; Bates numbers for legal discovery), PDFtez's options are intentionally simpler than Acrobat's. For 95% of "add normal numbers to a PDF" tasks, PDFtez covers it; for the other 5%, a desktop legal-document tool is the right answer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I leave the cover page blank and start numbering on page 2?
Yes. Set First numbered page to 2 — the title page won't get a number. By default the count still starts at 1, so the first numbered page (your page 2) will show "1". If you want page 2 to show "2" instead, leave Start numbering at at 1 and increase First numbered page; PDFtez will pick numbers accordingly.
Can I number pages in Roman numerals?
Not currently — PDFtez supports Arabic numerals only (1, 2, 3...). Roman numerals on front-matter pages with Arabic numerals on the body is on the roadmap. As a workaround, split the document with Split PDF, add Arabic numbers to each section starting at the right value, then merge.
Will numbers cover up content at the bottom or top of pages?
PDFtez positions numbers in the standard 18mm "footer/header" zone — close to the edge of the page. On documents with text that runs right to the edge (e.g. some scanned forms), the number may overlap content. Use a larger font size if the existing footer area is small, or move to a different position (top-right is often less crowded than bottom-center).
Can I add numbers to a password-protected PDF?
PDFtez will attempt to read encrypted PDFs in compatibility mode. If the file is tightly locked, remove the password first using Protect PDF (you'll need to know it), then add numbers.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The control surface is touch-friendly and the operation is fast even on mid-range phones — a 100-page PDF gets numbered in well under a second.
Where do my files go? Are they uploaded?
Your files stay on your device. Page numbering runs entirely in your browser's memory. No file data is uploaded, no copy is stored, and nothing is logged. You can verify this in DevTools → Network while you process.