Runs in your browser. Your files and text never leave your device - nothing is uploaded.
What this Add Page Numbers to PDF tool actually does
This is a free PDF page numbering tool that stamps a sequential number onto every page of a PDF. Whether you need to add page numbers to a PDF, number PDF pages for a report, or insert page numbers into a dissertation or contract, it works the same way: pick a position, set a starting number, and every page is numbered in one pass.
It writes a plain numeral, in sequence, at one of five fixed positions — there is no "Page 1 of 10" format or roman numeral option, just a straightforward number per page.
How to add page numbers to a PDF
- 1
Upload your PDF
Drop in the finished PDF, with every page already in its final order, since numbers follow the order the pages sit in the file.
- 2
Choose a position
Pick bottom center, bottom right, bottom left, top center, or top right for where the number sits on each page.
- 3
Set the starting number
Leave it at 1 to number from the start, or enter another value to continue numbering from an earlier document.
- 4
Add the numbers and download
Click Add Page Numbers. Every page is stamped in sequence, and the numbered PDF downloads immediately.
Each number is drawn onto its page by pdf-lib running in this tab, using the built-in Helvetica font, so the PDF is read from your disk and the numbered copy is saved straight back without any upload.
How to add page numbers to a PDF without Adobe Acrobat or extra software
You do not need Adobe Acrobat, or any desktop software at all, to add page numbers to a PDF. This free PDF page numbering tool runs entirely inside your browser tab: upload your file, choose a position, download the result. There is no signup, no trial period, and no limit on how many PDFs you number for free.
Choosing a position for your page numbers
Five positions cover the layouts people actually use: bottom center and bottom right are the most common choices for reports and manuscripts, bottom left suits documents already using the right margin for other notes, and top center or top right work well when the footer is reserved for something else, such as a confidentiality line or a page total added separately.
What this tool does not do
Being upfront about the limits: the number is always a plain numeral in a small dark gray font, a fixed distance from the page edge. There is no "Page X of N" format, no roman numerals for a preface section, no custom prefix or suffix text, and no separate font or color choice. If a document needs more than one of those, the starting-number field is the main lever available. Because every page in the file is numbered, a preface you want left unnumbered has to be separated first: cut it off with Split PDF, number the body on its own, then rejoin the two parts with Merge PDF.
Add Page Numbers to PDF terms explained
Header, footer, position and format are often used loosely when people talk about page numbers. On this page each one maps to a specific setting, or to a setting the tool does not have.
| Term | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Page numbering | Stamping a sequential number onto each page of a document |
| Page number position | Where on the page the number sits; this tool offers five fixed positions |
| Header | The area near the top of a page; the top-center and top-right positions place the number there |
| Footer | The area near the bottom of a page; the bottom-center, bottom-left, and bottom-right positions place the number there |
| Page sequence | The order pages are numbered in, always matching the order pages already appear in the file |
| Numbering format | How the number itself is written; this tool always uses a plain numeral, with no "Page X of Y" or roman numeral option |
| Starting number | The number given to the first page; set it above 1 to continue a series from another document |
| PDF pages | Every page in the document; each one receives its own number in one pass |
Numbering on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android
The position menu and the Start Numbering At box are the only two controls, so the page fits comfortably on a phone screen as well as a Windows or Mac desktop. On an iPhone, the numbered PDF saves to the Files app; on Android it lands in Downloads. Open it once to confirm the numbers clear your footer text before you send it on.
Is it free, and is my file safe?
Numbering pages on The Tools Kit is free, and the only thing added to each page is the number itself, with no logo or credit line beside it.
Because the numbers are drawn on your own device, your PDF is never uploaded to a server. That matters when you are numbering private documents, such as contracts, theses, or internal reports.
Common uses
- Numbering the pages of a report, proposal, or contract before it is printed or shared
- Adding page numbers to a scanned document that never had any
- Continuing a series across two files by setting a starting number other than 1
- Numbering coursework or a dissertation body before combining it with a separately numbered cover
- Preparing a bundle of exhibits or appendices with a consistent page sequence
- Renumbering a document after pages were removed with Delete PDF Pages
Adding page numbers for the USA, Canada, and UK
Numbered pages come up whenever a document needs to be referenced by page, or checked against a table of contents. That comes up in a few common places:
- USA: a US court filing, a US university thesis, or a US grant application often requires numbered pages before it can be submitted or bound.
- Canada: Canadian legal filings, a Canadian university thesis, or Canadian government paperwork frequently ask for sequential page numbers before submission.
- UK: numbering the pages of a UK dissertation, a UK legal bundle, or a UK planning application is a routine step before it is printed, bound, or filed.
Frequently asked questions
Upload your PDF, choose a position for the number, set the starting number, and click Add Page Numbers. Every page is stamped in sequence, and the file downloads automatically.
Yes. This is a free PDF page numbering tool with no signup, no watermark, and no daily limit, so you can number PDF pages online as often as you need.
Five: bottom center, bottom right, bottom left, top center, and top right. Pick whichever keeps the number clear of your existing content.
Yes. Enter any starting number, including 0, in the Start Numbering At field. This is useful when a cover page or table of contents lives in a separate file and you want the body pages to continue that document's numbering.
Not with this tool. It stamps a plain numeral, such as 1, 2, 3, on each page, in sequence from your chosen starting number. There is no option for a "Page X of Y" format, roman numerals, or a custom prefix or suffix around the number.
Every page gets a number, in sequence from your chosen starting number. There is no option to skip specific pages or leave a page unnumbered.
This tool numbers one PDF at a time. To add page numbers to multiple PDFs, repeat the same steps for each file. If you also need to combine several files first, use our Merge PDF tool before numbering the result.
Yes. The number is drawn on top of whatever is already on the page, whether that is real text or a scanned image, so it works the same on a scanned document as on any other PDF.
Yes. There is nothing to install and no account to create. Everything runs online in your browser, so you can insert page numbers into a PDF without Adobe Acrobat, a desktop PDF editor, or any other software.
Not in this version. Numbers are always rendered in a small dark gray Helvetica font, positioned a fixed distance from the edge of the page. Position and starting number are the settings you can adjust.
Not while it is locked. Remove the password first by opening the PDF and saving an unprotected copy, then add page numbers to that copy.
No. Page numbers are drawn onto each page entirely in your browser using pdf-lib, so your PDF is never sent to a server.
Yes. It runs in any modern mobile browser on iPhone and Android, so you can number a PDF from your phone the same way you would on a laptop.
Need to combine files before numbering them, or mark pages CONFIDENTIAL first? Use our Merge PDF tool or our Add Watermark to PDF tool. To add a signature afterward, try Sign PDF. If pages are out of order, fix that with Organize PDF before numbering, because the numbers follow the current page order. A report still in Word can be turned into a PDF with Word to PDF first, and a long numbered bundle that is too big to email can be shrunk with Compress PDF. More page tools are on the PDF tools hub.
Reviewed by Raja Jahangir · Last reviewed: October 7, 2026
How do you add page numbers to a PDF?
To add page numbers to a PDF, upload the file, choose a position (bottom centre, bottom right, bottom left, top centre or top right), set the starting number, and click Add Page Numbers. Each page receives an 11-point Helvetica number 28 points from the edge, and the numbered file downloads immediately without leaving your browser.
Can page numbering start from a number other than 1?
Yes. Setting Start Numbering At to 3, for example, labels the first page 3, the second 4, and so on, which is useful when a cover or table of contents is kept in a separate file. Zero is also accepted. The numbers are stamped in sequence on every page and cannot skip pages.