Page numbers are a courtesy in a report and a requirement in a legal bundle, a tender submission or a thesis. Once you have merged several documents together, the original numbering is meaningless — you need one continuous sequence across the whole file.
Add Page Numbers stamps clean, consistent numbering onto every page in the position, font size and format you choose, with full control over where counting starts and which pages are skipped.
How to use Add Page Numbers
- 1Upload the PDF.
- 2Choose a position: any of the six header or footer placements.
- 3Pick a format — plain numbers, 'Page 3', or 'Page 3 of 40'.
- 4Set the starting number and, if needed, skip the cover pages.
- 5Preview on the first page, then apply and download.
Starting number and skipped pages are different settings
Skipping the first two pages means no number is printed on them. Setting the start number to 3 means the first numbered page shows '3'. Legal bundles usually want both: no number on the cover and index, and numbering that begins at 1 on the first substantive page.
Avoiding collisions with existing content
If your document already has footers, place the numbers in a corner rather than centre-bottom. Use the preview to confirm they do not land on top of existing text before applying to hundreds of pages.
Supported formats, limits and things to know
- Numbering is stamped onto the page and becomes part of the content — it cannot be removed later.
- Existing printed numbers from the source documents are not removed.
- Encrypted files must be unlocked first.
Add Page Numbers — frequently asked questions
Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?
Yes. Set how many leading pages to skip and what number the sequence should start at — the two are independent.
Can I use 'Page X of Y' format?
Yes, the total is calculated automatically from the document length.
Where can the numbers be placed?
Any of six positions: left, centre or right, in either the header or the footer.
Will they cover existing footer text?
They could. Use the preview and choose a corner placement if your document already has footers.
Can I remove numbers I added?
Not from the stamped file, because they are now page content. Keep your original and re-run with different settings.