Home › PDF utility › Add page numbers
Add page numbers
Add page numbers stamps a running counter onto every page of a PDF, with control over position, starting value, font size and the prefix or suffix around the number. Numbering is drawn as vector text directly into the page content, so it prints sharply and cannot be edited away by accident.
How to use Add page numbers
- Upload the PDF that needs numbering.
- Set the position (bottom-centre by default), the first number and the text format around it.
- Apply the numbering and download the stamped document.
Where Add page numbers is useful
- Numbering exhibits in a legal bundle where each page must be cited.
- Adding page numbers to a scanned report that lost them.
- Starting a document's numbering at a value that continues from a preceding volume.
Formats, algorithms and limits
Numbers are written as PDF text operators on each page at the coordinates you select, using a standard embedded font. The original page content is not re-encoded, so image quality and text selectability elsewhere on the page are preserved.
Troubleshooting and honest limits
- Leave a comfortable margin — 25 to 35 points from the edge is a safe default for most printers.
- Use a prefix such as 'Page ' and a suffix such as ' of 12' when the document will be printed double-sided.
- If a page already has printed numbers, position the new stamp on the opposite edge to avoid collisions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start numbering at a number other than 1?
Yes. Set the starting value to any number, which is useful when a document continues numbering from a previous file or when the first page is a cover that should stay unnumbered.
Can I skip the first page?
Yes — apply numbering to the range that starts after your cover, or run the tool once with an offset that accounts for the omitted sheet.
Does adding numbers increase the file size?
By only a few kilobytes. The stamp is a small amount of text content added to each page, not a re-rendered image.
Will the numbers be searchable in the PDF text layer?
Yes. The numbers are embedded as real text, so search and copy see them together with the original page content.
Related tools
Page written and reviewed by the FreeConvertio engineering team on 2026-10-14. Add page numbers runs entirely in your browser — no uploads, no account and no daily limits.