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Add Page Numbers

Add page numbers to PDF in any position and format

How to Use Add Page Numbers

  1. Upload your PDF.
  2. Choose where the numbers should sit on the page.
  3. Pick a format — a plain number, "Page 1", or "Page 1 of 12".
  4. Set a starting number and skip any leading pages such as a cover.
  5. Apply and download.

About Add Page Numbers

What this page solves

Add Page Numbers solves the privacy and friction problem of typical online tools — it never uploads, never asks for a signup, and runs in your browser.

Add Page Numbers is a free, privacy-first PDF utility that lets you add page numbers to pdf in any position and format entirely in your browser. Unlike most online PDF services, Add Page Numbers never uploads your documents — every page is parsed, modified, and re-saved locally using pdf-lib and the browser's built-in capabilities. That makes it a safe choice for confidential files such as contracts, invoices, medical records, tax forms, or signed agreements that should never touch a third-party server. Add Page Numbers handles scanned PDFs (image-only pages) and digital-native PDFs identically, so you don't need to figure out which kind of document you have before starting. Add Page Numbers preserves PDF metadata, bookmarks, internal links, and form fields where the operation allows — what comes out is the same document, modified only where you intended. Output PDFs are clean: no watermark, no "Made with X" footer, no metadata injected into the document properties. Add Page Numbers follows a clean four-step workflow (Upload → Edit → Process → Download) inspired by the best desktop PDF apps and is part of our broader PDF Tools collection. If you also need a complementary utility, try our PDF Merger. It is free with no signup, no watermark, and no page count limits beyond what your device can handle.

Common Use Cases

  • Process confidential business documents without uploading them
  • Prepare contracts, invoices, or signed agreements before sharing
  • Edit scanned documents and forms locally on your device
  • Combine PDF tools in a chain — output of one becomes the input of the next
  • Handle large or sensitive PDFs that exceed typical online upload limits
  • Processing work files that company policy forbids uploading to external services
  • Preparing signed contracts and NDAs for archival without routing through a cloud service
  • Re-ordering scanned pages that came out of a document feeder in the wrong sequence

Related tools in PDF Tools

See all PDF Tools.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip numbering the cover page?

Yes. Set the skip value to 1 and the first page is left clean. Combine with a starting number if you want the second page to read as page 1 rather than page 2.

Can I use Roman numerals for the front matter?

Not in a single pass. Split the document, number the front matter separately, then merge. The tool handles Arabic numerals only.

Where should the numbers go?

Bottom centre is the most conventional and works for both single-sided and double-sided printing. Bottom outer corner is common in books, but requires alternating position by page parity, which this does not do automatically.

Will they overlap my existing content?

They are drawn at the position you choose regardless of what is there. Check the margins of your document first — a footer already occupying the bottom of the page will collide.

How to use Add Page Numbers?

1) Open the tool. 2) Enter or upload your input. 3) Get your result instantly. Everything happens locally — nothing is uploaded.

When should I use Add Page Numbers?

Use Add Page Numbers whenever you need a fast, private, browser-based way to add page numbers to pdf in any position and format.

Is Add Page Numbers safe?

Yes. Add Page Numbers runs 100% in your browser. Inputs are never uploaded, stored, or logged — safe for confidential content.

Will quality be affected by Add Page Numbers?

No quality loss for text and vector content. Embedded images keep their original resolution unless you compress them.

What formats does Add Page Numbers support?

Add Page Numbers supports PDF (any version), with import/export to JPG, PNG and TXT in related tools

Is Add Page Numbers free?

Yes — Add Page Numbers is completely free, with no registration, no watermarks, and no usage limits.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. Add Page Numbers processes PDFs entirely in your browser using pdf-lib. Your documents never leave your device.

Are there file-size or page limits?

There are no enforced limits. Performance depends on your device — files up to about 100 MB process smoothly on most modern browsers.

Will the output have a watermark?

Never. Add Page Numbers produces clean PDFs with no added branding, watermarks, or metadata.

Does Add Page Numbers support password-protected PDFs?

If the PDF requires a password to open, you must unlock it first (our PDF Unlocker tool handles this when you know the password). Owner-restricted PDFs (printable but not editable) can be processed by some tools — the UI will indicate when a restriction blocks the operation.