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Add page numbers to PDF

Number the pages of a PDF at the top or bottom as 1, Page 1 or Page 1 of 10, from any start page and number, with a live preview. Free, no sign-up, and your files never leave your device.

or drop them here

PDF files only, any number and any size. Locked files ask for their password.

How it works

Page numbers let readers find, cite and put printed pages back in order. This tool writes them into each page with the open-source pdf-lib library, as real text in a standard PDF font, so the rest of the page is untouched and nothing is uploaded.

  1. Add your PDFs

    Choose or drop one or more files. A locked PDF asks for its password, which is checked on this device.

  2. Choose where and how

    Pick one of six positions and a format, then the first number, start page, font, size and margin. The preview shows each page with a close-up of its number.

  3. Save

    Download the numbered PDF. Several files come back together in one zip, each numbered on its own.

The options, explained

Skip a cover or title page

Two settings cover the usual cases. To leave the cover out and start at 1 on page 2, set Start on page to 2: the cover is not counted, so a 10-page file is numbered 1 to 9. To count the cover as page 1 without printing a number on it, keep Start on page at 1 and type 2- in Pages to number: page 2 then shows 2.

Formats and custom text

Choose 1, Page 1, Page 1 of N, 1 of N or 1 / N, or write your own text with {n} for the page number and {total} for the last number, for example Annual report, page {n} of {total}. The last number is the first number plus the numbered pages minus one, so a first number of 5 on 10 numbered pages runs from 5 to 14.

Position, margin and double-sided printing

Numbers sit at the top or bottom of the page, on the left, in the center or on the right, at the margin you set from the page edge in points (72 points make an inch). For booklets printed on both sides, Mirror on even pages swaps left and right on even pages so the numbers stay on the outside edge. Rotated and landscape pages are numbered the way a reader sees them.

Where your files go

Nowhere. The page loads its code from airusk.com (pdf.js to show the pages, pdf-lib to write the new file) and then works on your PDFs in this browser tab. No file, page or password is sent to a server, and closing the tab clears everything.

Pages that already have numbers

New numbers are added on top of whatever is on the page, including numbers printed there before. Pick a free corner or change the margin, and check the preview for overlaps.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add page numbers to a PDF?

Choose your PDF above, pick a position and a format such as Page 1 of N, and check the preview. Then select Add page numbers and download the numbered file. It is free, with no sign-up and no limit on files or pages.

How do I start numbering on page 2 or skip the cover?

Set Start on page to 2. The cover gets no number and is not counted, so page 2 shows 1. If the cover should count as page 1 without showing a number, keep Start on page at 1 and type 2- in Pages to number instead.

Can I show the total, like Page 1 of 10?

Yes. Choose Page 1 of N, 1 of N or 1 / N, or put {total} in custom text. The total is the last number printed, so it follows your start page and first number.

Can I start at a number other than 1?

Yes. Type it in First number, for example 41 for a chapter that continues a longer document. Zero works too.

Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?

No. Your browser reads and changes the PDF on your device, and nothing is sent anywhere, which makes the tool safe for confidential documents. Once your first file has opened, it keeps working without an internet connection.

Are the page numbers real text?

Yes. They are text in a standard PDF font, so they print sharply and can be selected and searched. In tagged PDFs they are marked as page headers or footers, which lets screen readers skip them.