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SoSimple.tools
PDF Tool

Add Page Numbers to PDF

Number the pages of a PDF in the corner and format you choose, starting at any number and skipping a cover page if you like, with the file never leaving your device

Free & unlimited • No sign-up Runs in your browser: what you enter stays on your device

Click to select a PDF

PDF files only. No fixed size limit; very large files depend on your device's memory.

The number printed on the first numbered page

Pages before this one get no number, for example 2 to skip a cover

Example:

Status

Waiting for files…
On your device: your files are processed in your browser and never uploaded.
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How to use this tool

  1. Click the box and select the PDF.
  2. Choose the position and the format. The example line shows how the number will read.
  3. Optional: set the first page to number and the number to start from, for example 2 and 1 to leave a cover without a number.
  4. Press “Add numbers & download”.

Worked example

Say you have a 12-page report with a cover. Choose “Bottom center”, the format “Page 1 of 10”, set “First page to number” to 2 and “Start counting at” to 1. The cover stays blank, page 2 reads “Page 1 of 11” and the last page reads “Page 11 of 11”.

Methodology

The open-source pdf-lib library (version 1.17.1, served from this site) opens your PDF in the browser, writes a small line of text on each page you selected using the standard Helvetica font, and saves the result as a new file. Nothing is sent to a server.

Where the number goes: The position is measured from the page as you see it, so pages that are stored rotated, such as a landscape scan, still get their number in the right corner and the right way up. Text is 9, 11 or 14 points and black; the distance from the edge is 20, 36 or 54 points.
What the numbers say: With “Page 1 of 10” the total is the last number printed: if you start counting at page 2 with 1 as the first number, a 12-page file ends at “Page 11 of 11”. Numbers are added on top of the existing page, so choose a larger distance from the edge if a footer is already there.

Page-numbering surprises, and what happens in each

Most surprises come from numbering something that is not a simple stack of pages. Here is what the tool does.

  • The number collides with a footer. The tool writes on top of what is already on the page. Increase the distance from the edge, or move the number to the opposite corner.
  • Pages of different sizes or orientations. Each page is measured on its own, so a landscape page gets its number centered on its own bottom edge.
  • A cover or a table of contents that should not count. Use “First page to number” to skip pages. The skipped pages are not counted in the total either.
  • Numbers in other alphabets. The numbers are drawn with a standard font. The words “Page” and “of” follow the language of this page and use only Latin letters with accents.
  • A password-protected PDF. It cannot be opened here, and the log says so. Unlock it first with the program that protected it.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this page numbering tool really free and unlimited? ▼

Yes. There is no account, daily limit, watermark or page cap set by us. The practical limit is your device's memory, which matters mainly for very large PDFs.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server? ▼

No. The file is read and changed inside your browser tab and the numbered copy is created on your device. The page only downloads its own scripts.

Can I start numbering on page 3, or from another number? ▼

Yes. Set “First page to number” to 3 to leave the first two pages blank, and “Start counting at” to whatever the first numbered page should show, such as 1 or 3.

Can I remove the numbers afterwards? ▼

The numbers become part of the page, like any other text. Your original file is never modified, so keep it if you may need a version without numbers.