How to Add Page Numbers to PDF: Simple Free Methods

Why Add Page Numbers to PDFs?

Page numbers seem like a basic feature, but many PDFs lack them. Documents exported from design tools, scanned paper documents, merged PDFs from multiple sources, and web-generated reports often arrive without page numbering. This creates problems when you need to reference specific pages in meetings ("turn to page 14"), create a table of contents, file documents in a legal or compliance context, or simply navigate a long document efficiently.

Adding page numbers to a PDF after creation is straightforward with the right tools. This guide covers every method, from quick online solutions to advanced formatting with custom positions, fonts, and numbering schemes.

Page Number Placement Options

Before adding numbers, decide where they should appear. The placement depends on your document type and how it will be used.

Method 1: Add Page Numbers Online (Free)

The fastest method requires no software installation. Our online tool adds page numbers to any PDF directly in your browser.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the ConvertIntoMP4 PDF editor
2. Upload your PDF file
3. Select the Add Page Numbers option
4. Configure your preferences:
   • Position -- Choose from 6 positions (top/bottom, left/center/right)
   • Format -- Page number only, "Page X of Y", or custom text
   • Font -- Select font family, size, and color
   • Starting number -- Set the first page's number (default: 1)
   • Page range -- Apply to all pages, or skip specific pages (like the cover)
   • Margins -- Adjust distance from page edges
5. Preview the result on any page
6. Click Apply and download the numbered PDF

The tool processes files securely and does not alter any existing content -- it only adds the page number overlay.

Skipping the Cover Page

Most documents should not have a page number on the cover page. To handle this:

• Set the page range to start from page 2
• Set the starting number to 1 (so page 2 of the PDF shows "1") or 2 (so numbering reflects the actual PDF page count)
• Some formats use Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) for front matter and Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3) for the main content

Method 2: Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat Pro provides the most advanced page numbering controls:

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro
2. Go to Edit > Header & Footer > Add
3. Click in the desired position field (left, center, or right header/footer)
4. Click Insert Page Number to add the <<1>> placeholder
5. Add surrounding text if desired (e.g., "Page <<1>> of <<2>>")
6. Set font, size, color, and margins
7. Use the Page Range Options to specify which pages receive numbers
8. Click OK to apply

Acrobat also supports section-based numbering. Go to Page Thumbnails > right-click a page > Page Labels to define numbering sections with different formats and starting numbers.

Method 3: Preview on macOS

macOS Preview has limited PDF editing but does not natively add page numbers. However, you can use the print dialog as a workaround:

1. Open the PDF in Preview
2. Go to File > Print
3. In the print dialog, check options for headers/footers (limited in Preview)
4. Set the destination to Save as PDF

For more control on macOS, use our online tool or install a dedicated PDF editor.

Method 4: LibreOffice (Free Desktop Application)

LibreOffice Draw can open and edit PDFs:

1. Open the PDF in LibreOffice Draw (File > Open, select the PDF)
2. Each page imports as a Draw page
3. Use Insert > Header and Footer to add page numbers
4. Export as PDF (File > Export as PDF)

This method works well for simple documents but may alter complex layouts during the import process.

Method 5: Command Line (pdftk, qpdf)

For batch processing or scripting:

# Using cpdf (Coherent PDF)
cpdf -add-text "Page %Page of %EndPage" \
     -bottom 30 -font "Helvetica" -font-size 10 \
     input.pdf -o output.pdf

This command adds "Page 1 of 20" centered at the bottom of every page. The -bottom 30 parameter sets the distance from the bottom edge in points.

Page Number Formatting Options

Number Formats

Font and Styling Recommendations

Font choice: Match the page number font to the document's body font for visual consistency. If the document uses Times New Roman body text, use Times New Roman for page numbers. Sans-serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica work well for modern documents.

Font size: Page numbers should be readable but not prominent. Use 8-10 pt for most documents (the body text is typically 10-12 pt). For large-format documents (A3, tabloid), increase to 10-12 pt.

Color: Black is standard. For documents with colored headers/footers, match the existing color scheme. Gray (50-60%) is a subtle option that stays readable without drawing attention.

Special Numbering Scenarios

Merged PDFs with Existing Page Numbers

When you use our merge PDF tool to combine multiple documents, each source file may have its own page numbers. Adding a new continuous numbering sequence to the merged file ensures consistent navigation. Use our edit PDF tool to add white rectangles over old page numbers if needed before applying new ones.

PDFs with Mixed Page Orientations

Some documents contain both portrait and landscape pages (common in reports with wide tables or charts). When adding page numbers:

• Use a consistent position relative to the page (e.g., always at the bottom center)
• The page numbering tool should automatically handle the rotation
• Verify that numbers on landscape pages are oriented correctly for reading

Multi-Section Documents

Large documents like theses, books, and annual reports often use different numbering for different sections:

• Front matter (cover, copyright, table of contents): Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) or no numbers
• Body content (chapters): Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) starting from 1
• Back matter (appendices, index): Continued Arabic or alphabetic (A-1, A-2)

To achieve this, split the PDF into sections using our split PDF tool, add appropriate numbering to each section, then merge them back together.

Legal Documents: Bates Numbering

Legal and compliance contexts often require Bates numbering -- a sequential identifier applied to every page of a document set for legal proceedings. Bates numbers typically include a prefix, sequential number, and suffix:

• Example: SMITH-0001, SMITH-0002, ... SMITH-1547
• Must be unique across the entire document set
• Cannot be altered after application
• Must be easily visible for courtroom reference

Adding Page Numbers to Scanned PDFs

Scanned PDFs (image-based) can receive page numbers just like digital PDFs. The page number is added as a text overlay on top of the scanned image. However, be aware of these considerations:

• Contrast: Ensure the page number color contrasts with the scanned background. Scanned documents often have off-white or gray backgrounds.
• Positioning: Scanned pages may have inconsistent margins. Place numbers with enough margin to avoid overlapping existing content near the edges.
• OCR first: If you also need the scanned text to be searchable, run OCR before adding page numbers. Our PDF OCR tool makes scanned text searchable, and our guide on how to OCR scanned documents covers the full process.

Batch Processing Multiple PDFs

When you need to add page numbers to dozens or hundreds of PDFs (corporate reports, archived documents, compliance files):

1. Upload multiple PDFs to our online tool
2. Apply the same numbering format to all files
3. Choose whether numbering is independent (each file starts at 1) or continuous across files
4. Download all numbered PDFs as a ZIP archive

For programmatic batch processing, command-line tools like cpdf can process hundreds of files in seconds:

for f in *.pdf; do
  cpdf -add-text "%Page" -bottom 30 -font-size 10 "$f" -o "numbered_$f"
done

Removing or Changing Existing Page Numbers

If a PDF already has page numbers that are incorrect, outdated, or in the wrong position:

For Digital PDFs

1. Open the PDF in our edit PDF tool
2. Add white rectangles over the existing page numbers to cover them
3. Add new page numbers in the desired position and format

For Scanned PDFs

Covering existing numbers on scanned pages follows the same process -- place a white (or background-matched) rectangle over each old number, then add new numbers.

In Adobe Acrobat

1. Go to Edit > Header & Footer > Remove to strip existing headers/footers
2. Then add new headers/footers with the desired format

Combining Page Numbers with Other PDF Operations

Page numbering is often part of a larger document preparation workflow:

1. Merge multiple documents into one using our merge PDF tool
2. Reorder pages with our organize PDF tool
3. Remove unnecessary pages with our PDF page remover
4. Add page numbers to the final assembled document
5. Add a watermark if needed using our PDF watermark tool
6. Compress the final file with our PDF compressor for sharing

For documents going to print, ensure your page numbers fall within the safe zone (at least 0.5 inches from the trim edge). Review our guide on best file formats for printing for complete print preparation guidelines.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Numbering the cover page -- Most documents should start numbering from page 2 or later
2. Font mismatch -- Page numbers in a wildly different font from the body text look unprofessional
3. Too large or bold -- Page numbers should be functional, not decorative
4. Ignoring bound margins -- For printed/bound documents, keep numbers away from the binding edge
5. Inconsistent positioning -- Switching between bottom-center and bottom-right across pages confuses readers
6. Forgetting landscape pages -- Verify that numbers on rotated pages are positioned and oriented correctly
7. Not checking the final PDF -- Always scroll through the entire document after adding numbers to verify every page looks correct

Adding page numbers is one of the simplest yet most impactful improvements you can make to any PDF document. Whether you are preparing a contract, organizing a report, filing legal documents, or publishing a manual, proper page numbering makes your documents navigable, professional, and reference-friendly.

For more PDF editing capabilities, explore our tutorials on how to edit PDFs online, how to rotate PDF pages, and how to flatten PDFs.