How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF

By Daniel · Updated July 2026

You merged three documents into one report and now nobody can say "see page 12" because there are no page numbers. It's a small thing that makes a document feel finished and, more practically, makes it possible to refer to.

How to add page numbers

  1. Open the Add Page Numbers tool and drop in your PDF.
  2. Choose where the numbers sit — bottom-centre is the safe, conventional choice.
  3. Set the starting number if the first page shouldn't be "1" (a cover page often shouldn't be counted).
  4. Export the numbered file.

A small detail worth getting right

Think about whether the cover page should carry a number. On most formal documents it doesn't — you start counting from the first real page of content. Setting the starting number lets you skip the cover so the numbering matches what a reader expects.

Add Page Numbers
Stamp page numbers onto a PDF, positioned how you like. Free, nothing uploaded.
Open the tool →

Common questions

Can I choose where the page number appears?

Yes — you can place it at the bottom or top, and centre or to a side.

Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?

Yes. Set the starting number so a cover page can be skipped and page one lands where you want it.

Keep reading

Merging PDF pages · Watermarking a PDF · Compressing a PDF