How to add page numbers to a PDF
- Open the PDF. Tap Choose a PDF or drop the file on the page. The first page renders as a preview.
- Choose format and position. Pick a label style (plain number, Page n of N, dashes, or your own text with {n} and {N}), a corner or centre, the font size and the margin. The preview moves as you change them.
- Set the start and skip. Start at 1 or any other number. If the file has a cover or a title page, skip the first one or more pages — they stay blank and are not counted.
- Download. Tap Add page numbers and download. The numbers are stamped on every remaining page and the file downloads; the original is untouched.
What it does
- Six positions: bottom or top, left, centre or right — with an adjustable margin
- Formats: 1 · 1 of 12 · Page 1 · Page 1 of 12 · – 1 – · or a custom label using {n} and {N}
- Start at any number and skip a cover page or front matter
- Live preview of the first numbered page, rendered from the real file
- Standard Helvetica — no font is embedded, so the output is about the same size as the input
- Runs in your browser; the PDF is never uploaded
Which page-number formats can it produce?
Pick a style from the list or type your own label with two placeholders: {n} is the page's number and {N} is the last number printed. For page 3 of a twelve-page file, the built-in styles give:
| Format | Template | Page 3 of 12 reads |
|---|---|---|
| Plain number | {n} | 3 |
| n of N | {n} of {N} | 3 of 12 |
| Page n | Page {n} | Page 3 |
| Page n of N | Page {n} of {N} | Page 3 of 12 |
| Dashes | – {n} – | – 3 – |
| Custom | Exhibit B · p. {n}/{N} | Exhibit B · p. 3/12 |
Where are page numbers actually required?
Most of the time a page number is a courtesy. In a few places it is a rule, and the rule says exactly how to count. The examples below are quoted from the published requirement; check the one that applies to you, because courts and universities differ.
| Context | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US federal court filings — E.D. Michigan | "Each page must be numbered consecutively." Exhibits are exempt. (Local Rule 5.1(a)(2)) | mied.uscourts.gov ↗ |
| US federal court filings — D. Oregon | Every page must bear a footer with a brief description of the document and consecutive numbering at the bottom of the page; attachments must be clearly numbered. (Local Rule 10(e)) | ord.uscourts.gov ↗ |
| Theses — MIT | The title page counts as page 1 and the whole thesis, front matter and appendices included, is paginated in one consecutive sequence, whether or not a number is printed on a page. | libraries.mit.edu ↗ |
The MIT pattern — count the cover, do not print on it — is "skip first pages: 1, start number: 2" in this tool. The court pattern — a footer on every page — is "skip: 0" with a custom label such as Motion to Dismiss – {n}.
How does it put the numbers on the page?
The tool appends one small text operation to each page's content stream: set the Helvetica font, move to a point, show the label. Helvetica is one of the fourteen fonts every PDF reader must supply, so no font file is embedded and a 4 MB scan stays a 4 MB scan. The point is computed from the page's own crop box and rotation, which is why a landscape page stored sideways still gets its number where you asked. Nothing is re-rendered; text stays selectable and images keep their original bytes.
What can't it do?
It cannot print non-Latin scripts: Helvetica's built-in encoding covers digits, ASCII and Western European accents, not Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic or CJK. It does not detect numbers that are already on the page, so remove or crop those first. Roman numerals for front matter are not a built-in format; type {n} with a start number and number the preface separately if you need them. Password-protected files must be unlocked first. And for files over about 100 MB the browser may run out of memory, particularly on a phone.
Runs in your browser
The PDF is read into this tab's memory and written back as a download. There is no upload, no account and nothing is stored. If the document is one you will need again — a signed lease, a court filing, a thesis — the Paperlock app keeps it in a private, searchable vault on your iPhone.