Add Page Numbers to a PDF

Stamp page numbers onto your PDF. Choose the position, wording, font, and where the count starts.

PositionWhere the number is stamped on each page — pick a corner, or the centre of the top or bottom edge.Where the number is stamped on each page — pick a corner, or the centre of the top or bottom edge.
How the number itself reads — just the digit, 'Page 1', with a total like '1 of 10', or wrapped in dashes.How the number itself reads — just the digit, 'Page 1', with a total like '1 of 10', or wrapped in dashes.
The first page that gets a number. Pages before it — e.g. a cover — are left blank.The first page that gets a number. Pages before it — e.g. a cover — are left blank.
What the first stamped page is labelled. Set 'Start on page' to 2 and this to 1 to skip a cover without renumbering.What the first stamped page is labelled. Set 'Start on page' to 2 and this to 1 to skip a cover without renumbering.
Typeface used to draw the number onto the page — search or scroll the list.Typeface used to draw the number onto the page — search or scroll the list.
Point size of the number, 6–48. Around 10–12 is typical for something unobtrusive.Point size of the number, 6–48. Around 10–12 is typical for something unobtrusive.
Colour the number is drawn in. Click the swatch to pick one, or type a hex code (#333333) or rgb(51, 51, 51) into the box next to it.Colour the number is drawn in. Click the swatch to pick one, or type a hex code (#333333) or rgb(51, 51, 51) into the box next to it.

Add Page Numbers stamps a running count onto every page of a PDF — for a report, thesis, or contract that needs one. Choose where the number sits (any of six corner/edge positions), how it reads (plain, "1 of 10", "Page 1", or dashed), which page the count starts from, and its font, size, and colour. Every option updates a live preview, so you see the exact result before committing to a download.

What you can do

  • Six positions: top or bottom, and left, centre or right.
  • Formats: plain, "1 of 10", "Page 1", or dashed.
  • Choose the page the count starts on and the number it starts from.
  • Twelve fonts across the Helvetica, Times and Courier families, with your choice of size and colour.
  • A live preview of the result before you download.

How it works

  1. 1Drop your PDF onto the page.
  2. 2Pick a Position — top or bottom, left, centre, or right.
  3. 3Choose a Format, e.g. plain "1" or "1 of 10".
  4. 4Set Start on page and Start number if the count shouldn't begin on page 1.
  5. 5Pick a Font, Size, and Colour — type a hex or rgb() value directly if you know the exact colour you want.
  6. 6Click Process File, then Download to save the numbered PDF.

Why use SmilingPDF for this

  • A live preview shows exactly where and how the numbers will look before you download anything.
  • Twelve font choices across Helvetica, Times, and Courier families, each in regular, bold, italic, and bold-italic.
  • Runs entirely in your browser, so a long or sensitive document is never uploaded to number it.

Private by design

Your file stays on your device.

  • No upload
  • No server storage
  • No account required
  • Browser-based processing
  • No watermark

This tool runs inside your browser tab. Your file is read from your device, processed there, and handed back as a download — it is never sent to a SmilingPDF server, so there is nothing for us to store, read, or lose. You can check for yourself: open your browser's developer tools, switch to the Network tab and run the tool. Like most sites, SmilingPDF uses Google Analytics to count visits and which tools are used; that never includes the contents of your files. The privacy policy lists everything the site does collect.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Got questions? We've got answers.

How do I add page numbers to a PDF?

Upload your PDF, pick where the number should sit and how it should read, then process. The numbers are drawn straight onto the pages, so they show up in any PDF reader and when printed.

Can I skip the cover page?

Yes. Set 'Start on page' to 2 and the first page is left clean. You can also choose which number the first stamped page gets, so a cover can be counted or ignored as you prefer.

Will numbers land correctly on rotated or landscape pages?

Yes. The position is worked out in the page's displayed orientation, so 'bottom centre' is bottom centre as you see it — not up the side, which is what happens when a tool ignores a page's rotation.

Can I change the font, size, and colour?

Yes — search or scroll the font list for a Helvetica, Times, or Courier weight (including bold and italic), set any size, and pick any colour by swatch, or by typing a hex code or an rgb(...) value directly. Grey around 10 to 12 point is the usual choice for something unobtrusive.

Are the numbers part of the file or an overlay?

They are drawn into the page content, so they are permanent and travel with the file. Keep your original if you might want an unnumbered copy later.

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything runs in your browser and the file never leaves your device.

Upload your PDF, pick where the number should sit and how it should read, then process. The numbers are drawn straight onto the pages, so they show up in any PDF reader and when printed.