How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF (Without Uploading It)
Updated October 2026
A report, a thesis or a set of scanned pages is much easier to use when every page has a number. You do not need a full PDF editor for that. You can add the numbers on your own device, so the file never leaves your computer or phone.
Add page numbers in four steps
- Open the Add Page Numbers to PDF tool.
- Choose your PDF or drag it onto the page.
- Pick the position, the style and the text size, and set the starting number if you need to.
- Click Add page numbers and download the new PDF.
Your original file is not changed. You get a new PDF with the numbers on it.
Which options should I choose?
| Option | Choices | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Top or bottom, left, centre or right | Bottom centre or bottom right is the usual choice. Pick another spot if your pages already have a footer. |
| Style | 1, 2, 3 or Page 1, Page 2 or 1 / 12, 2 / 12 | The "1 / 12" style shows the total, which helps when pages are printed. |
| Start counting at | Any number | Use a higher number when the PDF is one chapter of a longer document. |
| Text size | Small, normal or large | Normal works for most pages. Use small on crowded pages. |
| First page | Number it or skip it | Tick the box to leave the cover page without a number. |
Leave the cover page out
Most reports and theses do not show a number on the cover. Tick "No number on the first page" and numbering begins on page 2. By default that page gets the number 1. If you want the second page to show 2, so the numbers match the position of the page in the file, set "Start counting at" to 2.
Combine files first, number second
If your document is made of several PDFs, merge them first and add the numbers afterwards. That way the numbers run through the whole document without gaps or repeats.
What if the PDF already has numbers?
The new numbers are placed on top of the page. Existing numbers are not removed, so choose a position that does not overlap them. If the old numbers are wrong, it is better to number the original document again before you save it as a PDF.
Privacy
The PDF is processed in your browser. The file is not sent to a server, which makes this a reasonable choice for contracts, applications and other documents you would rather keep to yourself.