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Add page numbers to a PDF

Add clear page numbers to a thesis, a merged information pack or a set of scanned pages so readers can refer to "page 7" with confidence. Skip a cover page, start from any number and choose where the number sits.

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or drop one here

How to use

  1. Choose the PDF.
  2. Pick the position, the format (for example "3" or "3 of 12"), the first number and the page to start on.
  3. Adjust the font size and the distance from the edge; the preview shows the approximate placement.
  4. Select Add page numbers and download the result.

How it works

The number is written onto each page with the standard Helvetica font, which every PDF reader has built in. Its position is worked out from the page's visible area (the crop box): for bottom centre, the left edge of the text is (page width − text width) ÷ 2 and the baseline sits at the margin you chose. For pages that are stored rotated, the position is calculated in the rotated view and converted back, and the text is turned to match, so numbers always appear upright at the edge you picked.

When you start numbering on a later page, earlier pages are left blank and the total in "n of N" counts only the numbered pages: N = first number + numbered pages − 1.

Worked example

A 20-page thesis with a title page and a contents page should start counting at page 3 with the number 1. Set Start on page to 3 and First number to 1, format "n of N". Page 3 shows "1 of 18" and the last page "18 of 18"; the first two pages stay clean.

Limitations

  • Numbers are added on top of the page; if the page already has content at that spot, they may overlap. Increase the distance from the edge to move them.
  • Only Western digits and the words "Page" and "of" are used; other numbering systems such as roman numerals are not offered.
  • The preview is approximate; check the downloaded file before printing.

Questions

Can I leave the cover page without a number?

Yes. Set Start on page to 2 (or later). Pages before it are not numbered.

Can I remove numbers added here later?

Not with this tool; the numbers become part of the page content. Keep your original if you might need an unnumbered copy.

Will the numbers print?

Yes. They are ordinary text drawn on the page, in dark grey, and print like the rest of the document.

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