Add Page Numbers to PDF
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Add visible numbers to your PDF pages. Set the first page, starting number, excluded pages and placement, including Arabic or Roman numbering.
Preparing your tool…
A visual example
Page position and printed number are different
Example: leave the cover unnumbered and start the next page at 1.
Positions in the file PDF page Content 1 Cover 2 Introduction 3 Chapter 1 Positions in the file
The cover is still physical page 1.
Numbers added to the page PDF page Printed number 1 None 2 1 3 2 Numbers added to the page
Choose physical page 2 as the start and 1 as the first printed number.
Starting the printed count at 1 does not move or remove the cover.
Illustrative example. Existing printed numbers are not erased. Check the chosen position for overlaps; document page labels remain separate from these visible additions.
How to use it
- Load a PDF and choose the first physical page and first printed number.
- Enter any excluded physical pages. Decide whether excluded pages still count toward printed numbering and totals.
- Choose Arabic, lower Roman or upper Roman numerals; select the format and printed language for page-of labels.
- Set top/bottom and left/centre/right placement, margin, font and size. Create the checked candidate and inspect the physical-page-to-label list.
- If an overlap is detected, change the placement or review and explicitly accept it before retrying. Download numbered.pdf and check the saved pages.
For five physical pages, start on page 2 with printed number 3 and exclude page 3. Without counting the exclusion, the remaining labels are iii, iv, v. Counting the excluded page produces iii, v, vi.
Details & limits
Up to 25 MiB input/output and 100 pages; 60 seconds per operation. Encrypted or digitally signed PDFs, XFA, embedded files, active document actions and nonstandard UserUnit scales are unsupported. Checked JPEG and unfiltered/Flate images are supported within decoded-resource limits; no inline images, JPEG 2000, JBIG2 or CCITT. No PDF/A, PDF/UA or signature-validity certification. Starting numbers 1–9,999; Roman numerals and their totals 1–3,999. Helvetica or Times at 6–72 pt; margin 0–720 pt, subject to page fit. The overlap check uses rendered pixels and can flag backgrounds; it does not certify collision-free layout.
Does this replace the PDF reader's existing page labels?
No. The new numbers are additional visible vector text. Existing page labels in the document structure remain unchanged. Physical page selection and printed labels can differ. Pixel checks can also flag coloured backgrounds or miss subtle collisions, so review the actual output rather than treating the warning system as a layout guarantee.