Page Numbers in a PDF: Where They Go and How to Skip the Cover

To add page numbers to a PDF, open the Page Numbers tool, choose a position and a style such as Page 1 of 12, check the preview and download the file. To keep the cover clean, start numbering from page 2.

A short PDF is easy to read without numbers. A 40-page report, a legal bundle or a stack of scans is not. Without page numbers, nobody can say "see page 12", a printed copy that falls on the floor is hard to put back in order, and a contents page cannot point anywhere.

You can add page numbers to any PDF in a minute, without opening the original document. This guide shows how, and how to avoid the common mistakes.

How do I add page numbers to a PDF?

1. Open Add Page Numbers.
2. Click Select PDF file, or drop your PDF onto the page.
3. Choose the style: one of six positions on the page, the format, the text size, the margin and the colour. The preview shows the result as you change things.
4. If you do not want every page numbered, set From page and To page, and the First number.
5. Click Add page numbers, then download your numbered PDF.

Everything happens in your browser. Your document is not uploaded to our servers.

Which format should I use?

You can pick from four formats:

"Page 1 of 12" is popular for contracts and applications, because the reader can see at once whether a page is missing. PDFixed works out the total for you.

Where should the numbers go?

You can place the numbers in any of six spots: the top or bottom of the page, on the left, in the centre or on the right. Pick the position that fits how the document will be used:

• Bottom centre is the usual choice for reports and letters.
• Bottom right suits documents that will be printed and bound on the left.
• Top right works well for forms and bundles, where the bottom of the page is busy.

Use the live preview to check that the number does not sit on top of existing text, a footer or a stamp. If it does, try a different corner.

How do I skip the cover page?

Most reports start numbering after the cover. To do this:

1. Set From page to 2, so the cover page stays clean.
2. Set the First number. Use 1 if your contents page should be page 1, or 2 if you still want the cover to count as page 1.

You can also stop before the end. For example, set From page to 2 and To page to 30, and the pages outside that range stay unnumbered.

How do I add page numbers to a document made of several files?

If your document is built from several PDFs, join them first, then number the result. That way the numbers run in one continuous order.

1. Combine the files with Merge PDF. Our guide How to merge PDF files explains the order and options.
2. Add the page numbers to the merged file.

If the pages are in the wrong order afterwards, fix that before numbering, so the numbers do not need redoing. You may also want to remove pages you do not need first.

Do the numbers work on sideways pages?

Yes. Landscape and rotated pages are numbered where readers expect them, so the numbers always read the right way up. If a page is turned the wrong way, fix that first with Rotate PDF. See How to rotate a PDF permanently.

Can I change or remove the numbers later?

Page numbers become part of each page, so they cannot simply be switched off later. Keep your original file, and add the numbers to a copy. If you change the document and the page count changes, run the numbering again on the updated original.

What if I want a more professional layout?

For a polished report, a printed book or a document with a contents page, headers and different numbering for the front matter, a tool can only do so much. Our experts can set up the numbering, bookmarks and clickable contents so the document is ready to publish. Ask for a quote and we will tell you the price before any work starts.