Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1
Open the Add Page Numbers tool
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Step 2
Upload your PDF
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Step 3
Choose position: bottom-center, top-right, bottom-left, etc.
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Step 4
Select font, size, and number format (1, i, A, etc.)
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Step 5
Set starting page number if needed
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Step 6
Download your numbered PDF
Key Benefits
Flexible Positioning
9 position options: top/bottom × left/center/right.
Customisable Style
Font, size, colour, and number format (Arabic, Roman, Alpha).
Skip First Page
Option to skip numbering on the cover page.
Private
All in browser.
Common Use Cases
▶ Use Case 1
Add page numbers to merged PDF documents
▶ Use Case 2
Number a report or manual after finalising the content
▶ Use Case 3
Add Roman numeral page numbers to a table of contents section
▶ Use Case 4
Re-number pages after deleting or rearranging sections
Expert Tips
Use the 'start from' option to number pages starting from a number other than 1
Skip the first page for documents with a title/cover page
Bottom-center is the most universally readable position for page numbers
After adding numbers, add a header or footer using PDF Header & Footer
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Roman numerals? ▼
Yes — select Roman numeral style in the format options (i, ii, iii...).
Can I start numbering from a page other than 1? ▼
Yes — use the 'Start from number' setting to start from any number.
Can I skip the cover page? ▼
Yes — there's a 'Skip first page' option that leaves page 1 unnumbered.
Technical Details: How Numbers Are Added
pdf-lib iterates over every page, calculates each page's exact dimensions (pages can have different sizes in the same PDF), and draws the current number in your chosen font, size, and colour at the specified X/Y position. Because coordinates are calculated relative to each page's dimensions, numbers always appear correctly positioned regardless of size variation across pages.
The "Skip first page" toggle omits numbering from page 1 — useful for cover pages — while keeping the sequence correct internally (so page 2 still shows "2"). To start the sequence at 1 on the second visible page, set Start From = 0 with Skip First Page enabled. For full professional document headers alongside page numbers, pair this tool with PDF Header & Footer.
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