Add Page Numbers to PDF — Free, Customisable, Browser-Based
Stamp page numbers on every PDF page with control over position, format, font size and starting number.
Add Page Numbers stamps a small numeric footer or header on every page of your PDF using a real PDF text object. Because it is added structurally (not by re-rendering the page), the resulting file remains crisp, searchable and print-ready.
All processing is 100% client-side. Your PDF is opened inside your browser tab, edited with pdf-lib (and rendered with pdf.js when needed), and saved as a Blob download. Nothing is ever uploaded to any server and closing the tab wipes every working buffer.
- Positions: bottom-center, bottom-right, bottom-left, top-center, top-right, top-left
- Formats: “1”, “Page 1”, “Page 1 of N” and roman numerals
- Choose the starting number (useful when combining with cover pages)
- Adjustable font size, colour and margin from the edge
- Fully client-side — no uploads
- 1Upload the PDF you want to paginate.
- 2Choose position, format, starting number, size and colour.
- 3Press Apply — numbers are stamped with pdf-lib drawText.
- 4Download the numbered PDF.
- Bottom-center is the safest, most professional default
- Use Page X of N when reviewers need to reference exact pages
- For thesis-style layouts, run the tool twice: once with roman on the preface, once with arabic on the body
The tool exposes six placement anchors (four corners, plus top-center and bottom-center). Within each position the text is drawn at a configurable margin from the page edge, so it never collides with existing content. Formats include plain “1”, “Page 1”, “Page 1 of N” for a professional look, and roman numerals – the last one is ideal for pref-matter sections.
Under the hood, we iterate through pages and use pdf-lib’s drawText with the standard Helvetica font. The number is a real PDF text object — not a rasterised image — so it stays sharp at any zoom and remains selectable/copyable. Because the operation is a small content-stream addition per page, the output file is essentially the same size as the input.
The Start From field lets you begin numbering at any integer. This is useful when your document has a separately-numbered preface, or when you’re appending a document to an existing one and need continuous page numbers. Combine with the Page X of N format to produce the classic thesis / manual pagination style in a single pass.
Your files never leave your browser. All parsing, page rendering and PDF assembly happens locally on your device using open-source libraries (pdf-lib and pdf.js). ilovedigital.in cannot see, store or share the contents of your documents.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about the Add Page Numbers to PDF — Free, Customisable, Browser-Based tool and how your data is handled.
Can I add page numbers to only some pages?
Are numbers searchable?
Are my files uploaded?
Can I choose a font other than Helvetica?
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