How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF Online for Free
You've assembled a multi-page report, proposal, or manual in PDF form, but there are no page numbers. A colleague needs to reference "page 7" in a meeting, or you need to print it and collate the pages. Adding page numbers after the fact used to mean going back to the source document. This guide shows you how to stamp page numbers directly onto the PDF in seconds, right in your browser.
Why PDFs often lack page numbers
Page numbers are only added to a PDF if the source document or export settings include them. Common situations where they're missing:
- PDFs assembled by merging several separate documents
- Scanned documents — the scanner captures the page as an image, not as numbered content
- Design files exported to PDF where the designer didn't include footer numbering
- PDFs where pages were removed or reordered after the fact, leaving the original numbers wrong
How to add page numbers in your browser
Cloud-based tools upload your file to a server to process it. PeakPDFs adds the page numbers entirely inside your browser — your file never leaves your device.
Add page numbers to any PDF — free, instant, private
Open Add Page Numbers Tool →- Go to the Add Page Numbers tool
- Drop your PDF onto the upload zone, or click to browse
- Choose a position — bottom center, top right, bottom left, and more
- Choose a format: plain "1", "Page 1", or "Page 1 of 10"
- Set the starting number — useful if this PDF is part of a larger document
- Adjust the font size if needed (8–20pt)
- Click Add Page Numbers
- Download the numbered PDF instantly
Choosing the right position and format
| Position | Best for |
|---|---|
| Bottom center | Most documents — clean, conventional placement |
| Bottom right | Reports, academic papers |
| Top right / Top left | Headers in legal or technical documents |
| Bottom left | Left-bound printed documents |
For format, "Page 1 of N" is the most useful for documents shared with others — readers immediately know how long the document is and whether any pages are missing when printed.
Starting number other than 1
If your PDF is one section of a larger document — say, the appendix that starts at page 47 in a bound report — set the starting number to 47. Each page will be stamped with the correct number in the overall document sequence.
Tips for best results
- Check margins first — if your PDF has very tight page margins, increase the font size may push the number into the content area. Test with a low font size (8–10pt) if margins are narrow.
- Reorder before numbering — if you also need to reorder pages, do that first with the Reorder Pages tool, then add numbers so they reflect the final sequence.
- Remove old numbers first — if the PDF already has page numbers baked into the content (from the original document), there's no way to remove them with a PDF tool — you'd need to edit the source document.
- Works on scans — because the number is added as a text overlay, not embedded in the page content, it works on scanned PDFs just as well as text-based ones.
Frequently asked questions
Will adding page numbers change my existing content?
No. The number is drawn in the margin area on top of the page. Existing text, images, and layout are untouched.
Can I add page numbers to a scanned PDF?
Yes. Page numbers are added as a text overlay — the tool doesn't need to understand the page's existing content.
Can I choose which pages to number?
Currently the tool numbers all pages. If you need to skip the cover page (number pages 2 onwards as "1, 2, 3…"), set the starting number to 0 — page 1 (the cover) gets "0" and page 2 gets "1". Alternatively, remove the cover page, add numbers, then re-merge it using the Merge PDF tool.
What font is used for the page numbers?
Helvetica — a clean, neutral typeface embedded in the PDF standard that renders correctly on all devices and PDF readers without any font dependency.
Can I add page numbers to an encrypted PDF?
No. Unlock the PDF first to remove the password, then add the page numbers.