PDF power tools
Add PDF page numbers
Place formatted page numbers precisely across selected pages. Your document is processed locally and is never uploaded to Novus PDF Studio.
Place formatted page numbers precisely across selected pages.Stamps formatted page numbers onto the pages you choose. Pick the corner or edge, the format (1, Page 1, or 1 of N), the starting number, size, margin, and color — the preview shows the exact placement.
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About this tool
Courts, registrars, and reviewers routinely require numbered pages — and most PDFs arrive without them. This tool stamps clean, consistent page numbers exactly where you want them: pick one of nine positions, a format, the starting number, font size, margin, and color, and watch the live preview on every thumbnail update as you adjust.
Numbering supports real-world quirks: start at a number other than 1 to continue from a previous volume, apply numbers to only odd, even, selected, or ranged pages, and nudge the margin so numbers clear existing footers. As always, the document is processed locally and never uploaded.
How to page numbers step by step
- 1
Upload the PDF
Drop the file or click Choose PDF to load the page grid with live number previews.
- 2
Choose format and position
Pick 1, Page 1, or 1 of N, then click one of the nine anchor points. Every thumbnail shows exactly where the number will land.
- 3
Tune the details
Set the starting number, font size (8–36 pt), margin from the edge, and color. Adjust the margin if numbers collide with an existing footer.
- 4
Choose target pages
Number every page, odd or even pages only, a typed range, or pages you click in the grid — useful for skipping a cover page.
- 5
Apply and download
Click Add page numbers. The stamped document downloads immediately after local processing.
When to use it
- Preparing filings or applications that require numbered pages
- Adding continuous numbering after merging several documents
- Numbering handouts or reports that will be printed and could get shuffled
- Continuing pagination across volumes by starting at a custom number
Tips
- Run Merge first, then number, for continuous pagination across combined documents.
- 1 of N counts only the pages you selected for numbering, not the whole document — handy when skipping covers.
- Dark gray (the default) reads professionally on white pages; use the color picker to match letterhead accents.
Good to know
- One numbering style per pass — run the tool twice for mixed layouts (e.g. different corners for odd/even).
- Numbers are permanent page content in the output; keep the original if you may need an un-numbered copy.
Page numbers questions, answered
Can I skip the cover page?
Yes — two ways. Use Custom mode with a range like 2-30, or Selected mode and click every page except the cover. To have the second page display '1', also set the starting number to 1 with the selection beginning at page two.
What formats are available?
Three: the bare number (1), 'Page 1', and '1 of N' where N is the total count of numbered pages. Numbers render in Helvetica at the size and color you choose.
Will the numbers cover existing content?
Numbers are drawn at the position and margin you set, over existing content if they overlap it. The live preview shows the exact placement per page — increase the margin or switch corners if a footer is in the way.
Can I number only odd pages for double-sided printing?
Yes. The Odd and Even selection modes exist exactly for print-oriented layouts — for example, numbering odd pages bottom-right and even pages bottom-left by running the tool twice.
Are the numbers real text or an image?
Real vector text embedded into each page. They print crisply at any resolution, and remain part of the page content in any PDF viewer.
Privacy note: like every Novus PDF Studio tool, page numbersruns entirely in your browser. Files, passwords, and settings stay in this tab's memory and are discarded when you close it — there is no upload, no queue, and no server-side copy. Read more on the privacy page.