How to add page numbers to a PDF

Numbering matters most in exactly the documents where getting it wrong is most costly — filings, contracts and anything someone will cite a page of.

A document assembled from several sources almost never arrives numbered, and the moment anyone needs to refer to page 14, the absence becomes obvious.

Decide the format before you start

• A plain number is right for most documents and reads cleanly at any size.
• Page 3 of 12 tells the reader whether anything is missing, which matters for anything posted or faxed.
• Roman numerals suit front matter that precedes the main body.
• A prefix — Exhibit A-1 — is often required in legal bundles, and the requirement usually comes with a specified format.

Where numbers go wrong

Almost every problem is one of three things, and all three are avoidable if you look before saving.

• The number lands on top of existing content, because the document already has a footer.
• It falls inside the binding margin and disappears when the document is printed and bound.
• The starting number is wrong, because the cover page was counted when it should not have been.

That last one is the most common of all. If your document has a cover, decide whether it counts as page one before you number, not after.

Doing it

1. 1Open Add Page Numbers to PDF and add your document.
2. 2Choose a position. Bottom centre is the safe default; bottom outer corner suits documents that will be bound.
3. 3Set the starting number, skipping the cover if it should not count.
4. 4Match the font size to the document's body text. Numbers noticeably larger than the text are the clearest sign they were added later.
5. 5Check the first page, a middle page and the last page before saving.

Number last

Numbering should be near the end of your process. Add a page after numbering and every number after it is wrong. If you are still assembling the document, finish that first — the merging guide covers getting the structure settled before you add anything on top.

Signing comes after numbering, not before. A signature applies to the document as it stood at that moment, so anything added afterwards — numbers included — changes what was signed.

Common questions

Can I start numbering from a page other than the first?

Yes, and you usually should. Covers and title pages are commonly excluded from the count, so set the starting number to suit.

Will page numbers cover up existing content?

They can, if the document already has a footer. Check a page from the middle of the document before saving, not just the first one.

Can I remove page numbers later?

Not cleanly — once saved they are part of the page content. Keep the unnumbered original in case you need to renumber.