How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF (Position, Format, Start Number)

A report, a thesis, an assignment or a set of documents with no page numbers is hard to use. In a meeting, nobody can say "look at page 7". When you print it and the pages get mixed up, putting them back in order takes a long time.

The fix is to add page numbers to the PDF, in the place and style you want.

When do you need page numbers?

• Reports, assignments or a thesis that must be numbered
• Several documents merged into one file that needs a single numbering
• A file you will print, where the order of the pages must be clear
• Documents for an office, court or application that must be easy to refer to

How to add page numbers step by step

1. Open the Page Numbers tool. Use the button at the top of this page to open Pdfyra Workspace.
2. Add your PDF. Tap Select PDF file, or drop the file in. You can also pick it from Google Drive or Dropbox.
3. Choose the position. Pick top left, top center, top right, bottom left, bottom center or bottom right.
4. Choose the format. Select 1, Page 1, Page 1 of 10 or 1 / 10.
5. Set the start number and font size. Use Start from for the first number, and Font size for how big the numbers look.
6. Skip the cover if needed. Tick Skip the first page (cover page) so the cover stays clean.
7. Tap Add page numbers. Pdfyra creates a new PDF with the numbers on it.

Tips for neat page numbers

Bottom center is the classic choice. It works for most documents and does not clash with headings.

Use "Page 1 of 10" for important files. It shows the total, so the reader knows if a page is missing.

Put numbers in the right order first. If the pages are not in order, fix that before numbering. See how to rearrange PDF pages.

Remove blank pages first. Extra pages would also get numbers. See how to delete pages from a PDF.

Combining files? Merge first, then number the whole file. Here is how to merge PDF files on your phone.

Pages sideways? Fix them before numbering with how to rotate PDF pages.

Keep the original. The tool creates a new file, so your unnumbered copy stays safe.

Ready to send? You can sign the PDF, or compress it if it is too large to email.

Ready to number your pages?

Open the tool, add your PDF, choose the position and format, and get a numbered file in a few taps.