Can I start numbering from a custom number?

Yes — set any starting number in the 'Start from' field.

Add Page Numbers to PDF

Stamp page numbers on every page of a PDF in your browser. Choose position and starting number.

By AbraCalc Editorial Team · Reviewed by AbraCalc Methodology Review · Last reviewed: 2026-06-26 2 sources

Choose a PDF

Start from page number Position

Pick a PDF to add page numbers.

Built with pdf-lib (MIT), self-hosted.

Embed this tool on your site

<iframe src="https://abracalc.com/app/pdf-add-page-numbers/" width="100%" height="640" style="border:1px solid #e6e1f0;border-radius:12px" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Cite this tool

APA

AbraCalc. (2026). Add Page Numbers to PDF [Online calculator]. Retrieved from https://abracalc.com/app/pdf-add-page-numbers/

BibTeX

@misc{abracalc-pdf-add-page-numbers, author = {AbraCalc}, title = {Add Page Numbers to PDF}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {\url{https://abracalc.com/app/pdf-add-page-numbers/}} }

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How to use this tool

Choose a PDF.
Set the starting number and position.
Click Add Page Numbers & Download.

Stamp page numbers on every page of a PDF in your browser. Choose position and starting number.

How it works

The Add Page Numbers to PDF tool stamps a visible page number on each page of your PDF. You choose where the number appears (top or bottom, left, center, or right), the starting number, and optionally the font size. The tool then adds a text element to each page with the appropriate number.

This is useful for documents that were assembled without page numbers, scanned archives, or reports where you need sequential numbering before printing or sharing. Processing runs in your browser -- no upload required.

The page numbers are added as a visible overlay on top of the existing page content. The original content of each page is unchanged. If the document already has printed page numbers as part of the page design, the new stamps will appear in addition to those.

Worked example

Add centered bottom page numbers to a report

Upload the report PDF.
Select Bottom Center as the position.
Set the starting number to 1.
Click Apply and download the numbered PDF.

Each page of the report shows its page number centered at the bottom, making it easy to reference in discussions.

Common mistakes to avoid

Setting the starting number without accounting for front matter -- if the PDF includes a cover and table of contents, you may want to skip those pages or adjust the starting number.
Placing the number in a position that overlaps the main body text because the PDF has very narrow margins.
Adding page numbers to a PDF that already has them as part of the page design, resulting in duplicate numbers -- check the PDF first.

Key terms

Page stamp: Text or graphics added on top of existing PDF page content, typically used for headers, footers, watermarks, or page numbers.
Starting number: The number assigned to the first page. Setting it to 3 causes the first page to show 3, the second to show 4, and so on.

Frequently asked questions

Can I start numbering from a custom number?: Yes — set any starting number in the 'Start from' field.