About Add page numbers
Add page numbers stamps a running number onto the pages of a PDF, drawn into the page itself by the same in-browser engine that paints the live preview. Pick one of six corners, type a format such as Page {n} of {total}, choose a size between 6 and 96 points, and say which page numbering should start on and which number it should start at. It is the fastest way to paginate a scanned booklet before binding, number a contract so signatories can cite a clause, add folios to a thesis whose cover must stay blank, or renumber a chapter that will be dropped into a bigger report. People search for this as PDF pagination, page numbering, insert page numbers, or numbering a PDF online.
Add page numbers specs
| Price | Free ($0) — no paid tier |
|---|---|
| Account | Not required |
| Watermark | None |
| Where it runs | In your browser, on your device |
| File upload | No file is uploaded |
| Input | PDF (1 file) |
| Output | |
| File size limit | Limited only by your device's memory |
| Works offline after the page loads | Yes |
How to use Add page numbers
Drop the PDF in
Open pdfchamp.app/add-page-numbers and drag your file onto "Drop your PDF here or click to browse". The page count is read on the spot and the status line reports how many pages are ready.
Choose a corner
The Position grid offers Top left, Top center, Top right, Bottom left, Bottom center and Bottom right. Whichever you pick, the number sits 28 points in from the visible edge.
Set the format
The Format box takes literal text plus two placeholders: {n} for the page number and {total} for the count. Leave it at {n} for a bare number, or type Page {n} of {total}.
Set size, start page and first number
Font size takes 6 to 96 points. Start from page decides which page the stamping begins on, and First number decides what that page is labelled — 2 and 1 skip a cover and still open at "1".
Check the live preview
The preview renders the real page with the real stamp and steps through the document with the arrows below it, so you can confirm the number clears your existing footer before committing.
Press Add page numbers
The button stamps every selected page and saves the file to your device with a -numbered suffix, leaving the original untouched in its folder.
Frequently asked questions about Add page numbers
How do I skip the cover page and still start at 1?
Skipping a cover takes two fields: set Start from page to 2 and leave First number at 1. Pages before the start page are left completely alone — nothing is drawn on them, and the preview leaves them clean too, so page one really does stay blank. First number controls what the first stamped page is labelled, which is why that pair produces an unnumbered cover followed by a body opening at 1. The {total} placeholder follows the same logic: it counts only the pages that actually get numbered, so a 13-page file starting on page 2 reads "1 of 12" rather than "1 of 13". If the front matter needs a sequence of its own, split it off with Split PDF, number each part separately, and join them again with Merge PDF.
Can I write "Page 3 of 12" instead of a bare number?
Yes — Format is a small template rather than a fixed menu. Whatever you type is printed literally, and two placeholders are substituted for each page: {n} becomes that page's number and {total} becomes the count of numbered pages. Page {n} of {total} gives "Page 3 of 12", {n}/{total} gives "3/12", and Contract A — page {n} gives a prefixed label. Clearing the field draws nothing at all, which is a quick way to look through a file without stamping it. Text is set in Helvetica at the size you chose, and its width is measured before placement, so a long format string still aligns correctly in the corner you picked instead of running off the edge of the paper.
Can I use Roman numerals, letters, or a prefix like A-1?
Roman numerals and letter sequences are not generated: {n} always resolves to an ordinary Arabic number, so i, ii, iii or A, B, C are out of reach in one pass. A fixed prefix or suffix is easy, though, because everything outside the placeholders is printed verbatim — A-{n} produces A-1, A-2, A-3, and Appendix {n} behaves the same way. When a document genuinely needs two sequences, such as Roman front matter followed by an Arabic body, split it with Split PDF, run each part with its own prefix and starting value, then rejoin with Merge PDF. Legal exhibit stamps with their own numbering conventions are handled by the separate Bates numbering tool rather than here.
Will the number land on top of an existing footer?
Page numbers are drawn over whatever is already on the page — nothing in the original is moved, cleared or replaced, so an existing footer stays right where it was, underneath. That is exactly why the six position chips and the live preview matter: choose a corner that is empty, then step through a few pages and look before you download. Placement uses a fixed 28-point margin measured from the visible edge of the page as a reader sees it, so rotated and landscape pages behave properly; the tool reads each page's rotation and crop box and turns the text to stay upright rather than letting it run down the margin. Mixed page sizes in one file are fine, because every page is measured on its own.
Does my PDF get uploaded to add page numbers?
Nothing is uploaded — the file never leaves your computer. Dropping a PDF on the upload area hands the bytes straight to the tool, the page count is read locally, the numbers are drawn locally, and the finished document is written directly to your downloads folder. You can confirm it in a few seconds: open DevTools, watch the Network tab while you press Add page numbers, and you will see no request carrying your document. That is also why the tool keeps working with the network disconnected once the page has loaded, and why it behaves identically in a private window. Nothing is retained anywhere either, so there is no copy to delete afterwards — closing the tab is the end of it.
Is Add page numbers free, and does it brand the file?
Add page numbers is free with no account, no email step, no per-file quota and no paid tier holding anything back — the format field, all six positions and the full 6-to-96-point range work on the first run. Nothing is added to the output beyond the numbers you configured: no logo, no footer credit, no "made with" line hidden in the metadata. The saved file keeps your original page content intact and is written as an ordinary PDF that any reader opens. The only change is the text you asked for, in the corner you chose, on the pages you selected. If you ever find PDFChamp wording in a file that came out of this tool, that is a bug worth reporting.
Why in-browser processing matters
Every PDFChamp tool runs inside this page: the file you choose is read by JavaScript in your own browser and is never sent to a server, so nothing is uploaded, queued, or stored anywhere. That removes the upload wait, the processing queue, and the question of what happens to your file afterwards — the about page compares this architecture with server-side PDF tools.
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