Will the numbers cover existing content?

Page numbers sit in the margin (header or footer) by default, so they don't overlap body text on standard documents. You can adjust the offset if a specific PDF has unusually wide content into the margin.

Can I add page numbers to only certain pages?

Yes — use the page-range option to limit numbering (e.g. start on page 5, end on page 50). Useful when only the body content should be numbered and the front matter shouldn't.

No. Page numbering runs entirely in your browser — your PDF never reaches our server.

Add page numbers to a PDF

Add clean, configurable page numbering to any PDF in seconds.

Why use this

Position control: Header or footer, left/center/right alignment, with margin offsets. The default bottom-center matches the convention readers expect — you can override anywhere.
Multiple formats: Plain numbers (1, 2, 3…), 'Page X of Y' to show progress, or '1 / 50'. Pick the style that matches the document's tone.
Custom starting number: Numbering doesn't have to begin at 1. Set any starting value when continuing a multi-volume document or numbering a chapter that starts mid-book.
Skip the cover: Skip the title page or table of contents — set the start page so numbering only kicks in from the body content.
Browser-side: Confidential reports get numbered locally — the file never reaches our server.

Use cases

Adding page numbers to a merged report so you can reference page 17 in a meeting
Numbering a thesis or dissertation in 'Page X of Y' format before submission
Adding clean numbering to a scanned book PDF that came in without any
Re-numbering a contract after [removing pages](/remove-pages) so the count is accurate
Adding page numbers to a printable ebook starting at page 2 to skip the cover

How it works

Upload your PDF — Click "Select PDF file" or drag the document into the upload box. Numbering happens entirely in your browser.
Pick position, format and font — Choose header or footer, left/center/right alignment, font, size and colour. Pick a format like 1, 2, 3… or 'Page X of Y'.
Set starting number and page range — Decide whether to skip the cover (start on page 2), set a custom starting number for multi-volume documents, and choose which pages get numbered.
Download the numbered PDF — PDFWix flattens the page numbers into the PDF on download so they appear identically in every reader and on print. The original is never modified.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip the cover page?

Yes. Set the 'start on page' option to 2 (or higher) so the title or cover stays clean and numbering only begins on the first body page.

Can I start numbering at a number other than 1?

Yes. Set any starting value — useful when continuing a multi-volume document, numbering legal exhibits that follow on from a previous bundle, or matching numbering across split files.

Can I use 'Page X of Y' format?

Yes — pick the 'Page X of Y' format from the style dropdown. It's especially useful for printed reports because readers can see how much is left at a glance.