Current status
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{{ statusBadge }} {{ pageCountLabel }} {{ selectedPagesLabel }} Browser only
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Browse or drop one PDF file to inspect pages before stamping.
{{ hasFile ? selectedFile.name : 'Drop a PDF here' }}
{{ hasFile ? selectedFileSummary : 'Local PDF stamping uses your browser memory only.' }}
Examples: all, odd, even, 1-3, 5, 8-.
Choose the header or footer location for the stamp.
Keep {n} in the format so every stamped page has a number.
Use 1 for normal page numbering, or a higher number when continuing a combined packet.
first label
Arabic is best for most documents; Roman and letter styles are useful for front matter.
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Uses standard PDF fonts that do not require uploading a font file.
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Choose a high-contrast color for print readability.
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Distance from the page edge when using left or right positions.
pt
Distance from the top or bottom edge of the page.
pt
Leave blank to append -numbered to the source filename.
When left or right is selected, odd pages stamp on the outside right and even pages on the outside left.
{{ mirrorFacingBool ? 'On' : 'Off' }}
Field Value Copy
{{ row.field }} {{ row.value }}
Setting Value Copy
{{ row.field }} {{ row.value }}
PDF page Stamp text Position X Y Page box Copy
No page placements yet
Load a PDF to preview the stamp text, coordinates, and page box for each selected page.
{{ row.page }} {{ row.text }} {{ row.position }} {{ row.x }} {{ row.y }} {{ row.pageBox }}
Tags: File Tools, Productivity
PDF Page Deleter Delete PDF pages in your browser, verify source-to-output renumbering, catch range or fidelity warnings, and download a cleaned copy.
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PDF Merger Merge local PDFs in the order you choose, verify accepted files, page totals, size limits, and metadata, then download one combined document.
OCR PDF Tool Extract text from scanned or text-native PDFs in your browser, with OCR fallback, confidence ledgers, page guards, and text downloads.
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A combined PDF can have several different ideas of page order at the same time. The reader sees the physical sequence of sheets, the visible number printed on each page, and sometimes a separate page label shown by the PDF viewer. Those three cues do not always agree, especially after files are merged, covers are added, exhibits are appended, or front matter uses Roman numerals before the main text starts.

Visible page numbers are stamped text. They become part of the page content, so they travel with the document when it is printed, attached to an email, filed in a case system, or reviewed by someone using a simple viewer. PDF page labels are different. They are navigation data that a capable viewer may show in its page box, but they are not the same as text printed in a header or footer.

Concept Where it appears Common mismatch
Physical page order The actual sequence of pages inside the PDF. A cover or divider can make page 1 of the file differ from page 1 of the content.
Visible page number Printed text in a header, footer, margin, or other page area. A merged packet may have missing, repeated, or section-specific numbering.
PDF page label The navigation label shown by viewers that support PDF page labels. The viewer may show one label while the footer shows another.

Good numbering starts with a plan, not with the first available footer slot. Board packets often need simple "Page 1 of 42" labels. Legal exhibits may continue from a previous packet or use prefixes such as A-101. Manuscripts and reports may keep front matter in Roman numerals while the body uses ordinary Arabic numbers. Booklets and facing-page proofs may place numbers on the outside edge so left and right pages stay balanced after printing.

Diagram comparing front matter, main text, and appendix pages with visible stamps and viewer page labels.

Placement is just as important as the number itself. PDF pages can use different page boxes, sizes, and rotations in one file. A stamp that looks neat on a letter-size portrait page may collide with content on a rotated exhibit or a narrow scan. The safest review checks the selected page range, the label sequence, and the actual visual placement before the file is sent outside the drafting workflow.

Page numbering also has a limit: it does not prove that the document is complete, current, or legally filed in the right order. It gives readers a shared reference point. The surrounding document assembly, bookmarks, table of contents, and filing rules still need their own review.

How to Use This Tool:

Start by loading the PDF and checking the numbering plan before creating the numbered copy. The selected file is read locally in the browser, and the download is created after the visible stamps are written.

  1. Choose one file in Source PDF or drop it onto the file area. Wait for the page count, file size, and any rotation warning to appear.
  2. Set Pages to number. Use all, odd, even, a single page such as 5, a closed range such as 2-8, an open range such as 8-, or a comma-separated mix.
  3. Choose Position, Number format, Start number, and Number style. Keep {n} in the format because the stamping action is disabled without the current label number.
  4. Open Advanced for standard font choice, font size, text color, opacity, horizontal and vertical margins, output filename, and Mirror facing pages.
    Use Mirror facing pages only with a left or right position. Centered positions stay centered because there is no outside edge to alternate.
  5. Review Numbering Plan to confirm the selected-page count, style, margins, and mirror setting. Then review Page Placement to inspect the stamp text, resolved position, x/y coordinates, and page box for each selected page.
  6. If Add page numbers is unavailable, fix the visible warning first. The common causes are a file over 75 MB, a PDF above the 500-page processing cap, an empty page selection, an invalid range token, or a format that omits {n}.
    After a successful run, Numbered PDF changes to an output-ready state and Download PDF becomes available. Open the downloaded copy before sharing it.

Interpreting Results:

The downloaded PDF is the output to inspect. Numbered PDF confirms whether a file has been generated, how many pages were stamped, the output filename, the output size, and the processing location. Page Placement is the practical audit trail before the file is shared.

Do not treat a complete placement table as proof that the marks are visually acceptable. The coordinate calculation keeps the text inside the page rectangle, but it cannot know whether an existing footer, signature block, scanned shadow, or rotated page content makes the stamp hard to read.

Result cue What to check What it prevents
Pages stamped The list matches the intended document section. Skipped appendices, accidental cover-page numbering, or missing odd/even pages.
Stamp text {n}, {total}, {page}, and {docTotal} resolve to the expected labels. Confusing a selected-page count with the full PDF page count.
Position and coordinates The x/y values keep each stamp within the page and away from existing content. Footer collisions, clipped labels, and inconsistent placement on mixed page sizes.
Rotation warning Open the output PDF and inspect the rotated pages directly. A coordinate can be valid while the visual orientation still looks wrong.

Technical Details:

Visible PDF numbering is an overlay operation. Text is drawn onto selected pages using the chosen standard PDF font, size, color, opacity, and anchor position. Existing page content is not moved, reflowed, cropped, or resized to make room for the new stamp.

PDF placement uses points, where 72 points equal one inch. Each page has its own width and height, so a coordinate is evaluated against the current page box rather than against a single document-wide canvas. That matters in mixed-size PDFs because a footer centered on a portrait page and a footer centered on a landscape scan use different x/y values.

Rule Core:

Rule How it works Important boundary
Page selection all, odd, even, exact pages, closed ranges, open ranges, and comma-separated mixes produce a sorted selected-page list. Out-of-range pages are ignored or clipped with a warning.
Label sequence The first selected page receives Start number, and later selected pages increment by one in selected-page order. The visible label can differ from the source PDF page number.
Format tokens {n} is the current visible label, {total} is the selected-page count, {page} is the source page, and {docTotal} is the source page count. Stamping is blocked when {n} is missing.
Number styles Arabic, padded Arabic, uppercase or lowercase Roman, and uppercase or lowercase alphabetic labels are generated from the same label number. Padded labels use the width needed by the final selected label.
Facing-page mirror When a left or right anchor is selected, odd source pages resolve to the right side and even source pages resolve to the left side. Centered anchors are not changed by mirroring.

Formula Core:

The label number depends on the selected-page order. Placement depends on the current page width, current page height, measured text width, font size, margins, and resolved anchor.

ni = s+i xleft = mx xcenter = W-Tw2 xright = W-mx-Tw ybottom = my ytop = H-my-f x = clamp(xraw,0,W-Tw) y = clamp(yraw,0,H-f)

Here s is the start number, i is the zero-based position inside the selected-page list, W and H are the current page width and height, Tw is measured stamp text width, f is font size, and mx and my are the horizontal and vertical margins. The final clamp keeps the text box inside the page rectangle.

For example, if selected page 8 is the first selected page and the start number is 101, its label number is 101. If the format is A-{n}, the stamp text becomes A-101. A later selected page receives A-102, even when its source PDF page number is not 9 because skipped pages do not consume visible label numbers.

Input or limit Accepted or normalized value Effect on output
File size Up to 75 MB Larger files are rejected before processing for browser memory safety.
Page count Up to 500 pages A larger loaded document shows a cap warning and cannot be stamped in this pass.
Font size 8 to 24 pt Controls text height, measured width, and placement clamping.
Margins 12 to 144 pt horizontally and vertically Controls distance from page edges for non-centered anchors.
Opacity 25% to 100% Lower opacity makes the stamp less dominant but harder to read on busy scans.

Privacy Notes:

The selected PDF is read and rewritten in the browser. No upload request is made by this tool for the PDF file, and the generated PDF, tables, and JSON are created from local browser state. Treat the downloaded copy like any other document containing contracts, identity records, medical records, personnel material, or private correspondence.

Advanced Tips:

  • Use {total} when the reader needs the size of the numbered section, and use {docTotal} only when the label should refer to the full source PDF.
  • Use {page} in exhibit or appendix formats when the visible stamp should preserve the original PDF page number alongside the new sequence.
  • Keep footer stamps at 9 to 12 pt for formal packets unless the pages are large or heavily scanned. Larger values are easier to read but collide with existing text sooner.
  • Raise the vertical margin when a document already has footnotes, signatures, page numbers, or scanned shadows near the bottom edge.
  • Use padded numbers when files are sorted by visible label, especially in packets that may pass 99 or 999 pages.
  • Download or copy the Page Placement table when a reviewer needs a lightweight audit trail of the pages, stamp text, coordinates, and page boxes used for the output.

Worked Examples:

Board packet footer: A 42-page meeting packet uses all, Bottom center, Page {n} of {total}, and a start number of 1. Numbering Plan should show 42 selected pages, while Page Placement should show consistent bottom-center coordinates adjusted to each page box.

Appendix continuation: A combined filing starts its appendix on source page 8 and needs labels beginning at 101. The range 8-, start number 101, and format A-{n} produce A-101 on source page 8, A-102 on the next selected page, and so on. Pages stamped should omit the cover and earlier body pages.

Facing-page proof: A booklet proof uses Bottom right with Mirror facing pages on. In Page Placement, odd source pages should resolve to bottom right and even source pages to bottom left. If a rotation warning appears, inspect the output PDF before approving print.

Blocked label format: A user types Draft copy as the format and the action stays disabled. Restoring a current-number token such as Draft {n} clears the format warning and lets the selected pages receive unique visible labels.

FAQ:

Does this change the PDF viewer's page labels?

No. It stamps visible text onto selected pages. Viewer page labels are separate navigation data and are not rewritten by this numbering pass.

Can I number only part of a PDF?

Yes. Use Pages to number with a page, range, open range, odd, even, or a comma-separated mix such as 1-3, even, 12-.

Why is the action disabled after I choose a PDF?

Check the warning message. The usual causes are a PDF over 75 MB, a document above 500 pages, no selected pages, an invalid range, or a number format that does not include {n}.

What happens to rotated pages?

Rotated pages are reported as a warning. The stamp is still placed by page coordinates, so open the generated PDF and check those pages visually before using the file.

Can the stamp cover existing footer text?

Yes. The PDF content is not reflowed around the new text. Use Page Placement, margins, position, opacity, and a visual review of the downloaded PDF to avoid collisions.

Glossary:

Visible page number
Text printed on the PDF page, usually in a header, footer, or margin.
PDF page label
Navigation data that a PDF viewer may show instead of the physical page count.
PDF point
A layout unit equal to 1/72 inch, used for page size, font size, margins, and coordinates.
Page box
The page rectangle used to calculate width, height, and placement for a stamp.
Facing-page mirror
A setting that alternates outside left and right placement for booklet-style numbering.
Stamp text
The final visible label after the format tokens are replaced for a selected page.

References: