How to add page numbers to a PDF

Page numbers make a document navigable and citeable. Adding them to a finished PDF is a per-page stamp you can control.

Choose a format

Common formats are 1, Page 1, or 1 / N showing the total. Pick what your readers expect.

Position and start number

Footer-centre is the default; corners suit legal work. Set a starting number so front matter (a cover, a contents page) can be skipped.

Legal numbering

For discovery, Bates numbering adds a fixed prefix and zero-padded sequence across a whole set of documents.

In FreshPDF

Stamp numbers with the page numbers tool, or add legal Bates numbering with a custom prefix.

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