How to Add Page Numbers to PDF Files – Instructions & Guide
Page numbers help in organizing and identifying PDF files, especially in legal, business, and administrative settings. A page number makes it easier for users to locate specific sections of a document. When embedding page numbers in PDF files, you can greatly streamline your workflow. This may be for a variety of reasons, such as improving document structure, maintaining document integrity, or complying with industry standards.
In this guide, we will explore 6 methods to add page numbering to PDF documents. We will introduce all kinds of solutions whether online or offline, commercial or free, Windows or Mac, to complete the task. Whatever your level of expertise or experience, you will find a method that is right for you.
6 Ways to Add Page Numbers to PDF Files
In this section, we’ll look at 7 different methods for adding page numbers to PDF documents. The method you choose depends on how complex the task is, your preferences, and the tools you can get access to. Do note that, depending on the software you use, you may be able to customize the appearance and positioning of the page numbers.
Method 1: How to Page Number PDF Files on Windows & Mac?
“PDF Page Numberer” software is a simple and straightforward solution to insert page numbers into your PDF files. It is available for both Windows and Mac and is compatible with all kinds of PDF documents. The software allows you to create custom page numbers in different styles, fonts, and colors. You can choose to add page numbers to multiple PDF files either in the header or footer of the document.
Here are the steps to use PDF Page Numbering software:
(1) Download, install, and launch the full version software on your computer.
(2) Add the PDF file you want to insert page numbers using “Add Files” and “Add Folders” button.
(3) If the PDF file is encrypted with Document Open password, then type the password in the text field. If not, then leave it blank.
(4) Select whether you want to save the PDF file with the new page numbers or directly print them. You can also change the saving location of the PDF file.
(5) Here, you have two options:
- For Pages – This option will insert page numbers in the pages of the PDF document normally.
- For Files-Pages – This option will put page numbers in the form of File no.- Page no. For example: 01-01, 01-02, etc.
(6) We will select the 1st option and add various parameters like digits, increment, prefix, suffix, position, font family, font size, and color.
(7) Now you can add more settings related to page numbers like text, date, series, layout, etc.
(8) Click on Preview to see the preview of the document with page numbers.
(9) Finally, click on Generate to add page numbers to PDF without Acrobat.
(10) Once the process is complete, the software will provide you with a confirmation message.
Also Read: How to Save One Page of PDF File?
Method 2: How to Add Page Numbers to PDF with Adobe Acrobat?
Adobe Acrobat is one of the most popular PDF editors available for offline use. The software can be used for various tasks related to PDFs, including creating and adding page numbers.
Make sure to not mistake it with the free Adobe Reader software. Adobe Acrobat is a paid software and allows editing that is not possible with the free Adobe Reader. Thus, you can number the pages of a document only with paid commercial software.
Here is the step-by-step guide to add page numbers in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
(1) Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
(2) Go to “Tools” > “Edit PDF“.
(3) After that, click on “Header & Footer” and select “Add“.
(4) In the Header & Footer panel, click on “Page Number & date format”.
(5) Choose the format for the page numbers from the drop-down menu and click OK.
(6) Now, in the Preview section, click on “Page Range options”.
(7) Select which pages to include in the page range and click OK.
(8) Finally, click on Insert Page number button to add page numbers to the selected PDF pages.
(9) Click “OK” to apply the changes and save the PDF document.
Also Read: How to Convert Secured PDF to Unsecured?
Method 3: How to Add Page Numbers to PDF using Microsoft Word?
Microsoft Word is a part of the Microsoft Office Suite that provides the option to add header and footer to documents. So, if you convert PDF file to Word and then add page numbers in Word, it will be easier for you to add page numbers to PDF file. After all, you can easily save the document as a PDF file from within MS Word.
But do note that this method is only for adding simple page numbers to your documents.
The step-by-step process is given below:
(1) Right-click on the PDF file and then click on Open With.
(2) Select Microsoft Word from the drop-down menu to open the PDF file in Word.
(3) Click Ok when Word asks you to confirm the action.
(4) Now, go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click on Page Number.
(5) Choose where you want to add page numbers and then choose the desired page number style.
(6) Click on Close Header & Footer to see the page.
(7) Finally, save the Word document as a PDF with the page numbers added.
Please note that the above method in Word can result in change of formatting and misplaced body content. To keep the formatting as is, it is recommended to use dedicated PDF tools.
Also Read: How to Split PDF Files?
Method 4: How to Insert Page Numbers in a PDF Document in Google Docs?
Google Docs allows you to put page numbers in a document that you are editing. Thus, if you open the PDF file in Google Docs, you can directly add page numbers to it. Then, save the edited document as a PDF, and your job is done.
Here is the complete procedure to do so:
(1) Open Google Drive on your web browser and upload the PDF file.
(2) Right-click on the uploaded PDF file and select Open With > Google Docs.
(3) Once it opens, go to the Insert menu and click on Page Numbers.
(4) Click on the preferred option: 1st and 3rd options insert page numbers from the first page itself in the header and footer respectively; 2nd and 4th options insert page numbers from the second page onwards in the header and footer respectively.
(5) You can also click on More Options to choose Position and Numbering Style.
(6) Once done, go to File > Download > PDF Document.
(7) You have successfully added page numbers to the PDF file with Google Docs.
Also Read: How to Recover Damaged PDF Files?
Method 5: How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF in Preview on Mac?
The Preview app on Mac is also a good tool for manually adding simple page numbers to a PDF document.
Follow the steps below to do so:
(1) Select the PDF file, right-click on it, and select Open With > Preview.
(2) Click on the View menu at the top of the screen, and go to Show Markup Toolbar.
(3) Once the markup toolbar is visible, click on the Text tool (T icon) in the markup toolbar.
(4) Drag it to the desired location and click on the text box to add page numbers to the PDF.
(5) You can adjust the text size, font, and alignment of the page number using the options in the toolbar.
(6) Repeat this process for each page in the PDF file.
(7) Once done, go to File > Export > Export as PDF to save the modified PDF file with page numbers.
Please note that the above method in Preview is relatively basic and may not provide the same level of customization as dedicated PDF editors. For more advanced page numbering, you might need to explore other PDF editing tools, such as Adobe Acrobat Pro or dedicated PDF Page Numberer available for Mac.
Method 6: How to Add Page Numbers in PDF Online
There are numerous online PDF editors that allow you to add page numbers without installing any software. Some popular ones include:
- Smallpdf
- Sejda PDF Editor
- PDF Candy
- iLovePDF
Most of these online tools can be used for free for a limited number of PDF documents. The process of adding page numbers using these online tools is very simple and straightforward.
You can follow the steps below that generalize the working of most of these tools:
(1) Go to the website of the online tool you have chosen.
(2) Make sure to open the “Add Page Number” Tool.
(3) Upload your PDF file from your computer.
(4) Customize the page numbering options such as style, position, and font.
(6) If available, choose the page range to which you want to insert page numbers.
(7) Click on the “Add” or similar button to complete the process.
(8) Download the modified PDF file to your computer.
Please note that the steps may vary according to the tool you have chosen. But the general process remains the same. Make sure to use a trusted tool to avoid security risks. After all, you are uploading your PDF document to their servers.
Additional Tips for Using Page Numbering in PDF Files
(1) Maintain Uniformity: You must ensure uniformity in the appearance and formatting of page numbers throughout the document. It helps in improving readability and navigation.
(2) Pick the Right Style: You need to select a page number style that is appropriate for the overall design of your document. Different software applications may offer a range of options to users, including the ability to customize font styles, sizes, colors, and placements.
(3) Prefix & Suffix: You can add prefix or suffix to the page numbers to provide additional context. For example, you can add “Page 01” or “01 topic name” to better organize the pages.
(4) First test the method: Do not apply the process directly on your main PDF files. You can create a copy and apply the method on this copy first to determine the outcome. Then, based on the outcome, you can set the already tested style on the original PDF files.
(5) Always have a Copy: Make it a habit to create a copy beforehand of all the original PDF files. After all, if in any case, you add page numbers to PDF documents and it results in unwanted modification, you can always delete the copy.
(6) Page numbers Placement: Every method provides a certain area where you can place your page numbering. Understand your requirements and the page layout to find an appropriate location to insert page numbers in the header or footer.
Conclusion:
It is important to manage and organize PDF documents efficiently, especially in the legal, organizational, and administrative arena. In this guide, we have introduced 7 different methods to add page numbers to PDF files. You have the option to opt for user-friendly software like PDF Page Numberer or Adobe Acrobat Pro, use indirect document tools like Word and Google Docs, or utilize online PDF editors. Find and choose the method that best aligns with your requirements and goals to make the document more organized and readable.
FAQs About PDF Page Numbering
1. How to Number Pages in PDF Documents Using Adobe Acrobat?
- Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
- Go to Organize Pages tool.
- Right-click on the and select Page Labels.
- Specify the page range and numbering parameters to apply to the PDF and click OK.
- Save the changes.
Please note that ‘Page labels’ method only affects page thumbnails. To add page numbers to PDF in Adobe Reader, you can use the “Header and Footer” toolbar.
2. What is the best Page Numbering software to use for PDF Documents?
It’s all about your needs. But, we would recommend using the PDF Page Numberer software. The reason is that it’s fast, easy, and a dedicated tool to insert page numbers.
If you want to bulk process several PDF files, then no other tool is better than this.
In fact, let’s say that you only want to apply page numbering to your document, would you want to buy a complete PDF editor that costs way too much to handle a single task or simply use dedicated software?
Plus, unlike online tools, your PDF files are right there on your system. So, there are no security concerns.
3. Can you Add Page Numbers to a Combined PDF?
There are a few tools available such as A-merge and Dochub to do this. However, we recommend merging several files together, then inserting the page number into the merged file. You can use Adobe Acrobat to do both of these tasks. Or you can opt for two different software for each task.
4. How to Add Custom Page Numbers to PDF File?
You can use the following methods described in this guide to insert custom numbers in PDF files:
- Page Numbering Software
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Preview App on Mac
- Online PDF Editors
5. How to Add Automatic page Number to PDF Document?
The term automatic means here that you do not have to manually enter the page number on each page. Of all the methods described in this guide, the following supports automatic page numbers:
- PDF Page Numberer
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
- Online PDF Editors
6. How to add sequential numbers to PDF Files?
Sequential page numbering refers to the process of numbering the pages of a document in consecutive order. In simple terms, Page 1 is the first page, Page 2 follows Page 1, Page 3 follows Page 2, and so on.
All the methods in this article allow sequential numbering in PDF files.
7. How to add serial numbers to PDF Documents?
Serial numbering typically refers to assigning unique identification numbers or codes to items in a series. You can add serial numbers by adding -prefix or -suffix along with the page numbers. It will help identify each page uniquely while ensuring that they all are part of one “series”.
Among the described methods, PDF Page Numberer has a “File-Page” option that enables you to enter unique serial numbers based on the file and its pages when processing multiple PDF files.
8. How to add Header Page number in PDF?
You can insert page numbers in header by simply choosing the Header & Footer option in the chosen method. Use the following methods to get the job done:
- PDF Page Numberer
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
9. How to add Footer page number in PDF?
You can add page numbers in Footer section of the PDF file by choosing the Header & Footer option in the chosen method. These 4 methods provide you with this option:
- PDF Page Numberer
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
10. How to add table of contents and page numbers to PDF?
You can quickly add page numbers to PDF files without any issues with the following methods:
- PDF Page Numberer
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Microsoft Word
- Google Docs
- Preview in Mac
- Online PDF Editors
But for a table of content, there are no proper automated means available. It is better to use Google Docs or Microsoft Word to open the PDF file and create a Table of content in it. Then, you can save the file as a new PDF.