How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF (and Skip the Cover Page)

Step by step

1. Open Page Numbers and add the PDF.
2. Choose where the number goes on the page — bottom centre is the most common.
3. Pick a format: 1, Page 1, 1 of 9, Page 1 of 9 or - 1 -.
4. Set the first number and the font size, then click Add page numbers.

Leaving the cover page unnumbered

Title pages usually don't show a number. Tick Don't number the first page (cover). To number only part of the document — for example, skipping an appendix — enter the pages to number in the pages field.

Starting from a different number

If your PDF is chapter 2 of a larger report, set the first number to continue where chapter 1 ended. For documents split into several files, this keeps the numbering consistent across all of them.

Page numbers, headers or Bates numbers?

• Just a number → Page Numbers.
• A number plus text such as the document title, your name or today's date → Header & Footer, which supports {n}, {total} and {date} placeholders.
• Legal document IDs like ABC000123 that run across several files → Bates Numbering.

Common problems and fixes

The number overlaps the footer text.

Pick another position, such as a top corner, or make the font a little smaller.

The number is hard to see on dark pages.

Move it to an area with a light background, or use Header & Footer, which lets you choose the text colour.

Numbering should start at 1 on the second page.

Tick "Don't number the first page (cover)" and set the first number to 1 — or to 2 if the cover should still be counted.

The document already has numbers.

New numbers are added on top of the page. Choose a position where the old numbers aren't, or use the original file without numbers.

Frequently asked questions