PDF Add Page Numbers
Stamp page numbers onto any PDF with full control over position, format, size, and color. Lossless overlay — page content stays byte-identical. Runs in your browser.
Drop a PDF to add page numbers
Lossless overlay — stays on your device
How to add page numbers to a PDF online
Drop your PDF. Configure where the number should appear (top/bottom + left/center/right) and what it should look like ('1', '1/10', 'Page 1 of 10', or a custom {n}/{total} template). Tune font size, margin, color, start number, and how many cover pages to skip. Click Add page numbers — ToolChop uses pdf-lib's drawText to overlay the numbers losslessly. The page content (text, images, signatures) is left untouched byte-for-byte.
Why a local page-numbering tool matters
Adding page numbers is usually the last step before sending a document to a counterparty — a lawyer, a client, an auditor, a regulator. Uploading the document to a third-party tool to stamp small text on each page is exactly the leak you are trying to avoid in those workflows. ToolChop runs entirely in your browser. You can verify in DevTools → Network that no request fires when you stamp.
What you can do
- 6-way position (top/bottom × left/center/right) with configurable margin
- Four formats: '1', '1/10', 'Page 1 of 10', or custom
{n}/{total}template - Font size 7–24pt, any color via color picker
- Start number — number from anywhere, not just 1
- Skip first N pages (cover, TOC, intro)
- Lossless overlay — page content unchanged byte-for-byte
- Real PDF text — selectable and searchable in any viewer
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers to a PDF online for free?
Drop your PDF onto the upload area. Pick where the number goes (top/bottom + left/center/right), pick the format ('1', '1/10', 'Page 1 of 10', or a custom template), tune font size and color. Click Add page numbers — ToolChop overlays the text locally and gives you the download link. No account, no upload, no daily limit.
Does ToolChop upload my PDF?
No. The PDF is opened and modified entirely in your browser using pdf-lib. The original and the numbered output both stay on your device — critical because the PDFs people add page numbers to are usually legal contracts, signed agreements, internal reports, audit packages, and other private documents.
Why is the privacy story for PDF page numbers important?
Adding page numbers is often the last step before sending a document to a counterparty (a lawyer, a client, an auditor). Uploading the document to a third-party tool just to stamp numbers on it is exactly the leak you are trying to avoid in those workflows. ToolChop overlays the numbers entirely in your browser — DevTools → Network confirms no request fires.
Is the result lossless? Will the PDF quality change?
Yes, completely lossless for the existing content. ToolChop uses pdf-lib's drawText to overlay text on top of each page — the page content (text, images, signatures, fonts) is left untouched byte-for-byte. The only thing added is the page-number text in your chosen position. Signatures on pages remain cryptographically valid.
Can I skip the cover page or table of contents?
Yes. Set 'Skip first N pages' to however many pages you want left unnumbered. Numbering starts on the first non-skipped page using whatever start number you set (typically 1).
Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?
Yes. Set 'Start number' to any positive integer. Useful when this PDF is one chapter of a larger document and pages 1–20 are in a previous chapter — start at 21 here.
What format options are available?
Four formats: just the number ('1'), number-over-total ('1 / 10'), prose ('Page 1 of 10'), and a custom template where {n} = the current page number and {total} = total pages. Custom templates let you do things like '— 1 —' or 'p. 1' or 'Section 2, page 1'.
Can I pick the font, color, and size?
Font is Helvetica (built into PDF, no embedding overhead). Color is freely pickable via the color input. Size is 7–24pt (default 11pt — standard for footers). Position is 6-way (top/bottom × left/center/right). Margin is configurable from 12pt to 72pt.
What about adding 'Bates numbers' for legal discovery?
Bates numbers (a prefix + sequential number, e.g. SMITH-000001, SMITH-000002...) are easy with the custom template — type 'SMITH-{n}' and adjust the start number. The numbers do not auto-zero-pad currently; if you need fixed-width numbering for true Bates, contact us with the use case and we can add it.
Are the page numbers searchable?
Yes. ToolChop adds them as real PDF text (not images), so they are selectable in any PDF viewer and indexable by search engines. Useful if the document goes into a document management system.
What happens to existing page numbers or headers/footers?
They are untouched. ToolChop overlays new text on top of the existing page content. If your PDF already has page numbers somewhere, the new ones will appear alongside them — which can look strange. If the document has existing numbers you want to replace, use a PDF editor to remove them first.
Why use ToolChop instead of an online tool that uploads my PDF?
Privacy. The PDFs people number are typically legal documents, signed agreements, financial reports, internal audit packages — all things you should not casually share with a third party just to add small text to each page. ToolChop runs entirely in your browser and preserves the original content byte-identically.