How to add page numbers to a PDF pack
By PDFEditor.ae · Published
Why number a pack
When several documents are merged into one PDF, the original numbering restarts in each part. Adding new numbers to the whole pack gives everyone a single reference: "see page 14".
Steps
- Merge the documents first, in their final order.
- Open Add Page Numbers and upload the merged PDF.
- Choose a position: top or bottom, left, centre or right.
- Set the starting number and font size if needed (the default size is 12).
- Click Add Page Numbers and download.
Decide what the numbers cover
Number after you have finished merging, reordering and deleting pages, so the sequence matches the final file. Then decide whether the cover counts. Example: a two-page cover letter followed by a ten-page appendix can be numbered 1-12 as one pack, or you can number only the appendix by numbering it before merging the letter on. Whichever you choose, make any contents page use the same numbers.
Avoid clashes
- Every page is numbered, including the first. If you do not want a number on a cover, number the pack without the cover and merge the cover back on afterwards.
- The number is placed close to the page edge. If the documents already have footer numbers, choose a top position so the two do not overlap.
- Numbers are printed in black; check they are readable on pages with dark backgrounds.
Check three places
- The first numbered page.
- A page in the middle, especially a landscape page, where the edge position differs.
- The last page — its number should equal the page count if you started at 1.