Adding numbers or a running label to a PDF’s pages sounds trivial until you try it and realise there are actually three different jobs hiding under one request. “Page 7” in the corner is a page number. “Page 7 of 20 — Confidential — March 2026” across the bottom is a header or footer. “SMITH-000007” for a court bundle is Bates numbering. They look similar but they’re built for different purposes, and picking the right one saves a lot of fiddling. Here’s how each works and when to reach for it.
Three ways to label a PDF’s pages
Before choosing a tool, match the job:
- Page numbers — a simple 1, 2, 3… in a corner or centre. Quick, clean, and all most documents need.
- Headers & footers — running text that can include dynamic fields: “Page 5 of 20”, today’s date, a document title or a “Draft” label, repeated on every page.
- Bates numbering — sequential, uniquely identifying stamps (often with a prefix, like ABC-000001) used in legal and business discovery so every page has a permanent reference.
How to add page numbers
For plain, tidy numbering, Add Page Numbers is the quickest route:
- Add your PDF to Add Page Numbers.
- Pick a position — one of six spots (any corner, or top/bottom centre).
- Download. Each page is stamped with its sequential number, 1 to N, in the spot you chose.
This tool does one thing well: a straightforward number in a consistent place. If you need “Page X of Y”, a date, or a custom starting number instead of a plain count, that’s a header/footer job — coming up next.
Headers and footers with dynamic text
When you need more than a bare number, Header & Footer adds running text to the top and/or bottom of every page — and it understands a few dynamic fields so the text updates itself:
{page}— the current page number{n}— the total number of pages{date}— today’s date
So a footer of Page {page} of {n} becomes “Page 5 of 20”, and you can mix in fixed text like a title or a “Confidential” marker: Acme Report — {date}. It’s the right tool whenever the label needs context, not just a count — reports, contracts, anything where “of 20” or a date matters.
Bates numbering for legal documents
Bates numbering is the standard in law and formal business: every page gets a unique, sequential identifier so it can be referenced precisely — “see SMITH-000042” — across a whole case or transaction. Bates Numbering handles the convention properly:
- Set a prefix (optional) such as
ABC-to group a set of documents. - Choose a starting number so a new batch can continue where the last one ended.
- Download. Each page is stamped with the prefix plus a zero-padded sequential number — ABC-000001, ABC-000002, and so on — in the bottom-right, the customary spot.
The zero-padding keeps everything sorting and lining up neatly no matter how many pages you have, which is exactly why courts and firms rely on it.
Which one do you need?
| You want… | Use | Example output |
|---|---|---|
| A simple page count | Add Page Numbers | 1, 2, 3 … |
| “Page X of Y”, a date or a title | Header & Footer | Page 5 of 20 · Mar 2026 |
| A “Draft” or “Confidential” label | Header & Footer | CONFIDENTIAL |
| Unique legal reference numbers | Bates Numbering | ABC-000001, ABC-000002 … |
A few tips
- Number after you assemble. If you’re combining files, merge them first and number the finished document, so the sequence is continuous — see merging and splitting. Numbering before merging leaves you with restarting counts.
- Mind the margins. Pick a position that won’t collide with existing content near the edges; bottom-centre is usually safe.
- Bates last. For legal bundles, apply Bates numbers to the final, ordered set — they’re meant to be permanent references, so the pages shouldn’t move afterwards.
- Need a number somewhere unusual? For fully custom placement or one-off labels, you can also drop text anywhere with the PDF editor — see editing a PDF for free.
Is it private, and is it free?
All three run in your browser — your document is never uploaded — and they’re free, with no sign-up or watermark. Add Page Numbers, Header & Footer and Bates Numbering stamp the text straight onto your pages on your device, leaving the rest of the file untouched. You’ll find them alongside the other page tools on the Organize PDF overview.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add page numbers to a PDF? Open Add Page Numbers, choose a position, and download — each page is stamped 1 to N.
How do I add “Page X of Y” or a date? Use Header & Footer with the fields {page}, {n} and {date} — for example Page {page} of {n}.
What is Bates numbering? A legal convention that gives every page a unique, sequential identifier (often with a prefix, like ABC-000001) so documents can be referenced exactly. Use Bates Numbering.
Can I start numbering from a specific number? Yes — Bates Numbering lets you set the starting number so a new batch continues a sequence. For plain counts, Add Page Numbers runs 1 to N.
Will the numbers cover my text? Only if you place them over existing content — choose a position with a clear margin, such as bottom-centre, and they’ll sit cleanly.
Is it free and private? Yes — all three tools run in your browser (nothing uploaded), free, with no account or watermark.
Match the tool to the job: page numbers for a clean count, headers and footers for “Page X of Y”, dates and labels, and Bates numbering for legal references. Assemble the document first, number it last, and it’ll read as one coherent whole.
