How do I add page numbers to a PDF without numbering the cover?

Tick Skip the first page (e.g. a cover). The cover stays unnumbered and the next page starts at the Start at number, which is 1 unless you change it. Set it to 2 if the cover should count as page 1.

Can I start page numbers from a number other than 1?

Yes. Set Start at to any number from 0 to 9999. This is handy for a chapter or appendix that continues another document.

Can I add "Page 1 of 10" style numbers?

The N of total format gives 1 of 10, and Page N gives Page 1. There is no combined Page 1 of 10 format. Note that the total in N of total is the last number printed, so it changes with Start at and Skip the first page.

Can I use Roman numerals or number only some pages?

No. The tool uses ordinary numbers and numbers every page, apart from an optional skipped first page. To leave a preface unnumbered, split it off, number the rest and merge the two back together.

Will page numbers cover my text?

They sit about 1 cm from the edge, which is clear of the text on most documents. If your pages print right to the edge, check the preview and try another position or a smaller size.

Is my PDF uploaded when I add page numbers?

No. Kopitiam adds the numbers in your browser and the file never leaves your device. There is no sign-up and no watermark on the result.

How to add page numbers to a PDF (free, in your browser)

To add page numbers to a PDF for free, open Kopitiam's Add page numbers tool, drop in your file, pick a position and a format, and click Download numbered PDF. You can choose 1, Page 1 or 1 of 8, place the number in any of six spots, set the starting number and skip a cover page.

Everything runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded, there is no sign-up, and the download has no Kopitiam watermark. Below are the exact steps, how each option behaves, and what to do when the numbering doesn't come out the way you expected.

Step by step

Open the Add page numbers tool and drop your PDF on the page, or click to choose a file.
Under Position, pick one of Top left, Top center, Top right, Bottom left, Bottom center or Bottom right.
Under Format, pick Number, Page N or N of total.
Set Size with the slider if the default is too small or too large.
Change Start at if the first number shouldn't be 1.
Tick Skip the first page (e.g. a cover) if your PDF opens with a cover.
Check the preview, then click Download numbered PDF. You get a copy named after your file with -numbered on the end. Your original is not changed.

Formats and positions

There are three formats:

Number: just the number, such as 7. The cleanest choice for reports, theses and books.
Page N: the number with a word in front, such as Page 7. Clear in printed handouts and forms. The word follows the language you are using Kopitiam in.
N of total: such as 7 of 12. Useful for contracts and tenancy agreements, because a reader can tell at once if a page is missing.

Bottom center is the default and the safest choice for most documents. Bottom right suits documents read on screen and printed single-sided. Top positions work for letters and legal documents with a footer you don't want to crowd.

Numbers are placed about 1 cm (28pt) in from the edge, in a plain dark grey font. Size goes from 8pt to 24pt and starts at 11pt, which matches typical body text. The margin and colour are fixed.

Starting number and skipping a cover

Start at sets the number printed on the first numbered page. It can be anything from 0 to 9999. Skip the first page leaves page one blank and starts numbering on page two. The preview switches to show the first numbered page, so you can see the result.

Some common set-ups:

A report with a cover: tick Skip the first page and leave Start at as 1. The cover has no number and the next page is 1.
A report where the cover counts as page 1: tick Skip the first page and set Start at to 2. The cover is unnumbered and the next page reads 2.
Chapter 3 of a thesis that begins on page 41: set Start at to 41. Every page counts on from there.
An appendix you are sending separately: set Start at to carry on from where the main document ended.

With N of total, the total is the last number printed, not the page count. A 9-page file with the cover skipped reads 1 of 8 up to 8 of 8. Set Start at to 41 on a 10-page chapter and it reads 41 of 50 up to 50 of 50. That is right for a chapter but odd for a standalone file, so use Number or Page N when you start part way through.

Number after you merge, not before

If you are putting a document together from parts, such as a cover letter, a signed agreement and three scanned receipts, merge first and number last. Number each part separately and you get 1, 2, 3, then 1, 2 again. Merging the parts into one file and numbering that gives one clean run.

The same goes for reordering. If you move pages in Organize PDF after numbering, the numbers move with their pages and end up out of order. Put the pages in their final order first.

When it goes wrong

The number overlaps text or a logo: some documents print right to the edge. Try a different position, such as the top instead of the bottom, or a smaller Size.
The PDF already has page numbers: the tool adds a new number but can't remove the old one. Pick a position the old numbers don't use, or start from the original Word or Docs file and export again.
"This PDF is password-protected": Kopitiam can't open locked PDFs yet. Open the file with its password in your PDF reader, use Print, then Save as PDF to make an unlocked copy, and number that copy.
"This PDF has editing restrictions": the file's creator blocked changes. The same Print, then Save as PDF step makes a copy you can number.
The numbering is off by one: check Skip the first page and Start at together. The examples above cover the usual cover-page cases.

Edge cases and limits

Scanned PDFs: the number is drawn on top of the scanned image, so it works on scans the same way. Scans often have a dark edge or a punched-hole shadow, so check the preview.
Rotated and landscape pages: the number lands in the corner you see on screen and reads upright, even on a sideways landscape table inside a portrait report.
Mixed page sizes: each page is numbered in its own position, so an A3 fold-out gets its number in the right place too.
Selectable numbers: the numbers are real text, so you can search for them and they show up when you copy text from the page. If the word in Page N is in a script such as Thai, Hindi or Arabic, it is drawn as an image instead, so it looks right but can't be selected.
Forms: the fields are kept, so the numbered copy can still be filled in.
Digitally signed PDFs: adding numbers to a signed file means the signature will no longer validate. Number before signing.
Very large files: there is no file-size limit in the tool. The real limit is your device's memory, so a phone may slow down on a several-hundred-page scan.

There are also a few things the tool doesn't do. It can't use Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) for a preface, number only part of a file, skip more than the first page, or add prefixes like "A-1". For a thesis with a front section, you can still get the main body to start at 1: split the file into the front section and the body, number the body on its own, then merge the two back. The front section stays unnumbered, or gets its own ordinary numbers. If you need true Roman numerals, number the original Word or Docs file using section breaks before you export it to PDF.

Is it private?

Yes. The numbers are added in your browser and your file stays on your device. That matters when the file is a signed contract, a bank statement or a medical report going to an insurer. There is no account and no paywall on the download.