Adding page numbers to a PDF takes about twenty seconds: drop the file into the page numbering tool, pick a format and a position, then click Add Numbers. Four decisions matter — the format (plain, Page X of Y, or Roman), the position, whether the first page is a cover to skip, and whether the file already carries numbers you cannot remove here. The rest of this guide is about making those four choices correctly.
- Page numbers are added as vector text overlays via pdf-lib -- original page content is never modified
- 7 number formats: plain, Page X, X / Y, Page X of Y, centred dashes, lowercase Roman, uppercase Roman
- 6 standard positions: Top/Bottom x Left/Center/Right with adjustable margins
- AFFLIGO runs entirely in-browser -- no files uploaded, 100% private
- No fixed count limit — add as many PDFs as needed, processed sequentially with RAM cleaned after each file (per-file limit adapts to your device, usually 200-300 MB; 1 GB total queue)
- Skip cover page option starts numbering from the second page
- Custom start number lets you continue numbering across split documents
- 12 fonts (Helvetica, Times, Courier), full color picker, 6-72pt size range
- Zero watermark, no branding, no logo -- clean PDF output every time
- Device-aware pre-check warns on low RAM and recommends best settings before you upload
Page Numbers vs Page Labels: Why Your Viewer Says Page 5 but the Page Says 1
The most confusing thing about PDF pagination — and the one thing every "add page numbers" page on the internet skips.
Open a PDF and look at the page-navigation box in the corner of your reader. What you read there is a page label — and it is not the same thing as the page number printed on the paper. A PDF carries two independent numbering systems, and the file format explicitly allows them to disagree. A document can be 160 physical sheets, print "Page 1 of 148" in the footer, and still show "5" in the reader's navigation box, because the first four pages are front matter with their own label sequence.
A page number is ink on the page — a real text object you can select, copy, search for, and that prints. A page label is a single entry in the file's catalog that only the reading application reads, to decide what to display in its navigation UI. Changing a label never changes what appears on the page. Changing a page number never changes what the reader displays in the corner.
| System | Where it lives in the file | Shows in the reader's nav box | Prints on the page | Searchable text |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Page number | A text object drawn on the page (e.g. Helvetica "12" at 36pt from the bottom edge) | No — the reader ignores it | Yes | Yes — it is real text |
| Page label | A /PageLabels entry in the PDF document catalog | Yes — this is exactly what it controls | No | No |
The label system is a small, precise structure. Inside the catalog, /PageLabels holds a /Nums array whose entries pair a zero-based page index with a label dictionary, and the dictionary picks the numeral style (/S), an optional prefix (/P), and the page where that sequence begins (/St):
/PageLabels << /Nums [ 0 << /S /r >> 4 << /S /D >> 7 << /S /D /P (A-) /St 8 >> ] >>
Read it as: pages 1–4 are labelled i, ii, iii, iv (/r = lowercase Roman); page 5 onward restarts at Arabic 1 (/D); and from page 8 the labels switch to A-8, A-9 because of the /P prefix and the /St 8 start. Note the integers 0, 4, 7 in /Nums are zero-based page indices, while /St 8 sets the starting numeric value for that label range (producing A-8, A-9).
Three things routinely produce a mismatch between the two systems, and it is worth knowing which one you are looking at before you go hunting:
1. The file already carries labels
Anything exported from Word, Google Docs, or InDesign with front matter normally ships with /PageLabels already in it. The reader honours the labels, so the nav box says "i" or "1" while the sheet is physically sheet 5. Your stamped number and the nav box will then disagree — not because your stamp is wrong, but because you are reading two different systems.
2. Unnumbered front matter
You skipped the cover and the table of contents, so the footer says "1" on a page the reader calls page 3. Nothing is broken — the printed sequence is simply offset from the physical sequence. The reader counts sheets; your footer counts numbered sheets.
3. Two numbering passes
A thesis stamped in two passes (Roman front matter, then Arabic body) produces a document whose front matter and body carry different label logic. The reader falls back to plain sequential numbers because the file has no label dictionary — so it shows 1, 2, 3… across the whole file while the pages themselves read i, ii, iii, then 1, 2, 3.
AFFLIGO stamps visible page numbers: a real vector text layer drawn on the page with pdf-lib, so it prints, it is searchable, and it can never be silently overridden by a reader. It does not write a /PageLabels dictionary, and it does not try to rewrite labels that were already in your file. That is a deliberate trade: a visible stamp is the thing a court, a university, or a client actually checks, whereas a label only changes what a reader shows in one corner of the screen and never appears on paper. If a court or journal requires a specific label sequence, set it in the source application before export — see the next section for the exact clicks.
| What you need | What to do | What the reader will show |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers on the printed page (court, thesis, client deliverable) | Stamp them with AFFLIGO. This is the number that matters and the only one that prints. | Sequential sheet count, or the label already in the file |
| Reader nav box to match the printed number | Set labels in the source app before export: Word → Insert → Page Number → Format Page Numbers → set "Start at" and the number format, then export to PDF. This writes /PageLabels for you. | Matches the printed number exactly |
| Both, for an academic document | Set the label sequence in Word (Roman for front matter, Arabic starting at 1 for the body) and stamp the visible numbers with AFFLIGO. The two now agree. | Matches the printed number exactly |
| A file where the reader must not show stale labels | Export a fresh PDF from the source app rather than editing an already-labelled one. Page labels survive copy-paste, split, and merge operations and are rarely stripped by them. | Clean sequential count |
I built and tested this engine on pdf-lib (with-encrypt build): a 48-page legal filing with mixed portrait/landscape pages and a 300+ page thesis. In each case the tool kept original fonts and images intact, placed numbers at Bottom Center with 36pt margin without overlap, and completed entirely in the browser. No file ever left the device. Large files process sequentially with per-page yielding to keep the UI responsive; time varies by device and page count. A free page number adder with no watermark handles the stamp; the label dictionary is a source-application setting, not something a stamping tool should be rewriting behind your back.
The 7 Formats Side by Side — and the One Rule That Decides It
Every format the tool offers, exactly what it prints, and the single rule that picks between them.
A PDF page numbering tool overlays vector text onto existing pages to insert page numbers, page no. stamps, and pagination without touching the content underneath. The format you pick decides what the reader sees on every sheet — and because the number is a real text object rather than a picture, it stays selectable, searchable, and crisp at any print resolution.
| Format | Output on the page | Best For | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plain (1,2,3) | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Internal drafts, invoices, appendix pages | The default when nobody is grading you |
| Page X | Page 1, Page 2, Page 3 | Presentations, handouts, labelled folders | Use when the page needs a noun attached |
| X / Y | 1/10, 2/10, 3/10 | Dense reference tables, dashboards, spec sheets | Use when the total is the useful part |
| Page X of Y | Page 1 of 10, Page 2 of 10 | Client reports, contracts, court filings, theses | The safe default for anything leaving your hands |
| - N - | - 1 -, - 2 -, - 3 - | Books, manuscripts, typeset traditions | Never for a business or legal document |
| i, ii, iii | i, ii, iii, iv, v | Front matter, preface, table of contents | Roman is a structural signal, not a style |
| I, II, III | I, II, III, IV, V | Formal legal prefaces, charters, proclamations | Same rule as lowercase, but louder |
If the document leaves your hands — a client, a court, a university, a jury — use Page X of Y. If it never does, use plain numbers and stop thinking about it. And treat Roman numerals as a structural signal rather than a preference: Roman means "this page belongs to the front matter", Arabic means "this page is body text". A thesis that numbers its chapters in Roman has told the reader its own structure wrong.
Two behaviours are worth knowing before you commit to a format. First, Roman numerals cover 1–3999; past 3999 the tool falls back to Arabic, because the Roman numeral for 4000 does not exist. Second, in Page X of Y and X / Y the Y is the total page count of the PDF — which behaves in a specific way the moment you combine it with a page range. That trips people up, so it has its own section: Page X of Y with a page range.
Where to Put the Number: 6 Positions, Ranked by Document Type
The position picker is a 2 x 3 grid — top or bottom, left, centre, or right. Here is which cell to use.
| Position | Location | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom Center | Centred at the bottom of each page | Books, reports, most formal documents (the default) |
| Bottom Left | Left-aligned at the bottom | Technical documents, left-bound reports |
| Bottom Right | Right-aligned at the bottom | Legal filings, contracts, right-aligned layouts |
| Top Center | Centred at the top of each page | Presentation handouts, academic papers |
| Top Left | Left-aligned at the top | Reference manuals, technical documentation |
| Top Right | Right-aligned at the top | Drafts, internal documents, review copies |
The margin is set in points and defaults to 36pt from the page edge. That is roughly half an inch, and it clears the printable area of a standard Letter or A4 sheet — but it does not clear the binding gutter of a document that will be physically bound. For a bound thesis or a spiral-bound report, push the margin to 48pt and the numbers stay clear of the holes.
Bates Numbering for Legal Exhibits: The Exact Prefix, Digit and Start Convention
Every page in a legal production gets a unique, citable identifier. Here is the convention, and how to reproduce it without Acrobat Pro.
Bates numbering is not a page number — it is a legal citation system. Every page in a document set receives a unique sequential identifier that never resets and never repeats, so opposing counsel, the court, and the docket can point at one specific page unambiguously. The identifier is normally a fixed-width number with a case prefix: CASE-000001, SMITH-000124, EX-0001.
| Part | Convention | Setting in AFFLIGO |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | Short case or matter code, usually letters and a hyphen. Changes per production set. | Prefix field — CASE- |
| Digit width | Zero-padded to a fixed width so the identifiers sort as text. Acrobat Pro allows 3 to 15 digits; 6 is the common default, giving 000001. | Number padding — 2, 3, or 4 digits (so 01, 001, 0001) |
| Start number | The first identifier in the production set, usually 1. | Start Number field |
| Position | Bottom right is the near-universal default for Bates stamps. | Position — Bottom Right |
| Continuity | Across a multi-volume set, every volume continues the same sequence. Volume 2 starts where volume 1 stopped. | Start Number set to the next number in the set |
Prefix = CASE-, Number padding = 3 digits, Start Number = 1, Position = Bottom Right, Format = Plain. Output: CASE-001, CASE-002, CASE-003 … on every page, printing cleanly and remaining searchable as text. A 60-page exhibit set starting at 1 and running to 60 produces CASE-001 through CASE-060 — note the leading zeros are what make it sort correctly, so set padding to 3, not 2, or the last identifier reads CASE-60 and sorts before CASE-10 in a spreadsheet.
Need six-digit identifiers? Put the extra zeros in the prefix: prefix ABC-00 with 4-digit padding prints ABC-000001. And limit the stamp to the exhibit pages with a Page Range (for example 3-12), so covers, indexes and certificates stay unnumbered.
Two honest limits. First, Acrobat Pro lets you pick 3 to 15 digits for a Bates sequence; AFFLIGO tops out at 4 (so 0001), which covers every realistic production set — a 4-digit field holds 9,999 pages — but it is a ceiling. Second, a true Bates run applies one continuous sequence across a set of separate files and can stamp a whole folder in one operation. Here you do it file by file, keeping the sequence by setting Start Number to the next free value for each file in turn. If your production set is dozens of files, batch them with a consistent start number per file rather than uploading all of them under the same starting value — otherwise every file begins at 001 and the identifiers collide.
Page X of Y With a Page Range: The Numbering That Looks Wrong (And Is)
Number pages 13 to 150 of a 160-page PDF and you get "Page 1 of 160" on sheet 13. Here is why, and how to avoid it.
This trips up almost everyone who combines a Page Range with a Page X of Y format, and it is not a bug — it is two different counters doing two different jobs. The X counter only advances on pages that actually received a stamp, so it counts stamped pages. The Y value is the total page count of the PDF, taken from the document itself before any range is applied. Number a subset and the two numbers describe different things.
| Document | Page Range | What page 13 shows | What page 150 shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160-page PDF, front matter on pages 1–12 | 13-150 | Page 1 of 160 | Page 138 of 160 |
| 160-page PDF, same range | 13-150 | 1 (Plain format) | 138 (Plain format) |
| 160-page PDF, whole document | blank (all pages) | Page 13 of 160 | Page 150 of 160 |
Notice the third row. With no range, X and Y agree, because every page is stamped and the counter reaches the document total. The mismatch appears the moment you exclude anything.
| If you want… | Do this | Result |
|---|---|---|
| The reader to see a true document-relative number | Leave the range blank and set Skip first page on instead | Sheet 2 is "Page 2 of 160" — the count stays honest, the cover simply has no stamp |
| A range where X starts at the range's own first page | Set the range to 13-150 and Start Number to 13 | Sheet 13 reads "Page 13 of 160" — X now matches the physical page |
| A self-contained "of N" that counts only the excerpt | Use Plain format, or split the excerpt into its own file first and number that | No misleading total, and the excerpt is a legitimate standalone document |
| Front matter numbered separately from the body | Two passes: Roman on 1-12, then Arabic on 13-150 with Start Number 13 | Body page 13 reads "13", matching the physical sheet |
If you want "Page X of Y" to be truthful, make X and Y count the same thing. Either stamp every page (blank range) or set Start Number to the first physical page of your range. A reader who sees "Page 138 of 160" on sheet 150 will assume 22 pages are missing — and if this is a court filing, that assumption becomes a problem you have to explain.
Why Your Page Numbers Don't Appear (And How to Fix It)
You ran the tool, downloaded the result, opened it — and the numbers aren't there. Here are the three real reasons, and how to fix each.
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers are invisible on the page | The PDF has a CropBox smaller than its MediaBox (common after cropping). AFFLIGO stamps against the CropBox, so if your crop cut the area where the number should land, the number is drawn off-page. | Re-export without cropping, or increase your margin so the number lands inside the visible area. |
| Numbers are on the wrong page | You used Page Range (e.g. 13-150) but expected numbering to start at 1 on page 13. Range counting is independent: page 13 gets "1" only if you set Start Number to 13. | Set Start Number to the first physical page of your range, or leave Page Range blank to number every page. |
| Numbers are on every page except the cover | "Skip first page" is enabled. It's on by default in many workflows because cover pages shouldn't be numbered. | Uncheck "Skip first page" if you want the cover numbered too. |
| Numbers overlap body text | Margin is too small for your font size, or position places numbers over content. | Increase margin (pt), move position (e.g. Bottom Center → Bottom Right), or reduce font size. |
| Numbers are faint or missing on scanned pages | Scanned pages are images; the vector overlay is still there but may be low contrast against dark content. | Use dark color (#000000) at 100% opacity on dark scans, or light color (#FFFFFF) at 90% on light scans. |
| No output file downloads | Browser blocked the download, or the file is too large for memory. | Check browser download settings; try a smaller file or compress the PDF first. |
If your numbered PDF looks empty, check in this order: (1) Is the number on a page you actually numbered? Check your Page Range and Start Number. (2) Is the margin pushing the number off the page? Increase it. (3) Is the number color similar to the page background? Change it. (4) Is the PDF cropped? The number may be outside the visible crop area — increase margin or re-crop.
AFFLIGO vs iLovePDF, Smallpdf & Acrobat
Same filing, thesis, or exhibit set — how the finished-document workflows compare across tools.
| Workflow | AFFLIGO | iLovePDF | Smallpdf | Adobe Acrobat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thesis pagination (Roman front matter → Arabic chapters) | ✅ Two-pass stamp — i, ii, iii up front, 1, 2, 3 for chapters | ⚠️ Roman styles capped on free tasks | ⚠️ Section numbering capped on the free tier | ✅ Precise section numbering, paid plan needed |
| Exhibit numbering (Bates-style, e.g. CASE-001) | ✅ Prefix + 001 padding combo — full convention explained | ❌ No prefix-plus-padding combo on the free tool | ❌ No exhibit-style numbering on the free tier | ✅ True Bates stamping, paid desktop only |
| Matching the reader's nav box to the printed number (page labels) | ❌ Stamps visible numbers only — no /PageLabels write | ❌ Stamps visible numbers only | ❌ Stamps visible numbers only | ✅ Page Labels tool exists, but it changes the nav box only — it never prints a number |
| Filing batches (many PDFs, one ZIP out) | ✅ No file-count cap, sequential, ZIP download | ⚠️ Bulk runs count against free-task limits | ⚠️ Bulk files need a Pro subscription | ⚠️ Batch runs need a paid desktop license |
| Scanned PDFs (numbers without quality loss) | ✅ Vector overlay — scans stay pixel-identical | ⚠️ Heavy scans eat into upload allowances | ⚠️ Large scans hit free-tier file caps | ✅ Handles scans natively, paid plan needed |
| Privileged files (client, legal, HR docs) | ✅ Stays in your browser — nothing uploaded | ☁️ Files leave your device for server processing | ☁️ Server-side run with a file-retention window | 💻 Desktop run, files stay on your machine |
| Fine-tuning (preview, opacity, margins) | ✅ Live preview, 10–100% opacity, pt-accurate margin | ❌ No live preview or opacity slider on the free tool | ❌ No opacity or margin fine-tune on the free tier | ✅ Full appearance controls, paid plan needed |
| Price & signup | Free forever, no account | Free tier with task caps, Pro unlocks more | Free tier with daily caps, Pro unlocks more | Limited free uses with Adobe ID sign-in, then paid |
Sources: iLovePDF, Smallpdf, Adobe Acrobat free-tier limits and pricing checked Oct 2026. Caps and prices change often — AFFLIGO stays free with local processing.
Most "free" tools upload your documents to their servers and limit daily usage. AFFLIGO stamps vector numbers locally via pdf-lib — no upload, no queues, no artificial limits.
Offsets, Prefix and Custom Start Number
Four fields decide whether a number lands in exactly the right spot — and whether it reads "12" or "CASE-0012".
| Control | What It Does | Use It When |
|---|---|---|
| X Offset (pt) | Shifts the number horizontally in points (1 pt = 1/72 inch, so 12 pt is about 4.2 mm). Positive moves right, negative moves left. | The number sits too close to the page edge, or overlaps body text. |
| Y Offset (pt) | Shifts the number vertically in points. Positive moves down, negative moves up. | It crowds a header line, a footer rule, or the binding edge. |
| Prefix / Suffix | Fixed text printed before and after the number — CASE- in front, (Draft) behind. Plain text, not a formula. | Exhibit labels, confidential drafts, or any file where the number needs a marker attached. |
| Custom Start Number | Prints a different number on the first stamped page instead of 1. | Continuing a sequence across split files, or part two of one report. |
The margin (36 pt by default) decides where the number starts; X/Y Offsets are added on top of that. If 36 pt still puts the number too close to the text block, nudge it with a -12 pt Y Offset instead of changing the margin for every page. Prefix and padding combine: CASE- plus 3-digit padding prints CASE-001.
Watch: 30-Second Animated Demo
Hit play and watch a simulated run of the real tool — the cursor uploads a file, picks options, types a page range, and downloads. About 25 seconds.
One Table, Every Document Type: Format, Position, Font and Margin
Find your document type, copy the row, and you are done. These are the exact settings, not suggestions.
| Document Type | Format | Position | Font & size | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Report | Page X of Y | Bottom Center | Helvetica 10pt, #333333 | 36pt |
| Academic Thesis (PDF/bound) | Roman front matter + Arabic body | Bottom Center | Times 10pt | 48pt |
| Legal Filing | Page X of Y | Bottom Right | Times 10pt, #000000 | 48pt |
| Legal Exhibit / Bates Set | Plain + prefix (CASE-) | Bottom Right | Courier 9pt | 36pt |
| Presentation Handout | Page X of Y | Top Right | Helvetica 14pt | 24pt |
| Book Chapter | - N - | Bottom Center | Times 10pt | 36pt |
| Manuscript / Draft | Plain (1,2,3) | Top Right | Times 12pt | 24pt |
| Technical Documentation | Page X | Top Left | Courier 9pt | 36pt |
| Invoice | Plain (1,2,3) | Bottom Right | Helvetica 9pt | 48pt |
| Scanned Document | Plain (1,2,3) | Bottom Center | Helvetica 10pt, #FFFFFF at 90% | 36pt |
When in doubt, use "Page X of Y" at Bottom Center, Helvetica 10pt, #333333, 36pt margin. It works for almost every formal document type, gives the reader the most information about their position, and never overlaps body text. Two exceptions: if the document will be bound, use a 48pt margin so the numbers clear the gutter; if the pages are scans, switch the colour to #FFFFFF at 90% opacity so the number stays legible against a dark or photo background.
Built-in Fonts, Colors, and Sizing
12 built-in PDF fonts across 3 families — no font upload needed — plus a full colour picker and flexible sizing.
| Family | Variants | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Helvetica | Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic | Modern documents, clean professional look |
| Times | Regular, Bold, Italic, Bold Italic | Academic papers, formal reports, traditional layouts |
| Courier | Regular, Bold, Oblique, Bold Oblique | Technical docs, code-related content, monospace needs |
The size range is 6-72pt with a default of 12pt. The full color picker supports any hex value (e.g., #0F172A for navy, #DC2626 for brand red), and opacity 10–100% lets numbers sit subtly over busy backgrounds. Use the live preview to verify size, color, and opacity on a realistic page before processing.
10–11pt in Helvetica #333333 at 85% opacity matches most reports without shouting. For dark-scanned pages, switch to #FFFFFF at 90%. For legal filings on white paper, keep #000000 at 100%. Preview first — a 5-second check prevents re-exporting a 300-page file.
Visual Example
Report footer: "Page 12 of 48" — Helvetica 10pt, #4B5563, 80% opacity, Bottom Center 36pt margin. Legible, professional, never overlaps body text.
Opacity Trick
On image-heavy pages, drop to 60–70% so numbers don't compete with photos. On text-only pages, keep 85–100% for crisp readability.
Page Range and Skip Options
Number some pages and leave the rest alone — covers, blank scans, indexes, or pages you already stamped by hand.
| Value entered | What gets numbered | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| blank | Every page in the document | Standard numbering; combine with Skip first page to exclude the cover. |
1-5, 8, 12-15 | Pages 1-5, page 8, pages 12-15 | Number only appendix pages; skip blank pages in a scanned document. |
1-end | Page 1 to the last page | Same as blank but explicit; useful with Skip first page. |
5-end | Page 5 to the last page | Skip a cover and table of contents without using Skip first page. |
3 | Page 3 only | Number a single page, for example a title page inserted later. |
With a range set, the counter starts at 1 on the first stamped page, not at page 1 of the file. Number pages 13-150 of a 160-page PDF and sheet 13 reads "1", sheet 150 reads "138". If you need "Page 13 of 160", set Start Number to 13 — or leave the range blank and use Skip first page. See Page X of Y with a page range.
The toggle drops page 1 from the run, even when it sits inside a range. So 2-end with Skip first page on behaves exactly like 2-end alone, while 1-5 with it on numbers pages 2 to 5. It never shifts the sequence — page 2 still prints "1" if you leave Start Number at 1.
Working with Multiple PDFs: Batch, Split & Multi-File Continuity
AFFLIGO numbers unlimited PDFs at once, but how numbering behaves across files matters more than the count.
| Task | How to do it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Batch number many PDFs | Select unlimited PDFs from device, Google Drive, or Dropbox; configure once; click Add Numbers. | All files receive the same format, position, font, and margin. Download each individually or as a ZIP. |
| Split then number | Use Split PDF to break a long document into parts, then number each part separately. | Ideal when each part needs its own page 1, or when one part needs different settings. |
| Continuous numbering across files | Set Start Number to continue the sequence. | Doc 1 ends at page 15 → set Doc 2 Start Number to 16 for continuous numbering. |
| Same format across many files | Configure once, apply to all files in batch. | All files receive identical format, position, font, and margin settings. |
Numbered files are saved as original_numbered.pdf — easy to identify in a batch. When processing many PDFs, download individually or as a ZIP.
Printer-Ready Margins: Binding Gutter & Duplex
The margin number sits in is about more than aesthetics — it's about whether the number survives printing and binding.
| Setting | pt value | mm value | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default margin | 36pt | 12.7mm | Clears printable area of Letter/A4; standard for unbound documents |
| Binding gutter | 48pt | 16.9mm | Ring binder holes eat ~15–20mm; number must sit outside them |
| Minimums | 18pt | 6.4mm | Below this, the number risks being cut off by most office printers |
| Font size | 10–11pt | ~3.5–3.9mm | Standard for most reports; 14pt for presentation handouts |
Turn on "Mirror left/right on even pages" when the document will be bound. Odd-page numbers sit on the right (outer edge), even-page numbers on the left — so every number falls on the outside edge near the thumb, never swallowed by the binding. Center positions are unaffected by mirror mode.
For duplex (double-sided) printing, page 1 is a right-hand page. Odd-numbered pages are always on the right (recto), even on the left (verso). Mirror mode keeps numbers on the outer edge of both. A document numbered with only Bottom Center will look fine but won't follow binding convention.
Removing Page Numbers That Are Already in the PDF
AFFLIGO stamps new page numbers on top — it can't remove numbers that are already printed on the page. Here are your real options.
| Situation | What works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| PDF was numbered by Word / Google Docs | Re-export from the source app with page numbers turned off | Cleanest result; keeps text selectable |
| Scanned PDF with stamped numbers | No clean way to remove; re-scan without the stamp | You lose the original scan quality |
| PDF from another tool | No one-click "remove numbers" exists anywhere | All stamping tools (AFFLIGO, Acrobat, etc.) add, never remove |
Page numbers stamped onto a PDF become part of the page content — they're not a separate layer the tool can peel off. AFFLIGO stamps vector text; once stamped, it's indistinguishable from any other text on the page. There's no tool anywhere that can reliably remove stamped page numbers without damaging the rest of the content. If you need clean numbering, start from the source file and stamp once.
Thesis Front Matter + Body: Roman + Arabic in Two Passes
Academic theses number front matter in Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) and body chapters in Arabic (1, 2, 3). AFFLIGO does this in two passes — here is the exact sequence.
| Pass | Pages | Format | Start Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass 1 | Front matter (title, abstract, TOC, acknowledgements) | i, ii, iii (Roman) | 1 |
| Pass 2 | Body chapters | 1, 2, 3 (Arabic) | 1 |
Set margin to 48pt for binding clearance on a bound thesis. Use Times font for a traditional look.
Pass 2 with a range and "Page X of Y" produces "Page 1 of 150" on sheet 13 — X counts only stamped pages while Y is the whole document. Use Plain format for the thesis body, or leave the range blank and use Skip first page. See Page X of Y with a page range.
After Adding Page Numbers - Complete Your Document
Numbered pages are step one. Here's the professional workflow to finalize and share.
Compress for Email
Numbered PDFs add minimal size, but large scans stay large. Compress PDF can shrink heavy files dramatically (for example, a 50MB scan down to around 5MB) with quality presets. Essential for email attachments and uploads.
Protect Sensitive Documents
Legal, financial, and HR docs need passwords. Protect PDF adds up to AES-256 encryption (matched to your PDF version) plus print, copy, and edit restrictions.
Add Confidentiality Watermark
Drafts, proposals, and internal reviews. Add Watermark stamps "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", or your logo across all pages — text or image, tile or single, opacity controlled.
Merge with Appendices
Numbered main doc plus unnumbered appendices? Merge PDF combines them. Drag to reorder — page numbers stay intact on original pages.
Split for Distribution
Need to send only chapters 3–5? Split PDF extracts ranges. Page numbers are preserved. Each split can be re-numbered if needed.
Professional Standards: The Six Numbers That Decide Everything
Not "best practices" in the abstract — the exact values, and the arithmetic behind them.
36pt margin, 48pt if it will be bound
The default 36pt is roughly 12.7mm, which clears the printable area of Letter (A4: 210mm) with room to spare. A bound document needs more: the gutter of a ring binder eats 15–20mm, so use 48pt (17mm) and the numbers sit outside the holes. A number that disappears into the binding is worse than no number.
10pt Helvetica, and 1pt is the whole band
Body text in a typical report runs 10–12pt, so a 10pt footer reads as a footnote rather than a headline. The usable band is narrow: 9–11pt for documents, 14pt for projected slides, 8–9pt only for dense technical pages. Below 8pt the number becomes a smudge in print.
#333333 at 85% opacity on white, #FFFFFF at 90% on scans
Pure black (#000000) at 100% is correct for legal filings on white paper and looks like a stamp. For reports, #333333 at 85% is softer and still prints clearly. For scanned pages, invert to #FFFFFF at 90% — a dark number on a photo background disappears. On image-heavy pages, drop to 60–70% so the number does not compete with the artwork.
Skip the cover — always, if there is one
A numbered cover is the single most common mark of an amateur document, and it breaks the reader's arithmetic: the contents page then claims page 3 while the footer says 2. Tick "Skip first page" and the count starts where the content does.
Book mode for anything that gets bound
On a bound document the number must sit on the outer edge, which swaps sides between odd and even pages. Turn on "Mirror left/right on even pages" and the position flips automatically. Centre positions are unaffected by the setting, so it is safe to leave on.
Preview, then check page 1, the middle, and the last
The live preview costs five seconds and catches every placement error. Open the output after processing and check three pages: the first numbered one (is the cover excluded?), one from the middle (does it overlap a table or a photo?), and the last (is the total right?). That three-page check is what separates a filed document from a returned one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers that aren't on every other "add page numbers" page.
/PageLabels entry in the PDF catalog that only the reading application uses to decide what to show in its navigation box. The two systems are independent and are allowed to disagree, which is why a reader can show page 5 while the sheet prints page 1. Full explanation./PageLabels dictionary — anything exported from Word or InDesign with front matter usually does — and the reader honours the labels, so it shows the label rather than the physical sheet. (2) You skipped an unnumbered cover or table of contents, so the printed count is offset from the physical count. (3) The document was stamped in two passes (Roman front matter, then Arabic body) and has no label dictionary, so the reader falls back to plain sequential numbers. AFFLIGO stamps visible page numbers and does not write /PageLabels, so the printed number is always the authoritative one. Full explanation.CASE-), set Number padding to 3 digits so the identifiers are CASE-001, CASE-002, set Position to Bottom Right, and set Start Number to 1. For a multi-volume set, give each file the next free Start Number so the sequence continues rather than restarting. Note the limit: Acrobat Pro allows 3 to 15 digits for a Bates sequence, this tool tops out at 4 digits, which still holds 9,999 pages. Full walkthrough.Want to explore more?
Key Takeaways
- Page numbers are added as vector text overlays via pdf-lib -- original content is never modified
- 7 formats (plain, labeled, current/total, formal, decorated, Roman) cover every document type
- AFFLIGO runs entirely in your browser -- no files uploaded, 100% private
- No fixed count limit — add as many PDFs as needed, processed sequentially (per-file limit adapts to your device, usually 200-300 MB; 1 GB total queue)
- Skip cover page and custom start number features handle split documents and multi-part reports
- After numbering, merge, compress, protect, watermark, or split the PDF using other AFFLIGO tools
