Add Page Numbers and Watermark to PDF

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number pdf pages starting from the second page

Number PDF pages from the second page (skipping the cover)

The Page number layer comes switched on. Turn on Skip the first page and numbering starts on the second, with the total following the count.

The counting rule and the seven formats

Numbering follows a simple, predictable rule. First the tool defines the scope: all pages, only the odd ones, only the even ones or a range like 3-8. Then, if Skip the first page is on, page 1 leaves the count even when it is in scope. The remaining pages get consecutive numbers starting from the start number (1 by default), and the last number of the sequence is the start number plus the count of numbered pages, minus 1. That last number is the "of N" in the "Page 1 of N" and "1/N" formats. In a 10-page PDF with the cover skipped, page 2 becomes "Page 1 of 9" and page 10 becomes "Page 9 of 9". If your work counts the cover as page 1 and you want the second to show 2, put 2 in the start number: page 2 becomes "Page 2 of 10".
There are seven formats: 1; Page 1; Page 1 of 10; 1/10; - 1 -; lowercase roman (i, ii, iii) and uppercase roman (I, II, III). Roman numerals are used on the preliminary pages of theses and books, and work from 1 to 3999; above that the number shows in Arabic digits. The words "Page" and "of" can be in English or Portuguese (Página 1 de 10), regardless of the site language, since the document's language is what matters. The position is one of six anchors: top or bottom, left, center or right. The margin is in millimeters (10 mm equals 28.35 points), and the Mirror on even pages switch swaps left and right on even pages, so the number always sits on the outer edge of a double-sided print.
Font, size, color and bold are adjustable, with the three PDF standard fonts (Helvetica, Times and Courier). The preview shows the number over each page, in the thumbnails and on the open page, at the same positions as the final file, and the page you see is the page rotated as the reader would see it: in a PDF stored with a 90 degree rotation, the number still sits at the bottom. The downloaded file keeps all the original content and adds the text on top, with the -stamped suffix in the name. If your PDF mixes pages of different sizes, the margin and position apply per page. The number always comes from a calculation, never from guessing about the content, so if the result is not what you expected, the calculation above shows why.

Checked calculations

Cover skipped, start at 1

Input: PDF de 10 páginas, Página 1 de N, pular a primeira
Expected output: Página 2: "Página 1 de 9"; página 10: "Página 9 de 9"

Nine numbered pages, from 1 to 9.

Cover skipped, start at 2

Input: PDF de 10 páginas, pular a primeira, número inicial 2
Expected output: Página 2: "Página 2 de 10"; página 10: "Página 10 de 10"

The last number is 2 + 9 - 1 = 10.

Roman numerals

Input: Número 14, romano maiúsculo; número 4, romano minúsculo
Expected output: XIV; iv

Works from 1 to 3999; 1994 is MCMXCIV.

Other formats of the same number

Input: Página 3 de 10
Expected output: 3, "Página 3", "3/10", "- 3 -"

The four remaining formats besides "Page 3 of 10".

Text width and margin

Input: "Página 1 de 10", Helvetica 10 pt, margem 10 mm
Expected output: 66,87 pt de largura; margem de 28,35 pt

Centered at x = 306 pt on a letter sheet of 612 pt.

Full tool FAQ

How do I number only from the second page, without counting the cover?

Turn on Skip the first page. The cover stays unnumbered and the second page gets the start number (1 by default). The total "of N" follows: in a 10-page PDF, page 2 comes out as "Page 1 of 9" and page 10 as "Page 9 of 9". If you would rather have the second page show "2", set the start number to 2; the total becomes 10.

Which page number formats are available?

What is Bates numbering and how do I set it up?

Which variables can I use in the header and footer?

Does a watermark protect the document from copying?

How do the tiled watermark and the automatic fit work?

Can I use a logo as a watermark?

Do the marks sit correctly on rotated pages and pages of different sizes?

Does it work with password-protected PDFs?

Which fonts and characters can I use in the marks?

Frequently asked questions

How do I number only some pages, such as 3 to 8?

In the Apply to block, choose Range and type 3-8. Numbering applies only to those pages, and the count starts at the first of them with the start number.

Does the number change my PDF's text?

No. The original content stays as it is and the number is added on top, as real (selectable) text. The exception is password-protected PDFs, exported as page images.

Can I also number with Bates or a header?

Yes, the layers combine. Switch on Bates numbering, Header or Footer together with the page number and download it all in one pass.

Next steps

The counting rule and the seven formats

Numbering follows a simple, predictable rule. First the tool defines the scope: all pages, only the odd ones, only the even ones or a range like 3-8. Then, if Skip the first page is on, page 1 leaves the count even when it is in scope. The remaining pages get consecutive numbers starting from the start number (1 by default), and the last number of the sequence is the start number plus the count of numbered pages, minus 1. That last number is the "of N" in the "Page 1 of N" and "1/N" formats. In a 10-page PDF with the cover skipped, page 2 becomes "Page 1 of 9" and page 10 becomes "Page 9 of 9". If your work counts the cover as page 1 and you want the second to show 2, put 2 in the start number: page 2 becomes "Page 2 of 10".

There are seven formats: 1; Page 1; Page 1 of 10; 1/10; - 1 -; lowercase roman (i, ii, iii) and uppercase roman (I, II, III). Roman numerals are used on the preliminary pages of theses and books, and work from 1 to 3999; above that the number shows in Arabic digits. The words "Page" and "of" can be in English or Portuguese (Página 1 de 10), regardless of the site language, since the document's language is what matters. The position is one of six anchors: top or bottom, left, center or right. The margin is in millimeters (10 mm equals 28.35 points), and the Mirror on even pages switch swaps left and right on even pages, so the number always sits on the outer edge of a double-sided print.

Font, size, color and bold are adjustable, with the three PDF standard fonts (Helvetica, Times and Courier). The preview shows the number over each page, in the thumbnails and on the open page, at the same positions as the final file, and the page you see is the page rotated as the reader would see it: in a PDF stored with a 90 degree rotation, the number still sits at the bottom. The downloaded file keeps all the original content and adds the text on top, with the -stamped suffix in the name. If your PDF mixes pages of different sizes, the margin and position apply per page. The number always comes from a calculation, never from guessing about the content, so if the result is not what you expected, the calculation above shows why.

Checked calculations

Cover skipped, start at 1

Input: PDF de 10 páginas, Página 1 de N, pular a primeira
Expected output: Página 2: "Página 1 de 9"; página 10: "Página 9 de 9"

Nine numbered pages, from 1 to 9.

Cover skipped, start at 2

Input: PDF de 10 páginas, pular a primeira, número inicial 2
Expected output: Página 2: "Página 2 de 10"; página 10: "Página 10 de 10"

The last number is 2 + 9 - 1 = 10.

Roman numerals

Input: Número 14, romano maiúsculo; número 4, romano minúsculo
Expected output: XIV; iv

Works from 1 to 3999; 1994 is MCMXCIV.

Other formats of the same number

Input: Página 3 de 10
Expected output: 3, "Página 3", "3/10", "- 3 -"

The four remaining formats besides "Page 3 of 10".

Text width and margin

Input: "Página 1 de 10", Helvetica 10 pt, margem 10 mm
Expected output: 66,87 pt de largura; margem de 28,35 pt

Centered at x = 306 pt on a letter sheet of 612 pt.

Full tool FAQ

How do I number only from the second page, without counting the cover?

Which page number formats are available?

What is Bates numbering and how do I set it up?

Which variables can I use in the header and footer?

Does a watermark protect the document from copying?

How do the tiled watermark and the automatic fit work?

Can I use a logo as a watermark?

Do the marks sit correctly on rotated pages and pages of different sizes?

Does it work with password-protected PDFs?

Which fonts and characters can I use in the marks?

Frequently asked questions

How do I number only some pages, such as 3 to 8?

In the Apply to block, choose Range and type 3-8. Numbering applies only to those pages, and the count starts at the first of them with the start number.

Does the number change my PDF's text?

No. The original content stays as it is and the number is added on top, as real (selectable) text. The exception is password-protected PDFs, exported as page images.

Can I also number with Bates or a header?

Yes, the layers combine. Switch on Bates numbering, Header or Footer together with the page number and download it all in one pass.