A report split into chapter files, a set of exam papers, a folder of policies, a pack of appendices: each document needs page numbers before it is printed or submitted, and the job is the same for every file. Two tools handle it in batches. Page Numbers adds a number in the format and position you choose. Headers & Footers adds any text you like at the top and bottom of the page, including the page number, the total, the date and each file's own name.
How to number many PDFs at once
- Open ihatepdf.cv/page-numbers.
- Select or drop all the PDFs together. With more than one file the tool switches to batch mode.
- Choose the format: 1, 2, 3 · i, ii, iii · A, B, C · Page 1 · or 1 / 10.
- Choose the position — top or bottom, left, centre or right — and the starting number, font size, weight and colour.
- Decide whether to skip the first page, for files with a cover.
- Press "Number N files" and download them all as a ZIP. Each file is saved as
numbered_name.pdf.
Numbering restarts in every file — on purpose
Each file is numbered on its own. Page 1 of the second file is page 1, not page 13, and the "1 / 10" format uses each file's own total, so a 4-page file reads "1 / 4" to "4 / 4" while a 30-page file in the same batch reads "1 / 30" to "30 / 30". If "Skip first page" is on, the cover of each file is left blank and numbering starts on its second page.
That is the right behaviour for independent documents — separate policies, separate papers, separate letters — and it is what people searching for "add page numbers to multiple PDF files" almost always mean.
When numbers must continue across files
Sometimes the files are parts of one whole and the numbering has to run on: chapters of a thesis, volumes of a manual, a court bundle. There are two ways to do it:
- Merge first, then number. Merge the files in order and number the merged document. Simple, and right when the result will be a single file anyway.
- Use Bates numbering. When the files must stay separate but carry a continuous sequence — the standard for legal productions — Bates Numbering stamps a running number with a prefix, such as ACME000001, across a whole set of files (how Bates numbering works).
Headers and footers for a batch
The Headers & Footers tool also works on batches, and it is the better choice when you need more than a number. Each of the header and footer has a left, centre and right slot, and any slot can use these variables, filled in separately for every file and page:
{page}— the current page number.{pages}— the total number of pages in that file.{filename}— the file's own name, without ".pdf".{date}and{time}— when the batch was stamped.
{filename} is the one that makes batches useful. A footer of
{filename} — page {page} of {pages} on a folder of supporting documents prints each
document's name on every one of its pages, so a printed stack can be put back together, and a single
page that goes astray says where it belongs. A header of CONFIDENTIAL — {date} records
when the set was issued.
Headers & Footers can also be limited to a page range and can skip the first page, with its
own margin, font size, weight and colour. Its output is saved as header_footer_name.pdf.
Placement for double-sided printing
On a single-sided printout, a number in the bottom-right corner is where readers look first. On a double-sided printout bound on the left, a right-hand number ends up in the gutter on every even page, because even pages are the backs of sheets. Bottom centre avoids the problem entirely and is the safe choice for anything that will be printed duplex, bound or stapled. Top centre works the same way when the bottom of the page is taken by a footer.
Roman numerals for front matter
Theses, manuals and reports traditionally number their front matter — title page, contents, preface — in lower-case Roman numerals and start the body at 1. When the front matter and chapters are separate files, that is two quick batches: the front-matter files with "i, ii, iii", and the chapter files with "1, 2, 3". If chapter files must continue the count from one to the next, merge them first, then number the merged file.
Getting it right on the first run
- Preview on one file. Drop a single representative file first: the preview shows exactly where numbers and headers land. Then remove it and drop the whole set — the settings you chose stay in place.
- Watch the margins. Documents with content close to the edge, such as spreadsheets exported edge to edge, can collide with a footer. Move the number to a top corner or increase the margin.
- Mind landscape pages. Numbers are placed relative to each page's edges, so check a file with landscape pages in the preview before stamping a mixed batch.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add page numbers to multiple PDFs at once?
Yes. On ihatepdf.cv/page-numbers, select or drop several PDFs, choose the format and position once and press Number. Every file is numbered in one run.
Does numbering continue from one file to the next?
No. Each file is numbered from its own first page. Merge the files first, or use Bates Numbering, for a sequence that continues across files.
Can I add each file's name to its pages?
Yes. In Headers & Footers, put {filename} in a header or footer slot and each file prints its own name, for example "{filename} — page {page} of {pages}".
Can I skip the cover page?
Yes. "Skip first page" leaves page 1 of every file unnumbered and starts numbering on the second page.
Which number formats are available?
Arabic numerals, lower-case Roman numerals, capital letters, "Page 1" and "1 / 10", in any of six positions.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Numbering happens in your browser and the files never leave your device.