How to add page numbers to a PDF on a Mac
Preview cannot number pages. How to add page numbers on a Mac, from the original document, and to a finished PDF, like 1 of 10 at the bottom.
Courts, schools and printers often want numbered pages. Preview has no tool for it, so the method depends on whether you still have the original document.
From the original document
- Pages: Insert > Page Number, in the header or footer. Then File > Export To > PDF.
- Word: Insert > Page Numbers, then save as PDF.
This is the cleanest way, as the numbers match the document's own fonts.
To a finished PDF
If you only have the PDF, for example a merged set of documents, you need a tool that adds numbers on top of each page. Preview's Text tool can do it by hand, one page at a time, which is fine for a few pages.
Number the merged file, not the parts
If you are combining documents, merge first, then number, so the numbers run from 1 to the end. See merge PDFs on a Mac.
The one click way
Simply PDF's Watermark tool has a page numbers switch that adds 1 of 10 style numbers at the bottom of every page. Leave the watermark text empty for numbers only.
Questions
Can I add page numbers in Preview?
No. Add them in the original document, type them by hand with the Text tool, or use a tool that numbers PDF pages.
How do I number pages in a merged PDF?
Merge first, then add numbers to the merged file so they run continuously.