Add page numbers or a watermark to a PDF
Stamp page numbers or a diagonal text watermark such as DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL on every page.
Files never leave your deviceHow to add page numbers or a watermark
- Drop your PDF onto the box above.
- For page numbers, choose a position (six places in the header or footer), a format such as
Page 3 of 12, the starting number, the size and the colour. Tick Skip the first page to leave a cover page unnumbered; numbering then starts on page 2 with your starting number. - For a watermark, tick the box, type the text (for example DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL) and adjust size, colour, opacity and angle. You can use either feature or both together.
- Press Apply to PDF. A preview of the first page appears with the download button.
The stamp is applied to every page and respects page rotation, so numbers are upright and in the correct corner even on pages that were scanned sideways.
Processed privately
Stamping runs in your browser. A PDF library in a background thread draws the text onto each page, and the finished file is created in memory and handed to you. Your document is never sent to a server, which is important for watermarks like “Confidential”, used on exactly the documents that must not leak. After the first visit it also works offline.
Design notes
Page numbers use Helvetica, which every PDF viewer has, so they look the same everywhere. Because that font covers Latin letters only, characters outside it (such as Chinese, Arabic or Cyrillic) cannot be drawn in a watermark and are replaced by a question mark. Numbers and standard Latin accents work normally.
For watermarks, a light colour with 20 to 30 percent opacity at 45 degrees is the classic look: visible but not in the way of reading. The text is centred on every page, scaled in points, so a larger page size needs a larger size value. Page numbers sit 24 points from the edge, which stays clear of most printer margins.
Tips
- The stamp becomes part of the page. It cannot be edited or removed later, so keep an unmarked copy of the original.
- To number only part of a document, split it first, stamp the part and merge the pieces back together.
- For legal documents “Page 3 of 12” is the safest format, because a missing page is immediately obvious.
- Start numbering at 0 or at any number when the document continues from an earlier one.
- A watermark can make a PDF slightly larger, but never changes the quality of the content below it.
- To add a handwritten signature as well, use the sign tool on the stamped file.
Frequently asked questions
Where can page numbers go?
In any of the six header and footer positions: left, centre or right, at the top or the bottom. You can start numbering from any number and use the "Page 1 of N" format.
Can I control the watermark?
Set the text, size, colour, opacity and angle. The watermark is drawn on top of the page content on every page.
Can the watermark be removed afterwards?
It is drawn permanently into the page. Keep your original file if you may need a clean copy.
Are my files uploaded anywhere? How can I check?
No. The PDF stamping tool runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device. You can verify it: open your browser's DevTools (F12, or Cmd+Option+I on a Mac), switch to the Network tab, tick "Preserve log", clear the list and process a file. You will only see requests for this site's own static files, never one that carries your data. You can also turn on "Offline" in the Network tab (or disconnect from the internet) once the page has loaded, and the tool keeps working.
Does it work offline?
Yes. After your first visit a service worker saves the tool to your device, so it opens and works without a connection. Only advertising needs the internet; the processing never does.