“Page 1 of N” page numbers in a PDF
A total next to each page number tells the reader at once whether anything is missing. Page Numbers PDF has two formats with a total, “1 / 10” and “Page 1 of 10”, next to the plain “1” and “Page 1”.
Choose the format
- Open the PDF in Page Numbers PDF.
- Under Format, choose 1 / 10 or Page 1 of 10. The examples on the buttons already use the numbers of your document.
- Choose the position, the pages and the first number, check the preview, and press Add Page Numbers.
What the total counts
The total is the last number printed, not the number of pages in the file. Usually they are the same. They differ when you leave pages unnumbered or start at another number:
- 12-page file, all pages numbered from 1: 1 / 12 … 12 / 12.
- 12-page file, cover skipped (PDF pages 2–12), starting at 1: 1 / 11 … 11 / 11.
- PDF pages 2–5 of a 6-page file, starting at 3: 3 / 6 on page 2, up to 6 / 6 on page 5.
This keeps the numbering consistent with itself: the last numbered page always reads “N of N”.
Formats by language
The format follows the language of the page you work in:
- English, Turkish, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese have all four formats. “Page 1 of 10” is written as each language writes it, for example Seite 1 von 10 in German, Page 1 sur 10 in French or Página 1 de 10 in Spanish.
- Russian, Japanese, Chinese, Hindi and Arabic have “1” and “1 / 10”.
The numbers themselves are always written with Western digits (0–9).
How it looks on the page
The number is set in a plain sans-serif typeface, in black or white, in one of three sizes scaled to the page, about 7 mm from the edge on A4. A longer format such as “Page 12 of 120” is wider; on very small pages it is reduced a little so that it stays on the page. Every page in the preview shows the exact text and place before anything is saved.
Good to know
- Custom text such as “Chapter 2 – page 1” or your own prefix isn’t available; the four formats are fixed.
- The numbers are real text: they can be selected, copied and found with search.
- Existing page numbers in the PDF are not removed, so a “1 of 10” style number added next to an old one will show both.