Add Page Labels
Set PDF page labels so viewers show i, ii, iii, prefixes such as A-1 or numbering that starts anywhere, without changing what prints. Runs in your browser.
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About This Tool
Add Page Labels writes a /PageLabels entry into a PDF, which is what viewers show as the page number in their toolbar and thumbnail panel. Use it so the viewer reads i, ii, iii for the front matter and 1, 2, 3 from the first chapter. Nothing is drawn on the pages, so printed numbers stay as they are.
Labels are built from one or more rules, each with a page range, a style, an optional prefix and a start value of 1 or more. Ranges count pages from the start of the file: single pages and ranges separated by commas, such as 1-4, 9, or the words odd and even. An empty range covers every page. The styles are the ones the PDF specification (ISO 32000) defines for page labels:
- Decimal: 1, 2, 3
- Roman numerals, upper or lower case: I, II, III or i, ii, iii
- Letters, upper or lower case: A, B, C or a, b, c
- Prefix only: every page in the rule shows just the prefix
Rules are applied in list order, and where ranges overlap the later rule wins. If a rule covers pages that are not next to each other, its numbering carries on across the gap instead of restarting. Pages that no rule covers are labelled with their plain position in the file. Existing labels in the PDF are replaced, and a preview lists each page's label.
Prefixes are stored as simple text: most accented Latin letters work, but symbols such as the euro sign and non-Latin scripts may not display correctly, and an unmatched bracket can damage the entry. The file is saved in full, so a digital signature in the original will no longer verify. Nothing is uploaded. To print visible numbers on the pages instead, use Page Numbers, explained in How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF.
How to Use
Upload the PDF
Drop one PDF on the upload area or click to browse. Its page count is read so the preview can list every page.
Set up the first rule
Rule 1 starts with an empty range, the decimal style and a start value of 1. Enter a range, pick a style and add a prefix if you need one.
Add rules for other sections
Add a rule for each further section, for example lower case Roman numerals for pages 1-4 and decimal from page 5. Delete a rule with the bin beside it.
Check the preview and save
The preview shows the first 60 labels, with a button to show the rest. Click Inject PageLabels and download the copy, named with _labeled added.
Use Cases
Front matter in Roman numerals
Label the title page, contents and preface of a report or thesis i, ii, iii so that page 1 in the viewer is the first page of chapter one.
Appendix numbering
Give appendix pages a prefix such as A- so a cross-reference to page A-3 can be typed into the page box of viewers that support labels.
Extracts from a longer document
When a PDF holds pages 41 to 60 of a larger record, start the numbering at 41 so the viewer agrees with the printed numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between page labels and page numbers?
Page numbers are text drawn on the page, and they print. Page labels are an entry in the file telling the viewer what to call each page in its toolbar, thumbnails and go-to-page box. They do not print and change nothing on the page.
Which numbering styles can I use?
Decimal, upper and lower case Roman numerals, upper and lower case letters, and prefix only. These are the styles the PDF specification defines for page labels. Each rule can add a prefix and start from any number of 1 or more.
What if two rules cover the same page?
The rule lower in the list wins for that page. Pages that no rule covers are labelled with their plain position in the file.
Will every viewer show the labels?
Many desktop viewers show them in the page box and thumbnail panel, but some browser viewers and simpler apps ignore labels and show plain page positions. Test in the viewer your readers will use.
Do letter labels continue after Z?
Yes, but check them in your viewer. The PDF specification continues with AA, BB, CC, while the preview in this tool shows AA, AB, AC, so labels after the 26th page of a letter rule can differ from the preview.
Can I label a password-protected or signed PDF?
Remove a password first with Decrypt PDF; the tool does not stop on an encrypted file, and the result is not reliable. A signed PDF can be labelled, but the file is rewritten, so the existing signature will no longer verify.