Add page numbers to a PDF on your Mac

When you need this

A review packet is easier to discuss when readers can point to visible page numbers. Decide whether a cover should be excluded and what number the first included page should carry. The PDF viewer’s page position and the visible number printed on the sheet need not be identical when a cover or introductory pages are left unnumbered.

How to do it in DipperPDF

Download the DMG from GitHub Releases, open it, drag DipperPDF into Applications, and launch the app from there. The app’s README specifies macOS 14 or later. Downloading the app requires a connection, but the PDF operation works offline once the app is installed. You do not need an account, subscription, trial, or paid upgrade to use the tool.

1. Open the PDF in Add Page Numbers.
2. Set the first and last page and a positive starting number.
3. Choose Bottom left, Bottom center, or Bottom right, and adjust the font size.
4. Prepare the numbered PDF, check the placement on the selected pages, and use Save PDF….

What it does not do

This tool adds visible numeric labels in the supported bottom positions. It does not rewrite existing page numbers, create a table of contents, or implement arbitrary header templates. Check the page margins because a newly drawn number can occupy the same area as existing footer text. Pages outside the range are not numbered by this operation.

A worked example

Suppose a six-page review document has a cover followed by five content pages. Choose source pages two through six and start numbering at one. Place the numbers at bottom center and prepare the result. The cover stays outside the numbering range; the next sheet visibly starts at one. Check that the fifth content page shows five and that the footer labels do not cover a caption or existing reference.

Check the result before sharing

Inspect the first and last numbered pages and at least one page with a dense footer. Confirm both the starting label and the chosen position. A viewer may display source page three while the printed label shows two, depending on the range you selected; that difference can be intentional. Make the distinction clear when referring someone to a page. If the packet changes later, regenerate numbering from an appropriate unnumbered copy so you do not accumulate competing visible number labels.

Preparing a result and saving it are separate steps. Use the prepared view to check the outcome before choosing a destination. Save under a descriptive name in a writable local folder, then reopen the saved output to check that you chose the intended result. DipperPDF saves a separate file and prevents overwriting an imported source. Keeping the original gives you a starting point if a selection or setting needs correction.

When not to use DipperPDF for this job

If the original authoring file is available and needs a complex numbering system, add it there. A document requiring chapter prefixes, mixed Roman and Arabic numbering, or a regenerated contents table needs a workflow beyond this tool’s numeric labels. If the task is document assembly, merge the parts before deciding the final numbering range.

If the document needs another operation

If another operation is needed, save this result and import that saved copy into the next tool. There is no automatic chain of tasks here. Make the order deliberate: changing the page count or sequence can change which pages a later range refers to. When an input is encrypted, use Unlock PDF first with the password and permissions required by the document, then work with the authorized unencrypted copy.

FAQ