# Add Page Numbers

Adding page numbers makes a document easier to navigate, reference, and print in the right order. It is essential for reports, contracts, and any file where people need to cite a specific page.

What adding page numbers does

Slate places a number on each page in the position you choose, such as a corner or the center of the footer, and saves it into the PDF. The numbering is part of the file from then on, so it prints and displays consistently everywhere.

The numbers run continuously across the whole document, which is exactly what a merged file needs after several sources have been combined into one. You can set the starting number so a cover page does not count as page one, and choosing a consistent position keeps the numbers clear of the body text. Once saved, the sequence behaves like part of the document rather than an overlay that might disappear.

When page numbers are worth adding

• You are finalizing a report, thesis, or contract that readers will reference by page.
• A merged document lost its original numbering and needs a fresh, continuous sequence.
• A printed stack must stay in order if it is ever dropped or shuffled.
• A submission requirement asks for numbered pages.

How Slate numbers pages in the browser

You choose the position and starting number, and Slate stamps each page and produces a new PDF on your device, with no upload. Numbering runs continuously across the whole document, so a combined file reads as one sequence rather than several restarts.

Tips for clean page numbering

• Add numbers after merging so the sequence is continuous across the final document.
• Place numbers in a consistent corner so they never overlap body text.
• Set the starting number if a cover page should not count as page one.
• Check the first and last pages to confirm the numbers sit where you expect.