Add Page Labels
Give the pages of a PDF their own labels, such as i, ii, iii for the front pages or A-1, A-2 for an appendix. Nothing is printed on the pages. Runs in your browser.
About This Tool
Add Page Labels stores page labels in a PDF. A label is the name that PDF readers with label support show for a page in the page box and under the thumbnails, for example i, ii, iii for a preface, 1, 2, 3 for the main text or A-1, A-2 for an appendix. Nothing is drawn on the pages themselves.
You describe the labels with rules. Each rule has a page range, a numbering style (ordinary numbers, Roman numerals, letters or no number), an optional prefix and a start value. Rules are applied in order, and a later rule replaces an earlier one on the pages they share. A rule that covers separate ranges keeps counting from one range to the next. Pages that no rule covers are labeled with their position in the file.
A preview lists the label that each page will get. Labels that are already in the file are replaced. Everything happens in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to Use
Upload the PDF
Choose the PDF you want to label. The rules and the preview appear once its pages have been counted.
Write the Rules
For each rule fill in "Page Range Scope" (for example 1-4 or 1-3,7-9; leave it empty for all pages), choose a "Label Numbering Style", and set "Custom Label Prefix" and "Start Value" if you need them. Click "Add rule" for another rule.
Check and Download
Read the list under "Real-time Page Label Sequence Preview", click "Inject PageLabels", then "Download". You can change the rules and run it again.
Use Cases
Front Matter of a Thesis or Book
Label the first pages i, ii, iii and start the main text at 1: make one rule for all pages in ordinary numbers, then a second rule for the front pages in lowercase Roman numerals.
Prefixes for Sections and Drawings
Give a group of pages labels such as A-1, A-2 or Appendix-1 by adding a prefix in front of the numbers.
Odd and Even Pages
Type odd in one rule and even in another to give odd and even pages their own series, for example A-1, B-1, A-2, B-2.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a page label and a page number?
A page number is text printed on the page. A page label is information stored in the file that tells a PDF reader what to call each page in its page box and thumbnails. This tool sets labels only: nothing visible is added to the pages, and a reader that does not support labels keeps showing plain positions.
How do I write a page range?
Write single pages and ranges with a hyphen, separated by commas: 1-4 or 1-3,7-9. An empty field means all pages. The words odd and even can stand alone or in a list, as in 1-4, odd. An Arabic comma and Arabic-Indic digits are read as well. An open range such as 5- is ignored, like anything else the tool cannot read.
Is there anything to watch for in prefixes and letter styles?
Yes, and it can be in any language. With the letter styles, labels continue after Z with AA, BB, CC, as PDF readers count them.