How to Add Page Numbers and Watermarks to a PDF

Two small additions make a big difference in how professional a PDF looks and how easy it is to manage: page numbers, which make navigation and referencing easier in longer documents, and watermarks, which mark a file as a draft, confidential, or branded before it's shared.

Adding page numbers

A page numbering tool lets you choose where the number appears (top or bottom, left, center, or right), what style it uses, and where numbering starts — useful if a cover page shouldn't count as page 1. Once applied, the numbers are part of the file itself, not just something your viewer displays.

Adding a watermark

• Text watermarks — like "DRAFT" or "CONFIDENTIAL" — placed diagonally across each page.
• Logo or image watermarks for branding a shared document.
• Adjustable opacity, so the watermark doesn't obscure the underlying content.
• Option to apply to every page or only a selected range.

How to apply both

• Use an Add Page Numbers tool to number the document first.
• Then run the result through an Add Watermark tool to stamp it.
• Preview the final pages before downloading to confirm placement and legibility.