Bates Numbering

Add unique page numbers that continue across your PDFs.

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Bates Numbering help

Add page identifiers that continue across several PDFs. Arrange the documents first so the sequence follows the order you need for a document bundle.

How to use Bates Numbering

Choose your PDFs and use the file-order controls to arrange the collection.
Set Starting number and Prefix. Open More options for leading zeros, a suffix and text formatting.
Check Position and the live preview, then click Add Bates numbers to number the documents in sequence.
Select Download for each result or Download ZIP for the collection; check the first and last labels.

Options explained

File order: Arrange documents before numbering; the sequence continues across every page while the files stay separate.
Starting number: Set the first identifier in the collection.
Minimum digits: Pad short numbers with leading zeros for labels of a consistent width.
Prefix and Suffix: Add a case code or other short text before or after each number.
Font, Text size and Color: Choose how the identifiers appear.
Visibility, Position and Margin (mm): Set label visibility and placement; use Preview to avoid covering important content.
Preview before export: Switch between With current settings, Original and Side by side to check the placement before exporting.
Start live preview: Smaller PDFs preview automatically. Use Start live preview for larger files, or Pause while editing. Zoom affects only the preview.

Limits and supported files

PDF documents. An opening password is required when the file needs one to be read.

Local tests used synthetic 10, 50, 100 and 200 MB PDFs containing large images. Chromium, Firefox and WebKit: completed 10, 50, 100, 200 MB.

Chromium, Firefox and WebKit: completed 50, 300, 1000 text pages.

Bates numbering was tested on a 16 GB Mac with Chromium, Firefox and WebKit. These are observed examples, not guaranteed limits on your device. WebKit tests do not replace a check in Safari on your own device.

Questions

How is this different from ordinary page numbers?

Bates numbering continues a sequence across separate documents so each page in the collection has its own identifier. Ordinary numbering is usually used to label pages within one PDF.

Should I finish rearranging pages before numbering?

Yes. Finalize the document and page order first, then add identifiers. If you change the order later, review the sequence again so the labels still match the collection you intend to share.

Can I number multiple PDFs in a chosen order?

Arrange documents before numbering; the sequence continues across every page while the files stay separate.

Can Bates numbering start from a number other than one?

Set the first identifier in the collection.

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