Skip to content
Scrubproof
All tools

Number and compare

Check and clean

Redact

Bates Numbering for PDF

Give every page of a document set a unique number such as ACME000101. Set the prefix, digits and position, check a preview, and download.

Free · runs in your browser · nothing is uploaded

Open on Scrubproof

Embed

Embed this tool

Copy this code into your website, blog or class page. The tool runs inside your page.

Please keep the credit link below the tool.

This free Bates numbering tool gives every page across several PDFs one running number, such as ACME000101, and saves each numbered file with “-bates” in its name. It runs in your browser tab with no account, no ads and no cookies. Nothing is uploaded, so your files stay on your device. You can add an optional second line such as CONFIDENTIAL under the number, pick the position and font, and download everything as a ZIP. An index CSV comes with it, listing each file’s page count, first and last label, and a SHA-256 hash of each output file. Use it whenever you need to add Bates numbers to a PDF or a set of PDFs.

How to use the Bates numbering tool

  1. Add the PDFs you want to number. They are numbered in the order listed, so use the move up and move down controls to reorder them, or remove any file you do not need.
  2. If a box asks for a password, enter the password for that PDF. It stays in the browser tab.
  3. Type a Prefix, such as ACME, and a Suffix if you want text after the number.
  4. Set Start at to the first number in the sequence.
  5. Set Digits to pad the counter with zeros. With Prefix ACME, Start at 101 and Digits 6, the first label is ACME000101.
  6. Set Step to the amount the counter rises from one page to the next.
  7. Optional: type a Second line, such as CONFIDENTIAL, to print under the number.
  8. Choose the Position (top or bottom, then left, centre or right), the Font size, and a Font: Helvetica, Courier, Times or Helvetica Bold.
  9. Tick White background behind the number if the label is hard to read over the page.
  10. Enter Pages to number as all, or a list such as 1-3, 5, 8-.
  11. Check the preview of the first page and the first and last label shown on the line.
  12. Run the numbering, then download each file (named with “-bates”), the ZIP, or the index CSV.

Labels use Latin characters from the standard PDF fonts. Any other character appears as ? and you will see a warning.

What is Bates Numbering?

Bates numbering gives every page in a set of documents its own unique running number, so any page can be cited and found by its label. It is common in US litigation and discovery, where large sets of files are exchanged and each page needs a fixed reference. The counter runs across the whole set in order, not restarting for each file, which is what keeps every label unique. Zero padding keeps the labels the same length, so they sort correctly in a list.

What are Bates Numbering elements?

Each label is built from a few parts. This tool sets each one separately.

ElementWhat it controlsExample
PrefixShort text at the start of the labelACME
Zero-padded numberThe counter, padded to the Digits setting000101 with 6 digits
SuffixOptional text after the numberAdded after the counter
Start atThe first number in the sequence101
Second lineOptional legend printed under the numberCONFIDENTIAL

Together, Prefix, a 6-digit counter starting at 101 and no suffix give ACME000101. The Pages to number setting lets you leave out pages such as a cover sheet, so the counter only moves on the pages you choose.

The counter keeps going when you add more files: the first page of the second file gets the number after the last page of the first. The order of the list decides the order of the numbers.

Where does the label go on a rotated page?

The label is placed on the page as it is displayed. A page stored with a rotation setting still gets an upright label at the position you chose, for example bottom right, so a landscape scan and a portrait page both read correctly. The rest of the file is not touched: text, bookmarks and links stay as they were, and only the label and the optional second line are added.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add Bates Numbering to a PDF file?

Open the tool at the top of this page, add your PDF files, set the Prefix, Start at and Digits, and run the numbering. The full steps are listed above. Each output file keeps its content and gets “-bates” added to its name.

What do Bates numbers look like?

A Bates number is a short prefix followed by a zero-padded counter, for example ACME000101. A suffix or a second line such as CONFIDENTIAL can be added as well. The exact look depends on the settings you choose.

Why is it called a Bates Number?

The name comes from the Bates numbering machines, which stamped consecutive numbers onto paper pages. The practice carried over to digital files, and the name stayed.

Why Is Bates Numbering Important?

Each page carries its own label, so a reviewer can cite, find and sort pages even across a large set of files. That matters most in complex litigation, where many documents must be referred to precisely.

Can I number only some of the pages?

Yes. Enter a list in Pages to number, such as 1-3, 5, 8-, and only those pages receive a label. The counter moves on only for numbered pages, so skipped pages leave no gap in the sequence.