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Many PDFs at once — numbered in one run, in your browser, never uploadedAbout Bates numbering
Bates numbering puts a unique number on every page of a set of documents — for example ABC000001, ABC000002, ABC000003. This free tool adds Bates numbers to your PDFs. Set the prefix, the number of digits and the start number, drop in one PDF or many, and download the stamped files.
Law firms use Bates numbers in legal discovery. When documents are handed to the other side (a "production"), every page gets its own number, so anyone can point to "ABC000412" in a deposition, a brief or a court filing, and everyone finds the same page. The name comes from the Bates Automatic Numbering Machine, a hand stamp from the late 1800s.
Everything runs in your browser. Your PDFs are never uploaded — which matters for privileged and confidential client files.
Features
- Prefix, digits and suffix — ABC000001, SMITH_00001, 2024-CV-1234-0001-CONF, any format
- Zero padding — 4 to 8 digits, or none
- Start at any number — go on from an earlier production
- Many PDFs, one continuous run — file 2 starts where file 1 ended; change the order with the arrows
- A ZIP with an index — each numbered PDF is named by its Bates range, plus a CSV log of first and last numbers
- Six positions — bottom right by default, with your font, size, color and margins
- White box option — keeps the number readable on dark scans
- Live preview of each file, and a full preview of every page
- Private — numbered in your browser; nothing is uploaded
Common Bates number formats
| Format | Example | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix + 6 digits | ABC000001 | The most common format |
| Prefix + underscore | ABC_000001 | Easier to read |
| Party name + dash | SMITH-000001 | Shows which party produced the page |
| Case number | 24CV1234-0001 | Firms with many matters |
| Prefix + suffix | ABC000001-CONF | Marks a set, such as confidential pages |
| 8 digits | ABC00000001 | Very large productions (up to 99,999,999 pages) |
| Number only | 000001 | Internal sets with no prefix |
Six digits allow 999,999 pages under one prefix. Ask the other side or check the ESI protocol in your case: many protocols say exactly how the numbers must look.
How the continuous run works
Drop several PDFs at once. They are numbered in the order of the list, and the numbers carry on from one file to the next:
| File | Pages | Bates range |
|---|---|---|
| 01-contract.pdf | 12 | ABC000001 – ABC000012 |
| 02-emails.pdf | 40 | ABC000013 – ABC000052 |
| 03-invoices.pdf | 5 | ABC000053 – ABC000057 |
With one PDF you download the numbered PDF. With more, you download a ZIP: each PDF keeps its own file, named by its range (for example ABC000013-ABC000052_02-emails.pdf), and bates-index.csv lists every file with its first number, last number and page count — a ready production log you can open in Excel.
Tips for paralegals
- Redact first, then number. Black out privileged text with Redact PDF before you stamp, so the page count does not change after the numbers are on.
- Never use a number twice. For the next production, set the start number to the last number + 1, with the same prefix.
- Keep the log. Save the bates-index.csv with the production letter.
- Bottom right is the usual place. Move the number if it covers text, or tick the white box on scanned pages.
- One file or many? To number everything as one PDF, first join the files with Merge PDF, then number the result.
- Need a "CONFIDENTIAL" label too? Add it on every page with Add Footer to PDF after numbering.
- Turned pages are handled. On a landscape or rotated page, the number goes in the same corner as you see it on the screen.
How to use it
- Upload your PDFs — click the box or drop one or many files
- Set the order — use the arrows; the numbers run from the top file down
- Set the Bates number — prefix, digits, optional suffix and the start number. "First number" shows how it will look
- Check the position and look — bottom right in black Helvetica Bold is the default
- Check the preview — click a file name to see its first page, or expand to see every page
- Download — the files are prepared as you change the settings; one click saves the PDF, or a ZIP for several files
Frequently asked questions
What is Bates numbering?
It is a way to give every page of a set of documents its own number, usually a prefix and a padded number like ABC000001. It is used in legal discovery, so that any page can be found and cited exactly.
How do I add Bates numbers to a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?
Drop the PDF on this page, type your prefix (for example "ABC"), keep 6 digits and the start number 1, and click Download PDF. It works in any modern browser, with no software to install.
Can I Bates number several PDFs at once?
Yes. Drop them all at once, or add more with Add more PDFs. They are numbered in one continuous run, in the order of the list, and download as a ZIP with an index file.
Where does the Bates number go on the page?
Usually in the bottom right corner, where it does not cover the text. You can choose any of six positions and change the margins.
Are the Bates numbers searchable?
Yes. For normal letters and digits the number is real PDF text, so you can search for "ABC000412" in a PDF reader. Only a prefix in a non-Latin script is stamped as a picture.
Can I continue numbering from an earlier production?
Yes. Set the start number to the next free number — for example 1058 after ABC001057 — and keep the same prefix and digits.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The numbers are added on your own computer, in your browser. The PDFs never leave your device, so privileged documents stay private.
Related tools
- Add Page Numbers to PDF — "Page 1 of 10" style numbers
- Redact PDF — black out privileged text before you number
- Merge PDF — join files into one PDF first
- Add Footer to PDF — add a "Confidential" label to every page
- Add Watermark to PDF — stamp "Draft" or "Copy" across the pages
- Protect PDF — put a password on the production
