Add basic page numbering



You can add a current page number marker to your pages to specify where a page number sits on a page and how it will look. Because a page number marker updates automatically, the page number it displays is always correct—even as you add, remove, or rearrange pages in the document. Page number markers can be formatted and styled as text.

For a video tutorial on numbering pages, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0217.

Bob Bringhurst provides a calolog of different page numbering effects at Page Numbering Gallery (English only).

Add a page number marker to a master page

Page number markers are commonly added to master pages. When master pages are applied to document pages, the page numbering is updated automatically, similar to headers and footers.

Page number on master A (left) and page 5 based on same master (right)

If the automatic page number is on a master page, it displays the master page prefix. On a document page, the automatic page number displays the page number. On a pasteboard, it displays PB.

  1. In the Pages panel, double-click the master page to which you want to add your page number.

  2. Create a new text frame large enough to hold the longest page number and any text you want to appear next to it. Position the text frame where you want the page number to appear.

    If your document has facing pages, create separate text frames for the left and right master pages.

  3. In the page number text frame, add any text that will come before or after the page number (such as “Page “).

  4. Position the insertion point where you want the page number to appear, and then choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number.

  5. Apply the master page to the document pages on which you want the page numbering to appear.

Change the page numbering style

By default, pages are numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3...); however, you can number pages using upper or lowercase Roman (i, ii, iii...) or alphanumeric (a, b, c...) numbering. You can also number pages using preceding zeros. Each part of the document that uses a different numbering style is called a section. For more information on sections, see Define section numbering.

Use the Numbering & Section Options dialog box to change the page numbering style to use a different format. You can also use this dialog box to restart page numbering or to start page numbering at a number you specify.

  1. In the Pages panel, select the page where you want the new numbering style section to begin.

  2. Choose Layout > Numbering & Section Options.

  3. Specify options, and then click OK. See Document numbering options.

A section indicator icon  appears above the page icon in the Pages panel, indicating the start of a new section.

Note: If a number or letter appears before the current page number you inserted, it means a section prefix is included. If you don’t want this prefix, deselect Include Prefix When Numbering Pages in the Numbering & Section Options dialog box.

Common page numbering tasks

InDesign offers several different features that help you create page numbering effects.

To do this:

Do this:

Add page numbering to documents in a book.

See Number pages, chapters, and paragraphs in a book.

Add section numbers and chapter numbers.

See Add section and chapter numbering.

Create running headers or running footers that use text variables such as the create date, filename, or the current heading or title.

See Create headers and footers and Text variables.

Create a “Page x of y” effect in which x is the current page and y is the total number of pages.

Insert a Current Page Number marker for x, and insert the Last Page Number text variable for y (choose Type > Text Variables > Insert Variable > Last Page Number).

Create a “Continued on page x” story jump.

See Add automatic page numbers for story jumps.