Bates-number PDFs
Add continuous page numbers and exhibit labels in your browser. Your PDFs are not uploaded.
PDF stamping desk
Add Bates numbers
Private by construction
Your file never leaves this device.
- No upload. The tool reads your file with JavaScript in this tab. There is no server that receives it.
- Enforced, not promised. This page’s Content-Security-Policy only allows connections back to textexporter.com, and the tool never sends your file there. Open your browser’s developer tools, go to Network, and watch.
- Nothing kept. Close the tab and it’s gone. No cookies, no analytics, no account.
What Bates numbering does
Bates numbering gives every page in a set of documents a unique, sequential label. A label such as SMITH-000001 combines a short case or party prefix with a zero-padded number. That makes it easier for two people to point to the same page without relying on a PDF viewer’s changing page count.
The tool places a readable label over a white box, preserving each PDF as a separate download. It processes files in the order you choose and carries the next number into the next file.
Choose a useful format
Use a short, stable prefix. A party name, project abbreviation, or document source is usually clearer than a generic word. Keep it consistent. Six digits leave room for up to 999,999 pages: TENANT-000001, TENANT-000002. Fewer digits are fine for small sets, but changing padding later makes labels look inconsistent.
- Put the PDFs in the order in which they should be numbered.
- Set the prefix, first number, digit count, placement, size, and margin.
- Add an exhibit label only if you need one, and choose whether it appears once or on every page.
- Stamp the files, review the displayed range and preview, then download each PDF or one ZIP.
Numbering several files
A continuous sequence can cross file boundaries. If the first file has 12 pages and starts at 1, the second starts at 13. Each output keeps its own original filename with -bates added. “Page n of N” is different: it restarts inside each file and helps a reader see whether pages are missing from that particular PDF.
Exhibit labels are not Bates numbers
An exhibit label identifies a document or group, such as “Exhibit A.” A Bates number identifies an individual page. They can appear together, but one does not replace the other. Directions from a court, tribunal, employer, landlord, or lawyer may specify a different scheme.
Keep the original
Keep an untouched copy of every input PDF. Put stamped copies in a separate folder and record when and why they were made. Compare the first and last labels, spot-check page boundaries between files, and open every output before sharing it. This simple workflow makes mistakes easier to find and correct.
Limits worth knowing
- Works with PDFs that open without a password.
- Prefixes and exhibit labels use printable ASCII characters.
- Very large PDFs may use substantial browser memory.
- The tool labels pages; it does not decide what a court or agency requires.
Straight answers
Questions
Are my PDFs uploaded?
No. The browser reads and stamps them on this device.
Can numbering continue across several PDFs?
Yes. Files are processed in the order shown and the next file continues the sequence.
What happens to rotated pages?
The original page size and rotation are preserved, and the stamp is placed with the page.
Can I number a password-protected PDF?
No. Remove the password in your PDF app first, then load the unlocked copy.
Does Bates numbering satisfy every court rule?
Not necessarily. Bates numbering is a labeling convention. Check the rules and directions that apply to your matter.