Count pages in multiple PDF files at once
Counting pages across a folder of PDFs one file at a time is slow and error-prone; batch inspection reads each file's internal page tree and reports every count in one pass. This page lets you drop any number of PDFs and instantly builds a table showing each file's page count, file size, first-page dimensions in points, title, author, and whether it is encrypted — plus a CSV report you can open in a spreadsheet. All parsing happens in your browser; no document is uploaded.
How it works
Every PDF stores its pages in a tree structure whose root node carries a /Count entry — the total number of leaf page objects beneath it. This tool parses each file with pdf-lib, resolves the document catalog, and reads that page tree, which is why counting is near-instant even for thousand-page files: no page is rendered, no image decoded. The reported count is the authoritative one from the file's own structure, the same number a viewer shows in its page indicator.
For the dimensions column, the tool takes the first page's media box — the rectangle, in PDF points (1 pt = 1/72 inch), that defines the page surface — and reports its width and height. That single pair of numbers is diagnostic: 612 × 792 is US Letter, 595 × 842 is A4, and odd values like 614 × 794 usually betray a scanner's slightly-off crop. Title and author come from the document information dictionary, the classic metadata block written by whatever software created the file; many PDFs leave these blank, and the table simply shows an empty cell rather than guessing.
The encrypted flag reflects whether the file carries an encryption dictionary. PDFs protected with only an owner password (printing or copying restrictions) still open for reading, so they are parsed and counted with the flag set; files that demand a user password to open cannot be inspected without it and are listed as encrypted with no count. When the batch finishes, a totals row sums pages and bytes, and the CSV download reproduces the table one comma-separated row per file — ready for a pivot table, a print quote, or a records inventory.
Worked example: quoting a 43-file printing job
A copy shop receives a folder of 43 course-reader PDFs and needs a quote by the hour's end. Dropping all 43 files onto the tool produces the full table in about four seconds: 2,617 pages total across 268 MB. The dimensions column shows 39 files at 595 × 842 points (A4) and four at 612 × 792 (US Letter) — worth flagging, because those four would otherwise print with shrunken margins on A4 stock.
One file, reader-11.pdf, shows the encrypted flag with no page count: it needs its open password from the customer before it can be printed at all — caught before the job started rather than at the machine. The shop downloads the CSV, opens it in a spreadsheet, multiplies the pages column by its per-page rate, and has an itemized 43-line quote, without ever having opened a single PDF in a viewer.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count pages in many PDFs without opening each one?
Select or drop all the files onto this tool at once; each PDF's internal page tree is read directly and the counts appear in one table within seconds. There is no need to open a single document in a viewer.
What information does the table show besides the page count?
For every file you get the file size, the first page's width and height in PDF points, the document's title and author from its metadata, and a flag showing whether the file is encrypted. A totals row sums pages and sizes across the whole batch.
Why are page dimensions given in points, and what is a point?
PDF measures pages in points, where 1 point is 1/72 inch, so it is the unit actually stored in the file. A US Letter page is 612 by 792 points and an A4 page is about 595 by 842; anything else usually signals a scan or a custom layout.
Can it count pages in password-protected PDFs?
Files with only an owner (permissions) password are readable and are counted normally, with the encrypted flag set. A file that requires a user password to open cannot be parsed without the password, and the table reports it as encrypted rather than showing a count.
What can I do with the CSV report?
The CSV has one row per PDF with the same columns as the table, so it opens directly in Excel or Google Sheets. Typical uses are print-cost quotes, translation or typesetting estimates priced per page, and records inventories.
Are my documents uploaded while being inspected?
No — every file is parsed by JavaScript in your browser and only the extracted numbers ever appear on screen. Nothing is transmitted, which is why inspecting hundreds of files is fast regardless of your connection.