How to Bates Number PDFs Without Adobe Acrobat (Windows, a Whole Folder at Once)

You can Bates number PDFs without Adobe Acrobat by using a dedicated Bates tool. On Windows, BatesBind numbers a folder of PDFs in one continuous range, adds a legend and exhibit labels, and writes a PDF and CSV index, offline, for a one-time price. If you also need OCR, redaction, or TIFF load files, a PDF suite or a litigation vendor fits better.

The question usually comes up at a small firm with a production due and no Acrobat Pro seat to spare. The job is simple to describe: number every page of a folder of PDFs with the agreed prefix and padding, keep the numbers running from one file to the next, add the confidentiality legend, and hand over a log of the ranges. It should not involve uploading client documents to a website.

Number a whole folder of PDFs in one range, with nothing uploaded.

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What is the short answer?

Windows has no built-in Bates numbering. In Adobe’s lineup, Bates numbering is an Acrobat Pro feature, so a free reader will not do it. That leaves four routes:

1. Type the labels by hand in a free PDF reader. This only works for a few pages.
2. Use an online stamping service. It is quick, but the files are uploaded.
3. Use another dedicated Bates tool. Several exist, some free and some paid, and they run in a browser or on the desktop.
4. Use a single-purpose desktop app such as BatesBind, which numbers the folder, adds the legend and exhibit labels, and writes the index in one export.

The rest of this guide compares those routes, then walks through the steps in BatesBind.

What are my options for Bates numbering without Acrobat?

The table below compares the tools people are most often pointed to. Every rival fact comes from the vendor’s own site, checked on 17 October 2026. Where a vendor does not say something, the cell says “not stated” rather than guessing.

Tool	Price model	Runs locally	Platform	Whole folder in one range	Legend and exhibit labels	Index or log
BatesBind	One-time purchase in the Microsoft Store, 15-day free trial	Yes, no network connections	Windows 10 version 2004 or later, Windows 11, x64 and ARM64	Yes	Yes, in the same pass	PDF and CSV, with a SHA-256 hash per file
Adobe Acrobat Pro	Subscription, or Acrobat Pro 2024 as a one-time purchase	Desktop app	Windows and macOS	Yes, files and folders	Prefix and suffix text in the number; other labels not covered in Adobe’s Bates help	Optional log file
BatesStamp (batesstamp.pro)	Free	Yes, runs in the browser with no upload	Any modern browser	Yes, continuous or restart per file	Not stated	ZIP of numbered files
BatesFast	$199 one-time (marked as a limited-time price)	Yes, no upload	Browser or installable app, Windows, macOS, Linux	Yes, continues from the last production	Not stated	Index CSV and JSON report
Bates Blaster	$49.99 per license	Standalone desktop app	Windows	Yes	Exhibit prefixes	Not stated
RaioPDF	Free, open source (GPL-3.0), public alpha	Yes, offline	Windows, plus a macOS Apple Silicon build	Yes, across a folder	Exhibit binders	Not stated
Online stamping service	Varies	No, files are uploaded	Browser	Varies	Varies	Varies

Sources: Adobe Bates help, Adobe Acrobat pricing, Acrobat technical requirements, batesstamp.pro, batesfast.com, batesblaster.net, raio.macrify.me.

Typing labels by hand in a free PDF reader

A free reader can add a text box to a page, so you can type ABC000001 on page one, ABC000002 on page two, and so on. It costs nothing and needs no new software. It also breaks down fast: one skipped page, one file opened out of order, or one typo, and the ranges no longer match the log. It suits a five-page exhibit, not a production.

Online stamping services (the upload trade-off)

Web services that stamp page numbers are quick to try. The trade-off is that the client documents leave your PC and sit on someone else’s server for a while. For privileged or confidential material, many firms rule that out by policy. Check what your engagement letter, protective order, or client agreement says before you use one.

Other dedicated Bates tools

Several tools do one job well, and some of them beat BatesBind on specific points:

• BatesStamp is free and runs in the browser with WebAssembly, so nothing is uploaded. It batches unlimited PDFs, numbers them continuously or restarts per file, and gives you a ZIP. If you need numbers on a set today and cost is the deciding factor, it is a sensible first try.
• BatesFast accepts PDFs, scans, and photos (JPEG, PNG, TIFF), and it can remove existing Bates stamps. It writes an index CSV and a JSON report, makes Avery labels, and continues from the last production. If your sets mix images with PDFs, or you have to strip old numbers first, BatesFast does things BatesBind does not.
• Bates Blaster is a standalone Windows app at $49.99 per license with increasing exhibit prefixes, and it does not need Acrobat.
• RaioPDF is free and open source. Beyond Bates numbering across a folder, it lists verified redaction, offline OCR, and exhibit binders. It describes itself as a public alpha, so test it on copies first.

CompendiumPDF and the “PDF Bates Numbering” tool from WindowsUtils also come up in these searches. CompendiumPDF is a broader local PDF suite with Bates, OCR, and redaction, sold at $25 per month for a license that covers five users.

A single-purpose desktop app (BatesBind)

BatesBind numbers a folder of PDFs with one continuous Bates range, adds a confidentiality legend and exhibit labels in the same pass, and writes the index as PDF and CSV. It runs on your PC in the Windows app sandbox, makes no network connections, has no account, and collects no telemetry. It writes new files and never changes the originals.

What it does that matters for a production:

• One range across the folder. Files are listed in natural order, so Exhibit 2 comes before Exhibit 10, and subfolders can be included. Drag a row, or use Move up and Move down, to change the order.
• Formats you can match to the order. A prefix and suffix of up to 32 characters, 1 to 15 digits of zero padding, and a start number. ACME000001 is prefix ACME, six digits, start 1.
• Legend and exhibit labels together. A legend of up to 64 characters on every page, and an exhibit label on each file’s first page, counted 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C.
• An index you can hand over. PDF and CSV, with each file’s exhibit label, page count, and first and last number. The CSV adds output file names and a SHA-256 hash per file, and it opens in Excel.
• No silent gaps. A file it cannot read is listed with the reason. Leave it out, or give it a slip sheet that takes one number.
• Continue. Saved schemes remember a matter’s settings, and the app shows where the last export ended, so the next volume picks up at the next number.

For more on choosing a tool for a small practice, see our guide to Bates numbering software for small law firms.

What should I do before I number anything?

Three things save a re-do:

1. Get the format from the order or agreement. The ESI protocol, protective order, or a letter from opposing counsel often sets the prefix, the padding, where the number sits, and the legend wording. Our post on Bates number format explains the parts.
2. Redact first. Numbers go on the final pages. If pages are redacted after numbering, you risk re-numbering or mismatched copies. BatesBind does not redact, so do that step in the tool built for it.
3. Number copies, not originals. BatesBind always writes new files, but keep the produced set in its own folder so nobody confuses it with the working copies.

Set the prefix once, check every range, then export the set and the index together.

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How do I Bates number a folder of PDFs in BatesBind?

These steps take a folder of PDFs to a numbered set with an index.

1. Open the folder. Choose Open a folder (Ctrl+O), or drop the folder on the window. BatesBind lists every PDF in natural order, counts the pages, and names any file it cannot read, with the reason. Tick the option to include subfolders if you need them.
2. Set the numbering. Under Numbering, type the prefix and any suffix, set the digits and the start number. Pick a saved scheme instead if the matter already has one.
3. Add the stamp text. Under Stamp, add the confidentiality legend and turn on exhibit labels if the matter needs them. Choose the position, size, margin, and color.
4. Check the order. Drag a row, or press Alt+Up and Alt+Down, until the files are in the order you want to produce them.
5. Read the ranges. The table shows each file’s first and last number. Check that the first file starts where it should.
6. Look at the preview. Select a file to see its first page with every label where it will print, including on rotated scans.
7. Choose the output names. Under Output, use Name copies by to keep the original names or name each copy by its Bates range.
8. Export. Choose Export copies for a numbered copy of each file, or Export PDF for one bound PDF with the index first and a bookmark for every file. Either way, the index PDF and CSV are written in the same export.
9. Read the success bar. It shows where the numbers ended, which is where the next production will continue.

How do I check the numbered set before it goes out?

A quick check catches most problems:

• First and last labels. Open the first and last output files and confirm the first page and last page labels match the index.
• The CSV. Open the CSV in Excel. The page counts should add up, and each file’s first number should follow the previous file’s last number. Our Bates production log page shows the columns.
• The hashes. In PowerShell, Get-FileHash .\file.pdf -Algorithm SHA256 prints a file’s SHA-256. If it matches the CSV, the file has not changed since BatesBind wrote it.

For exhibit sets, our guide on how to make an exhibit index covers what to include, and adding exhibit labels to a PDF covers the label itself.

When are Acrobat or a vendor still the better choice?

BatesBind does one job. Pick something else when the job needs more:

You need	Better fit	Why
OCR so the set is searchable	Acrobat Pro, RaioPDF, or a vendor	BatesBind has no OCR
Redaction	Acrobat Pro, RaioPDF, or a vendor	BatesBind does not redact
To remove Bates stamps added earlier	BatesFast, or a vendor	BatesBind does not remove old stamps
TIFF images or e-discovery load files	A litigation vendor or review platform	BatesBind writes PDF and CSV only
Images or Word files in the set	Acrobat Pro (converts non-PDF files) or BatesFast (takes JPEG, PNG, TIFF)	BatesBind numbers PDF files and ignores the rest
Several designations in one run	Run BatesBind once per designation, or use a fuller tool	One legend per export; Continue picks up the range
Nothing to pay at all	BatesStamp or RaioPDF	Both are free

If your firm already pays for Acrobat Pro, its Bates tool handles files and folders with 3 to 15 digits, a prefix and suffix, and a log, so you may not need another app. BatesBind is for the desk that does not have that seat, or wants the legend, exhibit labels, bound PDF, and a hashed CSV index from one export.

Frequently asked questions

Can I Bates number PDFs without Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. Use a dedicated Bates tool. BatesBind numbers a folder of PDFs offline on Windows, in one continuous range, with a legend, exhibit labels, and an index. It does not OCR or redact.

Is there a free way to Bates number PDFs on Windows?

Windows has no built-in Bates feature. Typing labels by hand in a free reader suits only a few pages. BatesStamp and RaioPDF are free tools. BatesBind is not free: it has a 15-day free trial in the Microsoft Store, then it is a one-time purchase.

How do I keep Bates numbers continuous across many PDFs?

Number them in one run, in a fixed order. BatesBind numbers the whole folder in the order shown, and Continue starts the next volume at the next number.

Can I add “CONFIDENTIAL” and exhibit labels at the same time as the Bates numbers?

Yes, in BatesBind they are added in the same pass. There is one legend per export, so documents with different designations go in separate runs. See adding a confidential stamp to a PDF.

How do I get a Bates production log in Excel?

BatesBind’s CSV index lists each file’s exhibit label, page count, first and last number, output name, and SHA-256 hash. Open it in Excel.

Will a court accept Bates numbers made without Acrobat?

BatesBind makes no claim about what a court or opposing counsel will accept. The format and delivery rules come from the order or agreement in your matter. This is not legal advice.

Do my documents get uploaded?

No. BatesBind makes no network connections, has no account, and collects no telemetry. If you export to a folder that a sync app such as OneDrive manages, that app may copy the files under its own settings.

Try BatesBind

BatesBind is a one-time purchase in the Microsoft Store, and the Store runs a 15-day free trial with every feature. Open a folder you have already produced, set the same prefix, and compare the ranges and index with what went out. If you number a folder at a time, read how to Bates stamp a folder of PDFs, or go to the BatesBind product page.

Try it on your last production during the 15-day free trial.

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Adobe and Acrobat are trademarks of Adobe Inc. Microsoft, Windows, and OneDrive are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Other product names are trademarks of their owners. BatesBind is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. Nothing here is legal advice.

Last updated 17 October 2026. Published by Automata Labs, a software company in Canada.