How to add page number for every page in laravel dompdf?
Stefan Bogdanescu
Founder & Senior Architect · 2026-06-29
# How to Add Page Numbers for Every Page in Laravel DomPDF
As developers working with PDF generation in the Laravel ecosystem, we often encounter a common requirement: ensuring that generated documents have proper pagination and numbering. When using libraries like `barryvdh/laravel-dompdf`, the challenge lies in bridging the gap between standard HTML/CSS rendering and the specific constraints of the underlying PDF engine.
This guide will walk you through the methodology for adding dynamic page numbers to every page generated by your Laravel DomPDF output, moving beyond simple content presentation to robust document structure.
## The Challenge with HTML and PDF Generation
When you pass a standard HTML view to DomPDF via `PDF::loadView()`, the library primarily renders the visual layout of the HTML onto a virtual page canvas. Standard CSS (`margin`, `padding`, etc.) controls the spacing within the content area, but it does not inherently manage the PDF's internal pagination structure (i.e., marking where one page ends and the next begins).
To achieve true, repeating page numbers that appear consistently at the bottom of every page, we need a technique that forces the content to repeat across pages and uses CSS positioning relative to the page boundaries.
## The Solution: Leveraging CSS for Footer Placement
The most effective way to implement persistent elements like page numbers in HTML-to-PDF generation is by utilizing absolute or fixed positioning within a container that spans the full width of the page. We will use CSS techniques to position the page number at the footer, ensuring it appears on every generated page.
### Step 1: Structuring the View for Repetition
Instead of trying to place the page number directly in your main content table, we should create a separate, dedicated footer element that is fixed to the bottom of the page using CSS positioning.
In your view file (e.g., `resources/views/print_tests/test_pdf.blade.php`), you will wrap your primary content and add a footer section:
```html