Paste a list or a few paragraphs and get each item numbered. Pick the style, the start and step, and the words around the number.
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you enter is never sent anywhere.Your input is never sent anywhere.
DetailsNumbering settings
Spaces you type count, so put a space after the number if you want one before the text.
Number lines and paragraphs as 1., a), iv., or 1.1
Typing numbers by hand is slow, and every inserted item means changing every number after it. Paste your text here and each line or paragraph is numbered at once, with the format you choose.
Beyond plain 1, 2, 3, the tool does letters, Roman numerals, and multi-level numbers such as 1.1 and 1.2 taken from your indentation. You can set the start and the step, align the digits, and put words like Step or Section before the number.
It also works in reverse. Renumber a list that already has numbers, or remove the numbers altogether.
Where numbered text helps
Steps and instructions
Number the steps of a procedure and add the word Step before each number, so the text can be pasted into a guide or a ticket.
Terms, contracts, and policies
Number clauses as Section 1. or Article 1., or use 1, 1.1, 1.2 so each sub-clause can be cited.
Code, logs, and scripts
Add line numbers so a reviewer can say 'see line 12', and keep them aligned with zeros or spaces.
Quizzes, surveys, and meeting notes
Number the questions as Q1., letter the answer options as a), b), c), and number the points raised in a meeting.
How to add numbers to a list in 3 steps
- Paste your text into the Your text box, with one item on each line, or paragraphs separated by blank lines.
- Choose whether to number each line or each paragraph, then pick a style and a number format.
- Click Copy result.
Note: The result updates as you type or change a setting. There is no run button.
How numbering is applied
- Blank lines stay blank and are not numbered. The count continues on the next line of text.
- Indentation stays in front of the number, so an indented line keeps its indent.
- In Paragraph mode only the first line of each paragraph gets a number, and a paragraph is a run of lines with no blank line between them.
- Align digits works with the 1, 2, 3 style. The width is set by the largest number the list will reach.
- Letters continue as aa, ab, ac after z. Roman numerals work from 1 to 3999. A number outside what a style can write is shown with digits.
- Replace numbers that are already there, and Remove numbers, recognize 1. 1) (1) [1] 1: 1.2.3 a) (a) and iv) at the start of a line. Dotted letters such as J. and bare numbers such as 2024 are left alone.
Settings for common numbered formats
Pick the setting that matches the result you want.
| Goal | Setting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Plain numbered list | Style 1, 2, 3 and format 1. | 1. Apples / 2. Pears |
| Steps in a guide | Format Step 1: | Step 1: Mix / Step 2: Bake |
| Numbered clauses | Format Section 1. | Section 1. Definitions / Section 2. Term |
| Lettered answer options | Style a, b, c and format 1) | a) Yes / b) No |
| Outline with sub-points | Style 1, 1.1, 1.2, with indented sub-items | 1. Intro / 1.1. Scope / 1.2. Aims |
| Line numbers that line up | Align digits Spaces and format 1: | 9: text / 10: text |
| Numbers in steps of ten | Start at 10, Step 10 | 10. First / 20. Second |
| Numbered paragraphs | Number each Paragraph | 1. first paragraph / 2. second paragraph |
Plain text, not a list format. The numbers are ordinary characters in your text. They do not renumber themselves if you move or delete an item later, so run the text through the tool again after editing.
Lines, paragraphs, and sub-levels
How the choice of unit changes what gets a number.
Number each line for lists and code
Line mode gives every non-blank line its own number. It suits lists, scripts, code, and logs, where each line is one item.
Blank lines stay in place as spacing, so grouped lists keep their layout and the count carries on across the gaps.
Number each paragraph for prose
Prose copied from a PDF or an email is often wrapped into several short lines per paragraph. In Paragraph mode, a blank line marks the end of a paragraph and only the first line is numbered.
If your text has no blank lines at all, the whole text counts as a single paragraph, so add blank lines between paragraphs first.
Use indentation for sub-levels
In the 1, 1.1, 1.2 style, a line indented deeper than the one before it becomes a sub-item, and a line indented less goes back up a level. The tool compares the width of the indent, with a tab counted as four spaces.
Use the same indent for items at the same level. The numbers in front of the text are plain characters, so they stay put if you paste them elsewhere.
Numbering mistakes to avoid
Numbering every line of a wrapped paragraph
Text copied from a PDF or an email breaks each paragraph into several lines. Number each Line and every fragment gets its own number.
💡 See the solution▼
Getting 1. 1. Item because the list already had numbers
You paste a list that already starts with 1. and 2., then add numbers. Each line now carries two numbers.
💡 See the solution▼
Typing numbers by hand and then inserting an item
After you add an item in the middle of a hand-typed list, every number below it is wrong and has to be changed by hand.
💡 See the solution▼
Line numbers that no longer line up at 10
In a monospaced view, the text after 9: sits one character to the left of the text after 10:.
💡 See the solution▼
Numbering questions
Q.How do I add line numbers to text?
A. Paste your text, leave Number each on Line, and pick a format such as 1. or (1). The numbers appear in the result as you type. Click Copy result to take the numbered text with you. Blank lines are left as they are and do not get a number.
Q.What is the difference between numbering lines and numbering paragraphs?
A. Line numbers every non-blank line. Paragraph treats a block of lines with no blank line between them as one paragraph and numbers only its first line, so a paragraph that was hard-wrapped over several lines gets one number. Paragraph mode needs a blank line between paragraphs.
Q.Can I number with letters or Roman numerals?
A. Yes. The Style menu offers 1, 2, 3, a, b, c, A, B, C, i, ii, iii, and I, II, III. Letters continue past z as aa, ab, ac. Roman numerals work from 1 to 3999, and any number outside that range is written with digits.
Q.How do I make a multi-level list like 1, 1.1, 1.2?
A. Choose the 1, 1.1, 1.2 style and indent the sub-items in your text with spaces or tabs. Each deeper indent becomes a new level, so the second line under item 2 becomes 2.2. A tab counts as four spaces when the tool compares indents. This style works in Line mode only.
Q.Can I start at a different number or count by tens?
A. Yes. Set Start at to any whole number and Step to the amount to add each time. Start at 10 with Step 10 gives 10, 20, 30. For letters and Roman numerals, a start below 1 is written with digits.
Q.How do I keep the numbers lined up?
A. Under Align digits, choose Zeros for 01, 02, 10 or Spaces for the numbers to line up on the right. The width is set by the largest number in the list. This applies to the 1, 2, 3 style.
Q.How do I renumber a list that already has numbers?
A. Turn on Replace numbers that are already there. The tool removes a number at the start of each line and then adds the new one. It recognizes 1. 1) (1) [1] 1: 1.2.3 a) (a) and iv) at the start of a line. A bare year such as 2024, or an initial such as J., is left alone.
Q.How do I remove numbers from a list?
A. Switch Action to Remove numbers. It strips the same formats listed above from the start of each line, or from the first line of each paragraph in Paragraph mode, and leaves indentation in place.
Q.Can I add words like Step or Section before the number?
A. Yes. Use the buttons for Step 1:, Section 1., Article 1., or Q1., or type your own text into Before the number and After the number. Spaces you type count, so end the After box with a space if you want one before the text.
Q.Is my text sent to a server?
A. No. The tool numbers your text with JavaScript in your browser, and there is no upload step. Closing or reloading the page clears the text.
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