🔢 Add Line Numbers
Add line numbers to any text or code instantly. Custom start number, separator style and blank line options. Free, private, no signup required.
About Add Line Numbers
Adding line numbers to text makes it easy to reference specific lines in discussions, code reviews, legal documents and academic writing. This tool adds line numbers instantly with full control over the start number, separator style and padding format.
Common Uses
- Numbering lines of code for sharing in bug reports or code reviews
- Adding line numbers to legal contracts and documents for reference
- Numbering poetry, scripts or lyrics for easy reference
- Creating numbered lists from plain text
- Adding reference numbers to meeting notes or transcripts
Why You Need to Add Line Numbers
The most practical reason to add line numbers to text is precise referencing. When a developer shares a code snippet in a bug report or pull request review, asking a colleague to look at "line 47" is far more efficient than describing the content of that line. Many code-sharing platforms number lines automatically, but when you paste code into an email, forum post, or Google Doc, you need to add line numbers manually — which is exactly what this tool does instantly.
Proofreaders and editors add line numbers to manuscripts and legal briefs so that revision comments can point to an exact location rather than using vague descriptions like "third paragraph from the bottom". Courts and regulatory bodies often require parties to add line numbers to submitted documents; submissions without them can be rejected on procedural grounds.
How to Use Your Numbered Output
After you add line numbers, the output is ready to paste anywhere — documents, emails, code editors, or issue trackers. The separator options let you match the format expected by the destination: use a period (1.) for numbered lists, a pipe (1 |) for tabular layouts, or a colon (1:) when pasting into log-style formats. Zero padding ensures alignment when you add line numbers to a document of more than nine lines, keeping column widths consistent in monospace environments.
For partial documents, set the start number to match your source. If you need to add line numbers to a section that begins at line 200 in the original file, enter 200 as the start value so the output aligns with the parent document's existing numbering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?
+Yes. Set any start number in the Start Number field. This is useful when continuing a numbered list that starts partway through a document, or when matching line numbers from an existing file.
What does zero padding do?
+Zero padding adds leading zeros to numbers so they all have the same width. For example, line 1 becomes "01" and line 10 stays "10". This keeps columns aligned when viewing in a monospace font.
What is add line numbers used for?
Line numbering is useful for code reviews, technical documentation, script writing, and any situation where you need to reference specific lines by number. Teachers use it to mark up student work, and developers use it when sharing code snippets.
How do I remove line numbers from text?
To remove line numbers, paste your numbered text into the Find and Replace tool and strip the leading numbers using a simple regex pattern like ^\d+\.\s*.
Is there a limit on lines I can number?
No limit. The tool processes all lines entirely in your browser, so performance depends only on your device. Most documents with tens of thousands of lines will number instantly.