Add Line Numbers

Number the lines of a list, a script, a recipe or a block of code in one step, or turn lines into a bulleted or checkbox list ready to paste into a document, email or chat. Choose plain numbers, zero-padded numbers, letters or Roman numerals, set where counting starts and how it steps, and decide what happens to empty lines. Remove mode does the reverse and strips numbering or bullets that were pasted in with the text.

How to use this tool

1. Paste your lines.
2. Choose a numbering style or bullet, the start number and the step.
3. Pick what follows the number (dot, bracket, colon, dash or tab) and how to treat empty lines.
4. Copy the numbered text, or switch to “Remove” to strip existing numbers.

Formula

Number on line k = start + (k − 1) × step, counting only the lines that get a number

Zero-padding uses the width of the largest number, so 1 to 10 becomes 01 to 10. Letters continue like spreadsheet columns (z, aa, ab …), and Roman numerals cover 1 to 3,999. With “keep empty lines” the blank lines stay in place but are not counted, which is right for paragraphs; choose “number them too” for line-by-line references such as code or transcripts. Right-alignment pads shorter numbers with spaces so the text after them lines up in a monospace font.

Example

The default recipe has four steps and one empty line. With 1, 2, 3 and “. ” it becomes 1. Preheat the oven, 2. Mix the flour and sugar, 3. Add the eggs, an empty line, and 4. Bake for 25 minutes. With start 10 and step 10 the numbers are 10, 20, 30 and 40, and with Roman numerals i, ii, iii and iv.