Number Lines

Add sequential numbering to your list

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Turn a plain list into a numbered one

Numbering lines by hand falls apart the moment you insert or delete an item. Number Lines does it for you in one step: paste your list, choose how the numbers should look, and each line gets the next number in sequence. It is a quick way to build reference lists, code listings, meeting agendas or step-by-step instructions in plain text.

Numbering in a few clicks

Put your lines in the Input Lines box. Use Sample for a list of report section names, Paste for clipboard text and Clear to start over.
Enter a number in Start. It begins at 1.
Pick a look from the Format menu: 1. , 1) , [1] , 1- or 01. .
Choose whether to keep Skip empty ticked.
Click Number Lines. The summary states how many lines were numbered.
Copy the output or use .TXT to save numbered-lines.txt.

Format and counting rules

Each format puts the number, its punctuation and a space in front of the line, for instance '3) Buy milk' or '[3] Buy milk'.
The 01. format adds a leading zero only to numbers below 10. It does not pad to three digits, so a list of 120 lines will show 01 to 09, then 10 to 120 with different widths.
With Skip empty on, blank lines are left blank and do not use up a number, so the numbering continues without gaps. Untick it and blank lines get numbers as well.
The Start field must contain a valid whole number; an empty value or zero falls back to 1, while a negative number is accepted.

Ways to use it

Numbering the lines of a code snippet or log before discussing it in a ticket, so people can refer to line 14.
Building a checklist or set of instructions in an email or chat that does not support automatic lists.
Continuing an existing sequence by setting Start to the next number, for example 41 after a list that ended at 40.
Labeling exam questions, quotes or references.

Things to bear in mind

The numbers are typed in as ordinary text, so they will not renumber themselves if you edit the list later. Run the tool again on the original list. Existing numbers in your lines are not removed; they will simply get a new one in front. The tool works per line rather than per paragraph, so a wrapped paragraph counts once. Processing runs in your browser page.

Related Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start numbering from a number other than 1?

Yes. Type any whole number into the Start field, for example 41, and the first numbered line gets that value. Note that an empty field or zero falls back to 1, while negative numbers are accepted.

What do the five formats look like?

The options are 1. followed by a space, 1) followed by a space, [1] with brackets, 1- with a hyphen, and 01. which adds a leading zero to numbers under 10. The number always sits before the line text.

Do blank lines get numbers?

Not by default. With Skip empty ticked, blank lines stay blank and do not consume a number, so the sequence has no gaps. If you untick it, every line, including blank ones, receives the next number.

Will the 01 format pad to three digits for long lists?

No. It pads only numbers below 10 to two digits. A list longer than 99 lines will therefore show 100 with three digits and the earlier numbers with two, so widths will not match.

What if my lines are already numbered?

The tool does not detect or remove existing numbers. It adds a new number in front of each line, so you would see both. Delete the old numbers in your editor first if you want a fresh sequence.