Quoting a scanning job, preparing a production, checking a vendor invoice: the question is always the same. How many pages are in this folder? Opening every PDF and reading the page count off the toolbar works for ten files. It does not work for ten thousand, and it is exactly where typos get into the spreadsheet.
The free options, and where they stop
Windows File Explorer has a Pages column, but it is filled from document properties and stays blank for files that don't store a page count (ILTA tip). It also only shows the current folder. Adobe Acrobat Pro can total pages across files with a custom JavaScript Action, but the per-file numbers land in the JavaScript Console for you to copy out (Adobe Community). Our FileTally vs Acrobat comparison covers that method in detail.
Step by step with FileTally
- Install FileTally on Windows 10 or 11, from the signed installer or the Microsoft Store.
- Choose the top folder. Subfolders are included, so a matter folder with fifty custodian subfolders is one scan.
- Scan and review. PDF pages read cleanly are Counted. Anything that could not be read is Excluded, with the reason.
- Export to CSV for the per-file list, or copy a one-line summary for the client file.
Subfolders: keep the structure in the export
A folder total is rarely the last question. Someone will ask how many pages came from each custodian, box or batch. The export keeps each file's path, so a pivot table or a filter in Excel gives you subtotals by subfolder without a second scan.
Password-protected and damaged PDFs
These are the files that make a total wrong without anyone noticing. A basic counter either skips them or records zero pages. FileTally lists them as Excluded and keeps them out of the page total, so you can get the password, ask for a clean copy, or note the exclusion before the number goes out.
PDFs inside ZIP files
Productions often arrive zipped. FileTally counts supported files inside ZIP archives in place, without extracting them, so the PDFs inside are not missed. Nothing is uploaded at any point.
If the folder holds more than PDFs, start with the complete guide to counting pages across document folders. If the spreadsheet is the deliverable, the PDF export guide goes deeper. FileTally offers a 7-day trial that starts on your first scan.
Questions people ask
Does FileTally count PDFs in subfolders?
Yes. Choose the top folder and FileTally scans it and every subfolder in one pass. The export keeps each file's path, so you can subtotal pages by subfolder in Excel.
What happens to password-protected PDFs in a page count?
FileTally lists them as excluded with the reason and keeps them out of the page total. You decide whether to get the password, request a new copy or note the exclusion.
Can I count PDF pages without uploading the files?
Yes. FileTally runs entirely on your computer. It reads the PDFs where they sit, never uploads them, and never modifies them. No account is needed.
Can FileTally count PDFs inside a ZIP file?
Yes. Supported files inside ZIP archives are counted in place, without extracting them, along with the rest of the folder.