diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c3436d5..75b2be1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
   - Shadow edges at page boundaries for depth effect
   - Dynamic page snapping (editor always shows full pages)
   - Print-ready @media print styles with @page A4 sizing
+- add bottom toolbar to show page number
 
 ### Not yet implemented
 - ODT import / open existing file
diff --git a/src/App.svelte b/src/App.svelte
index 6c0c0dc..a979245 100644
--- a/src/App.svelte
+++ b/src/App.svelte
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
   let editor: Editor | null = $state(null);
   let tick: number = $state(0);
+  let currentPage: number = $state(1);
+  let numPages: number = $state(1);
 
   let themeMode: ThemeMode = $state(loadTheme());
   let themeOpen = $state(false);
@@ -111,7 +113,10 @@
   {#if toolbarExpanded}
     <ToolbarExpanded {editor} {tick} />
   {/if}
-  <EditorComponent bind:editor bind:tick />
+  <EditorComponent bind:editor bind:tick bind:currentPage bind:numPages />
+  <footer class="statusbar">
+    <span>Page {currentPage} of {numPages}</span>
+  </footer>
 </main>
 
 <style>
@@ -242,4 +247,22 @@
     opacity: 0.5;
     cursor: not-allowed;
   }
+
+  .statusbar {
+    position: fixed;
+    bottom: 0;
+    left: 0;
+    right: 0;
+    height: 26px;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    padding: 0 1rem;
+    background: var(--color-toolbar-bg);
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+    font-family: var(--font-sans);
+    font-size: 0.75rem;
+    color: var(--color-text-muted);
+    user-select: none;
+    z-index: 50;
+  }
 </style>
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/Editor.svelte b/src/lib/editor/Editor.svelte
index 6ef98ed..0d1d47f 100644
--- a/src/lib/editor/Editor.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/editor/Editor.svelte
@@ -5,9 +5,46 @@
   import { saveDocument, loadDocument } from '../storage/autosave';
   import '../../styles/editor.css';
 
-  let { editor = $bindable(), tick = $bindable(0) }: { editor: Editor | null; tick: number } = $props();
+  let { editor = $bindable(), tick = $bindable(0), currentPage = $bindable(1), numPages = $bindable(1) }: {
+    editor: Editor | null; tick: number; currentPage: number; numPages: number;
+  } = $props();
 
   let element: HTMLDivElement;
+  let editorContainer: HTMLDivElement;
+
+  const CYCLE = 1143; // PAGE_HEIGHT + PAGE_GAP, must match pageBreaks.ts
+
+  function updateCurrentPage() {
+    const tiptap = element?.querySelector('.tiptap') as HTMLElement | null;
+    if (!tiptap || !editorContainer) return;
+
+    const editorRect = editorContainer.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const tiptapRect = tiptap.getBoundingClientRect();
+
+    // If the cursor is visible in the editor viewport, show its page
+    if (editor) {
+      try {
+        const coords = editor.view.coordsAtPos(editor.state.selection.head);
+        const cursorMidY = (coords.top + coords.bottom) / 2;
+        if (cursorMidY >= editorRect.top && cursorMidY <= editorRect.bottom) {
+          const cursorInTiptap = cursorMidY - tiptapRect.top;
+          currentPage = Math.max(1, Math.min(numPages, Math.floor(Math.max(0, cursorInTiptap) / CYCLE) + 1));
+          return;
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // coordsAtPos can fail during editor teardown — fall through
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Cursor not visible — use the top of the visible scroll area
+    const visibleTopInTiptap = editorRect.top - tiptapRect.top;
+    currentPage = Math.max(1, Math.min(numPages, Math.floor(Math.max(0, visibleTopInTiptap) / CYCLE) + 1));
+  }
+
+  function onPageCount(e: Event) {
+    numPages = (e as CustomEvent<{ numPages: number }>).detail.numPages;
+    updateCurrentPage();
+  }
 
   onMount(() => {
     const saved = loadDocument();
@@ -19,17 +56,34 @@
       onTransaction: () => {
         tick++;
       },
+      onSelectionUpdate: ({ editor: e }) => {
+        // Use the editor instance passed by TipTap directly — avoids any Svelte
+        // prop-reactivity timing issues. TipTap always auto-scrolls the cursor
+        // into view before firing this, so no visibility check is needed here.
+        const tiptap = element?.querySelector('.tiptap') as HTMLElement | null;
+        if (!tiptap) return;
+        try {
+          const coords = e.view.coordsAtPos(e.state.selection.head);
+          const cursorInTiptap = ((coords.top + coords.bottom) / 2) - tiptap.getBoundingClientRect().top;
+          currentPage = Math.max(1, Math.min(numPages, Math.floor(Math.max(0, cursorInTiptap) / CYCLE) + 1));
+        } catch { /* ignore */ }
+      },
       onUpdate: ({ editor: e }) => {
         saveDocument(e.getJSON());
       },
     });
+
+    element.addEventListener('pm-pagecount', onPageCount);
+    editorContainer.addEventListener('scroll', updateCurrentPage);
   });
 
   onDestroy(() => {
     editor?.destroy();
+    element?.removeEventListener('pm-pagecount', onPageCount);
+    editorContainer?.removeEventListener('scroll', updateCurrentPage);
   });
 </script>
 
-<div class="editor">
+<div class="editor" bind:this={editorContainer}>
   <div bind:this={element} class="paper"></div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/lib/editor/pageBreaks.ts b/src/lib/editor/pageBreaks.ts
index 8507f55..8438e7f 100644
--- a/src/lib/editor/pageBreaks.ts
+++ b/src/lib/editor/pageBreaks.ts
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ export const PageBreaks = Extension.create({
             const targetHeight = numPages * CYCLE - PAGE_GAP; // = N*PAGE_HEIGHT + (N-1)*PAGE_GAP
           dom.style.minHeight = `${targetHeight}px`;
 
+          // Notify the Svelte layer of the current page count
+          dom.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('pm-pagecount', { bubbles: true, detail: { numPages } }));
+
           isUpdating = false;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/styles/editor.css b/src/styles/editor.css
index de35844..bc0af72 100644
--- a/src/styles/editor.css
+++ b/src/styles/editor.css
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   flex: 1;
   display: flex;
   justify-content: center;
-  padding: 2rem 1rem;
+  padding: 2rem 1rem 3rem; /* extra bottom padding clears the fixed status bar */
   overflow-y: auto;
 }