Edit
Add a header and footer to a PDF
Put a title, the date, the file name, or Page 1 of 12 at the top and bottom of every page of a PDF, in six places. Free, no upload, runs in your browser.
How to add a header and footer to a PDF
Three steps, and your file stays on your device the whole time.
- 1
Drop a PDF into the drop box
Or click to browse for it. Nothing is uploaded.
- 2
Type the text for the top and bottom
Six places, each with its own text. Insert the page number, the date, or the file name.
- 3
Click Save and download the PDF
The text is drawn on top of each page and never moves what is there.
When to add a header and footer
A line at the top or bottom of every page tells a reader what they are holding. These are the usual ones.
A title on every page
Put the document's name at the top, so a printed page that goes astray still says where it belongs.
The date on a handout or a draft
Insert the date and every page carries it, so an old printout is easy to tell from the new one.
Page 3 of 12 at the bottom
The footer starts with Page {page} of {pages}, so a count is there before you type anything. Change the words or move it to a corner.
A booklet printed on both sides
Mirror swaps left and right on even pages, so a text on the outer edge stays on the outer edge once the pages are bound.
The file name for the record
Insert the file name and every page says which file it came from, which helps when pages from several files end up in one pile.
No catch
Add headers to as many PDFs as you like
A one page memo or a long report. There is no daily limit and nothing to sign up for, and your file stays on your computer or phone.
- Daily limitNoneUse it as much as you like.
- Sign upNeverNothing to fill in.
- WatermarkNeverYour file comes back clean.
- WaitingStarts the moment you dropNothing to send first.
- Your fileStays on your computer or phoneIt never goes anywhere.
- Daily limitOften 1 or 2 free a dayThen a paid plan.
- Sign upOftenTo keep going or to download.
- WatermarkSome add oneUnless you pay to remove it.
- WaitingSend it, then waitSlow for large files.
- Your fileGoes to their computerAnd comes back to you.
Related tools
Each one works the same way: free, in your browser, with nothing uploaded.
Headers and footers, answered
Your files stay privateIs my file uploaded anywhere?+
No. Your PDF is read from your device and the text is drawn by your browser. It never leaves your computer or phone.
Is it free to add a header and footer here?+
Yes. There is no watermark, no file limit, and no account. The work happens in your browser, so there is nothing for us to charge for.
Can the header and footer hold different things?+
Yes. There are six places: left, center, and right at the top, and the same at the bottom. Each holds its own text, so a title can sit top left, the date top right, and the page number at the bottom.
How do I add the page number, the date, or the file name?+
Use the Insert buttons under the text. They add {page}, {pages}, {file}, or {date} to the text, and each page fills them in. Page {page} of {pages} reads Page 3 of 12 on the third page.
Can I leave the cover page without a header?+
Yes. Set Skip first pages to 1, or type any range such as 3-10, 15 under Pages. The page number still counts every page of the file, so the second page reads 2. To start counting after a cover, use Add page numbers.
What is Two-sided printing for?+
Mirror swaps left and right on even pages, as a book does, so a text on the outer edge stays on the outer edge when the pages are printed on both sides and bound.
My pages already have text near the edge. What can I do?+
Try another margin. Narrow sits a quarter inch from the edge, above most body text; Wide sits three quarters of an inch in. The new text is drawn on top of the page and never moves what is there.
Can I add a header to a password protected PDF?+
Yes, if you know the password. Type it when the file is added. Tick Keep the password before saving and the new PDF opens with the same one.
Does it work on iPhone, Android, Mac, and Windows?+
Yes. It runs in any current browser, Chrome, Safari, Edge, or Firefox, on a computer, a phone, or a tablet. There is nothing to install and no account to make.
Is there a file size limit?+
No. There is no set limit and no daily cap. Your own device does the work, and files of a few hundred megabytes are fine on a laptop.