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How to add a header and footer to a PDF

By the PDFinish editorial team · Reviewed · Published · 4 min read

Last updated:

To add a header and footer to a PDF, add the file to Add Header and Footer, type text in the left, center and right boxes at the top and bottom, check the preview and save. Use {page} and {pages} where you want page numbers filled in.

A header is a line of text at the top of every page. A footer is the same at the bottom. They carry the things a reader needs on every sheet: a title, a date, a draft mark, a property address or a page count. If you print a long document and drop the pages, a good footer tells you the order.

Most PDFs do not come with them, and a PDF is not as easy to change as a word processor file. The simple fix is to stamp the text onto each page. This guide shows how, with examples you can copy.

How do I add a header and footer to a PDF?

Add the file to Add Header and Footer, type the text you want, check the preview and download the new file. It runs in your browser, so the document is not uploaded.

  1. Add your PDF. Drop it onto the tool or choose it from your device. A preview of the first page you stamp appears.
  2. Type the header. There are three boxes: left, center and right. Leave a box empty to print nothing there.
  3. Type the footer in its three boxes. To add a header without a footer, leave all three footer boxes empty, and the other way around.
  4. Choose the font, the size, the color, how far the text sits from the edges, and which pages to stamp.
  5. Check the preview, then press Add header and footer and download the new PDF. Your original file is not changed.

How do I put page numbers in the footer?

Type Page {page} of {pages} in a footer box. The tool replaces {page} with the number of each page and {pages} with the total, so a five page file reads Page 1 of 5, Page 2 of 5 and so on. If page numbers are all you want, with a choice of start number, use Add Page Numbers instead.

What can I type in the boxes?

Any text up to 100 characters per box, plus four fill-in codes. Each code is replaced on every page.

  • {page} becomes the page number.
  • {pages} becomes the total number of pages.
  • {date} becomes a date. It is today's date unless you pick another, and you choose how it is written: 10/26/2026, 26/10/2026 or October 26, 2026.
  • {filename} becomes the file's name without .pdf.

Latin, Greek and Cyrillic letters work. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Hebrew do not yet. That was true in October 2026.

Can I leave the first page without a header or footer?

Yes. Tick Skip the first page, which suits a cover page. You can also stamp only some pages by typing a range such as 2-5, 8-, where 8- means page 8 to the end. The page numbers still count from the real first page, so the second page reads Page 2 even when the cover has no number.

Three layouts you can copy

  • A draft contract. Header left: DRAFT. Header right: {date}. Footer center: Page {page} of {pages}. Anyone holding a loose sheet can see it is a draft and when it was made.
  • A lease. Header center: the unit and street address. Footer center: Page {page} of {pages}. Tick Skip the first page if the first sheet is a cover. With a page count on every sheet, a reader can tell at once if one is missing.
  • A report for a client. Header left: the client's name. Footer left: {filename}. Footer right: {page}. The file name in the corner helps when several versions are in circulation.

How do I stop the text from running into the page content?

The header and footer are printed on top of the page. They do not push the content aside or remove anything. If your pages already have text near the edge, raise the distance from the edge in the tool, lower the font size, and check the preview. The preview is drawn by the same code that saves the file, so what you see is what you get.

If a page has no room at all, you can make room first. Use Resize PDF to put the content on a larger page, with a margin, then add the header and footer to the result.

Can I change a header after I save?

Once saved, the text is part of the page. To change it, go back to your original file and stamp it again. Keep the original for that reason. If you only need a faint word across the middle of each page, such as Confidential, that is a watermark rather than a header.

Check it before you send it

  • Look at the first, a middle and the last page in the preview.
  • Check that the page count is right and that the date reads the way the other person expects.
  • Check that the text does not touch anything printed on the page.
  • If the file will be signed next, stamp it first, then sign the PDF. Signing last keeps the signature clear of the text.

2 free uses in total, no account needed. Files can be up to 50 MB for free and 500 MB with Pro.

Questions people ask

How do I add a header and footer to a PDF for free?

Add the file to Add Header and Footer, type your text in the boxes, choose the pages and press the button. It is free to start with no account, and your file stays in your browser.

How do I add only a header, without a footer?

Type text in the header boxes and leave all three footer boxes empty. Nothing is printed where a box is empty.

Can I add the date and the file name to every page?

Yes. Type {date} for a date and {filename} for the file's name. Both are filled in on every page you stamp.

Can I skip the cover page?

Yes. Tick Skip the first page, or stamp only some pages by typing a range such as 2-5, 8-.

Will the header move or remove anything on my pages?

No. The text is printed on top of the page. If your content is close to the edge, raise the distance from the edge or lower the font size, and check the preview.

Try it

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. See how we write and check guides in our editorial policy. More plain guides are on the PDFinish blog.