How to add a header and footer to a PDF
- Select your PDF or drop it onto the page.
- Type the text for the header, the footer, or both.
- Choose the alignment (left, centre or right), font size, colour and distance from the edge.
- Choose which pages to apply it to, then process and download the PDF.
What headers and footers are used for
A running header or footer tells readers what they are looking at, even when a single page is printed or forwarded on its own. Typical uses include:
- Document titles and version numbers on specifications and policies.
- Client or case names on legal and accounting documents.
- Notices such as Confidential, Internal use only or Draft for review.
- Course names and student numbers on assignments.
Placement and readability
Headers and footers are added on top of the existing pages. They do not replace a header the document already has, so check the preview and increase the distance from the edge if the new text would overlap existing content. Small, grey text in the margin is usually easiest to read without distracting from the page. Text is drawn upright on rotated and landscape pages.
Related tools
Keep header and footer text short: one line in each position is easiest to read and least likely to collide with the page body. If you add the same notice to many documents, write it down once so every file uses identical wording.
For numbering, use Add Page Numbers, which handles formats like "Page 2 of 9". To stamp text diagonally across the page, use Add Watermark. Everything runs locally in your browser, so internal documents never leave your computer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add different text to the header and the footer?
Yes. The header and footer are set separately, and you can use either one on its own.
Will it overwrite the existing header?
No. New text is added on top of the page. If the document already has a header, adjust the margin so the two do not overlap.
Can I apply it to only some pages?
Yes. Choose a page range to skip cover pages or appendices.
Does it work on scanned documents?
Yes. The text is drawn onto the page, so it works on scans as well as text-based PDFs.