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Add a header and footer to every page of a PDF

This tool adds lines of text to the top and bottom of every page: a document title, a company name, "Confidential", the date, page numbers, or all of them. There are six spots, left, centre and right along each edge. It all runs in your browser, so the PDF is never uploaded.

or drop files here, or paste with Ctrl/Cmd+V

PDF · up to 50 files · 100 MB each

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Your files stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded. Check it yourself

How to use Header and Footer

  1. Add your PDFs

    Drop one or more PDFs on the box, or click to browse. Up to 50 files of 100 MB each.

  2. Type the text

    Fill any of the six spots. {page}, {total}, {date} and {file} are filled in for each page.

  3. Add and download

    Check the preview, press Add header and footer, and download the result.

How headers and footers are added

The text in each spot is written into every chosen page as real PDF text with a standard font, after the placeholders are filled in for that page. It stays sharp at any size and can be selected and searched.

Spots are measured from the visible edges of each page, with its rotation applied, so headers read the right way up on landscape and turned pages, and pages of different sizes each get theirs at the same distance from the edge.

The text is drawn over the page. If a page already has something printed where the header goes, pick a larger margin or another spot.

Questions about Header and Footer

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

Add the PDF above and type your text in one of the six spots, such as Top centre for a title or Bottom right for "Page {page} of {total}". The preview shows it on your page. Then press Add header and footer.

What can I put in the text?

Any words, plus four placeholders: {page} for the page number, {total} for the page count, {date} for today's date and {file} for the file name without .pdf. For example "{file} · {date}" or "Page {page} of {total}".

Can I leave the header off the first page?

Yes. Type 2- in Pages to start on page 2. Page numbers then start at the First number you choose on the first page you listed.

Which languages and characters work?

Latin letters with accents, digits and common symbols such as €, – and ©, which is what the standard PDF fonts can draw. Text in other scripts, such as Hindi or Chinese, cannot be added as a header yet; the tool tells you before it starts.

Can I remove a header later?

Not with this tool: the text becomes part of the page. Keep your original file if you might need a version without it.

Is it safe to add a header to a PDF online?

With PlumPDF the file is changed in your browser tab and never sent anywhere. Closing the tab discards everything.

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