Add Headers & Footers to PDF - Custom Text Online Free

A PDF headers and footers tool stamps repeating text bands at the top and bottom margins of every selected page. Headers often carry the organization name, document title, or section label; footers commonly show confidentiality notices, revision dates, or page references. Unlike re-exporting from Word or InDesign, this page modifies an existing PDF in place using pdf-lib drawText on each page content stream. Text is vector-based Helvetica, so it stays sharp when printed and adds minimal file size compared with overlaying image watermarks.

This tool is broader than automatic page numbering. You type any string for the header and footer independently, including {page} and {total} placeholders that resolve per page. For preset numbering formats (Page 1, 1 of N, Page 1 of N) with a dedicated UI, use the specialized PDF page numbers tool linked below. Many workflows use both: headers here for branding, page numbers there for court filing rules.

Processing is 100% browser-side. validatePdfUpload and getPdfPageCount from @/lib/pdf-io enforce the 50 MB cap and confirm page count before pdf-lib loads. Optional parsePageRange lets you stamp only appendix pages or skip cover sheets. Nothing is uploaded to a server - suitable for board packs, HR policies, and client deliverables when cloud stamping tools are blocked by IT policy.

Headers and footers draw on top of existing page content. They do not reflow body text or add margin boxes the way Word section headers do. If your PDF already fills the page edge to edge, increase the margin offset or accept slight overlap. For diagonal DRAFT stamps across the page center, use PDF watermark instead - watermarks span the body; headers and footers stay in margin bands.

Most documents take under two minutes. You can stamp header only, footer only, or both bands in one click.

1. Upload your PDF - Drag and drop or choose a file up to 50 MB. PDF.js counts pages immediately.
2. Enter header and footer text - Separate fields for top and bottom bands. Use {page} and {total} where needed. Leave either field blank to skip that band.
3. Set alignment, size, and color - Left, center, or right for each band. Adjust point size, hex color, and margin offset from the page edge.
4. Choose all pages or a range - All pages stamps the full document; Page range accepts syntax like 2, 5-10.
5. Apply and download - Click Apply Headers & Footers. pdf-lib writes text on each target page locally. Download saves a new file; your original upload is untouched.

A consulting firm sends a 12-page strategy PDF exported from slides. Recipients cannot tell which revision they received, and there is no confidentiality marking. Board members often print packets - without headers they cannot match a printed page back to the correct email attachment when three versions circulated the same week.

Settings on this page: header text Acme Corp - Draft Q3 Proposal, center aligned, 10 pt, dark gray; footer Confidential - Page {page} of {total}, right aligned; margin 36 pt; all pages. One click applies both bands to every page. If only the appendix (pages 8–12) needs a legal disclaimer footer, switch to Page range and enter 8-12 with header text cleared. Open the download in Chrome and scroll pages 1, 6, and 12 to confirm placeholders resolved correctly - page 6 should read Page 6 of 12, not literal braces. Print a single page to verify the footer does not overlap slide footnotes exported from PowerPoint; increase margin to 48 pt if overlap appears.

Choose the tool that matches the labeling need. Free-form headers and footers handle branding and legal disclaimers; the page numbers tool optimizes folio formats.

Use this page when you need two bands with different text, colors, and alignments - for example company name top center and confidentiality plus page count bottom right. Use PDF page numbers when you only need Page 1 of N in a preset corner without a separate header string. Many legal and consulting workflows stamp headers here first, then add exhibit labels on specific ranges.

These are the failures the UI surfaces on purpose, plus jobs this page will not pretend to do.

• Overlap with body content. drawText does not reflow paragraphs. Increase margin or use PDFs with adequate white space in header/footer zones. Full-bleed slide exports often need larger margin offsets.
• Helvetica only. Embedded StandardFonts Helvetica ensures broad viewer compatibility; custom corporate fonts are not supported in-browser here.
• Encrypted PDFs fail. pdf-lib cannot load password-protected files without credentials. Export an unencrypted copy locally first.
• No rich text. Bold, italic, and multi-line layout are not supported - use plain single-line strings per band.
• Existing headers preserved underneath. New text draws on top; it does not remove prior stamps from the source file.
• 50 MB cap. Files over 50 MB are rejected before processing via validatePdfUpload.
• Placeholder typos. Only {page} and {total} are replaced. Misspelled placeholders like {pages} appear literally in the output.
• Memory on huge files. Files near 50 MB may spike RAM during pdfDoc.save(). Close other tabs if the browser warns about memory.

Headers and footers are applied entirely in your browser. pdf-lib and PDF.js load from the same origin; document bytes are never POSTed to an API, never written to server logs, and never indexed. Suitable for contracts, HR policies, and client deliverables subject to your device security policies. Clear downloads from shared computers when finished.

We do not persist uploads in localStorage. Closing the tab discards in-memory state except any file you explicitly downloaded. No account means no cross-device history. If you need audit trails for controlled documents, keep versioned filenames on your side (for example proposal-v2-stamped.pdf).