PDF header & footer editor
Add left, centre and right headers and footers to PDF pages. Preview page numbers, dates, filenames and Bates numbering before downloading a private, browser-local copy.
Select one PDF, or try the sample. No upload or account needed.
How to use PDF header & footer editor
- Select one PDF or try the built-in sample.
- Fill the six header/footer fields, choose tokens, styling and page ranges, then check the live preview.
- Create and download the new PDF. Inspect it before sharing; your original is unchanged.
Give a report a title, date and page numbers
Choose the Report preset to put the filename at the top left, a date at the top right and Page 1 of 3 at the bottom centre. Change the title in Header left, then move through the preview pages to check for overlap with existing content. To leave a cover sheet untouched, enable Skip first page; the next page still uses its original position for numbering. If the report must start at page 1 after a cover, split off the cover first, stamp the body and merge them again. Export settings to reuse the same layout on another document without exporting that document.
Good to know
Adds overlays; it does not detect, replace or securely erase existing text. White covering is not redaction. Added text uses Latin-compatible standard PDF fonts. Rebuilding may lose forms, bookmarks and signatures. Each text slot uses one-third of the visible page width.
Up to 20 files, 25 MB per file and 50 MB total. PDF jobs support up to 200 pages. On small screens, the total limit is 20 MB and 100 pages. Password-protected PDFs are rejected rather than bypassed. Your original files are never overwritten.
Common questions
Can I edit an existing PDF header or footer?
This tool adds new text overlays. It does not locate or edit existing text objects. White margin covering can visually conceal an old heading, but it is not secure removal: hidden text remains extractable. For confidential text, use a proper redaction tool and verify the output.
How do the three header and footer positions work?
There are six independent text fields: left, centre and right at the top, plus left, centre and right at the bottom. Each has a third of the usable width. Long text shrinks to a minimum of 6 pt; if it still cannot fit, the editor asks you to shorten it rather than clipping it silently.
What do the page number and date tokens mean?
{page} is the original page position plus your starting-number offset. {pages} is the total document page count, even if only some pages are stamped. {date} uses your chosen date, not a changing server time. {filename} omits the .pdf extension. Tokens are replaced only once, so a filename cannot introduce new tokens.
Can I add Bates numbers and skip selected pages?
Yes. Insert {bates}, choose a prefix, starting number and minimum digit count. For example, DOC- plus 1 and 6 digits produces DOC-000001. Numbers follow original positions; skipping a page leaves a corresponding gap. Page ranges, odd/even filtering and cover-sheet skipping affect stamping only, not which pages are downloaded.
Does the preview match the PDF I download?
Preview and export use the same PDF layout function, with the original page size, crop box and rotation. Preview renders one page; export stamps every selected page. Always inspect the final file because a longer filename, small page or existing content can affect readability. Unsupported characters and text that cannot fit produce an explicit error.
Will this remove my PDF password or preserve a digital signature?
No. Password-protected files are rejected. Editing a signed document invalidates its signature, and rebuilding pages can lose document-level forms, attachments and bookmarks. Keep your original.
Are my files uploaded?
No. This tool reads the files on your device and runs PDF processing in your browser. The site may record a tool-use event, but it does not include your file names, document contents or output. Closing this page releases this workspace’s files from memory.
Can I use this on my phone?
Yes, in a current browser. Select files from your device and use the same controls. Smaller files and shorter page ranges are recommended on phones because PDF rendering uses memory.
Will my original file change?
No. You download a new copy. Rebuilding pages can change or lose advanced document features and invalidates digital signatures. Inspect the result before replacing or sending an original.
Reviewed 2026-10-21 · Browser-local processing · Built with PDF-lib (MIT) and PDF.js (Apache-2.0).