Header & Footer · 3 min read

How to Add Header and Footer to a PDF — Free Online

Headers and footers give PDF documents a professional, document-management-ready look — page numbers, document title, company name, date, and more can appear on every page automatically. Here is how to add them for free.

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Step 1 — Open the Header & Footer Tool

Go to pdfeditor.onl/header-footer. No sign-up or installation is required. The tool loads in any modern browser.

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Step 2 — Upload Your PDF

Click to upload or drag your PDF into the tool. A page preview renders so you can see where the header and footer will appear relative to the existing content.

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Step 3 — Configure Header Zones

The header has three zones: Left, Center, and Right. Type any text into each zone. Use {{page}} to insert the current page number and {{date}} for today's date. Leave zones blank to skip them.

Tip: For legal documents, a common setup is: Left = company name, Center = document title, Right = {{page}} of total pages.

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Step 4 — Configure Footer Zones

The footer works the same way as the header. Typical footer content: Left = document date or version, Center = confidentiality notice, Right = page number.

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Step 5 — Choose Font, Size, and Color

Select from Helvetica, Times Roman, or Courier in regular or bold. Set font size (typically 8–10pt for headers/footers) and pick a text color using the color picker. Adjust opacity if you want subtle watermark-style text.

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Step 6 — Download the Updated PDF

Click Apply and Download. The header and footer are permanently embedded on every page of the PDF. Processing runs entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server.

Add Header & Footer to PDF — Free →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip the header or footer on the first page?

Yes. Enable the "Skip First Page" option to leave the cover or title page without a header/footer while applying it to all other pages.

Can I use page numbers like "Page 1 of 10"?

Yes. Type Page {{page}} of in the zone and the tool automatically fills in the total page count for each page.

What fonts are supported?

The tool supports Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Times Roman, Times Bold, Courier, and Courier Bold — the standard PDF core fonts that work without embedding.

Can I add a header to a password-protected PDF?

The PDF must be unlocked first. Use the Unlock PDF tool at pdfeditor.onl/unlock-pdf, then add the header/footer.

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