Add Header & Footer to PDF
Stamp custom header and footer text on every page of your PDF. Add a company name, document title, confidentiality notice, or any text — centred automatically on all pages, free.
Text is centred on every page. Leave a field blank to skip it.
Drop files here or tap to browse
Max 20 MB · .PDF files accepted
How to add a header and footer to a PDF
Upload Your PDF
Drag and drop your PDF into the upload area. Any PDF up to 20MB is supported.
Enter Your Text
Type the header text, footer text, or both. Choose your preferred font size.
Download Result
Click Add Header & Footer. Every page is stamped and the file downloads instantly.
Why use TryMyPdf for headers and footers?
Header + Footer Together
Set both header and footer text in one operation — or just one if you only need it on one side.
Centred on Every Page
Text is automatically centred horizontally on every page of the PDF, regardless of page size.
Adjustable Font Size
Choose from 8pt to 14pt to match the document's existing typography and margins.
No Sign-up Required
Free to use, no account needed, no watermarks added. Just upload, configure, and download.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the text placed on the page?+
Header text appears at the top centre of every page, and footer text at the bottom centre. The margin from the edge is 20 points (about 7mm).
Can I add different text to different pages?+
Not with this tool — the same header and footer is applied to every page. For page-specific headers, you would need a desktop PDF editor.
Can I use page numbers in the header or footer?+
Not dynamically — but you can use our separate Add Page Numbers tool first, then add a header/footer here if you need both. Or type static text like 'Page 1 of 10'.
Will the header/footer overlap the original content?+
The text is placed in the standard margin area (top and bottom edges). Most documents have enough margin space. If margins are very tight, there may be slight overlap.
What font is used?+
Helvetica — a clean, universally compatible sans-serif font that is embedded in the PDF standard and looks professional in all viewers.
Need sequential page numbers instead of static text? Add Page Numbers stamps numbered page references with positioning and format options.
What is Add Header and Footer to PDF?
Adding a header and footer to a PDF stamps custom text at the top and bottom of every page in the document. Unlike word processors where headers and footers are structural document elements, PDFs require a dedicated tool to overlay text in the margin area of existing pages. This tool adds centred text as a permanent content layer on each page.
When should you use it?
Add a header or footer when you need to brand a document with a company name, add a confidentiality notice to a report, include a document reference number, add a URL or contact detail at the bottom, or stamp a date across all pages before distributing.
How Add Header and Footer to PDF works under the hood
TryMyPdf loads your PDF with pdf-lib and iterates through every page. For each page, it calculates the horizontal centre and places your header text near the top margin and footer text near the bottom margin using the Helvetica font at your chosen size. The text is drawn as a native PDF text element — scalable, not rasterised — and the result is saved as a new file.
Common use cases for Add Header and Footer to PDF
Brand Internal Reports
Add a company name header to internal reports before distributing them so every page carries the organisation identity.
Confidentiality Notices
Stamp 'CONFIDENTIAL' or 'DRAFT' in the footer of sensitive documents before sharing them for review.
Document Reference Numbers
Add a project or case reference number to the header so every page is identifiable even if separated from the document.
URL or Contact Footer
Add a website URL, email address, or phone number to the footer of marketing or informational PDFs.
Date Stamping
Add the current date to the header of a document before archiving or distributing to record when the version was issued.
Court Document Preparation
Many legal filings require a case number or document identifier on every page — add it as a header in seconds.
Tips for best results
Add page numbers separately
Use the Add Page Numbers tool for sequential page numbers, then use this tool to add any additional fixed header/footer text. Both can be applied in sequence.
Keep text short for small font sizes
At 8pt or 9pt, long text may be difficult to read. Keep headers and footers concise — a few words or a short string of text works best.