Use Header Footer PDF when you need one consistent header line, one consistent footer line, or both on every structural page of an existing PDF and want the new copy created locally in your browser. The decision is not simply whether a PDF can accept text at the top or bottom; it is whether the same information should appear on every page. A repeated document title, filename, revision label, confidentiality notice, or current-and-total page count are strong reasons to add a header or footer. Because the tool applies the same configuration uniformly, it suits straightforward documents where one label and one numbering line are enough. It does not offer cover-page exclusions, separate odd/even content, section-specific rules, starting-number offsets, Roman numerals, images, hyperlinks, or rich typography. It also does not make room: the new line is drawn inside the existing page box, so body content near an edge can overlap it. Loading, font embedding, drawing, saving, and download creation run locally in the browser, so neither the source nor the generated bytes are uploaded by the tool. If every page needs the same centered text and the file is a non-empty PDF no larger than 25 MiB, this is a suitable choice. If content must move, typography must match a licensed custom font, or sections need different labels, use a desktop publishing application instead.
Make the need-to-use decision
Before opening the file, compare the requirement with four practical questions. The answer should identify a simple, document-wide label rather than a complex publishing job.
| Decision question | Use Header Footer PDF when |
|---|---|
| Should the information repeat everywhere? | The same header or footer belongs on every structural page. |
| Is one centered line per position enough? | You do not need separate odd/even pages, section rules, or cover-page exceptions. |
| Is simple standard text sufficient? | You do not need images, custom fonts, rich formatting, or multilingual branding that requires embedded fonts. |
| Can the edge area accommodate new text? | Existing content can remain in place without covering or being covered by the added line. |
A strong use case is a centered confidentiality notice, a document title, a filename, a revision name, or a footer such as Page {page} of {pages}. These are labels that remain meaningful on every page. By contrast, do not choose the tool merely because a PDF lacks a footer when different sections require different wording. A publishing application provides the page-level control needed for those exceptions.
Understand the behavior before editing
The generated file preserves the source page boxes, page order, existing visible content, and original page count. The new header and footer are additional PDF content, not a viewer-only overlay. Numbering always begins at one, and {pages} always represents the source document's structural page count before any text is added. Only the exact lowercase strings {page} and {pages} are replaced, wherever they appear; other brace text is left unchanged.
| Control or condition | Supported value or behavior |
|---|---|
| Source file | A non-empty PDF no larger than 25 MiB. Encrypted, damaged, unsupported, oversized, or incorrectly labeled files produce a visible error. |
| Header and footer | Each field is optional and accepts one line. Fields are trimmed and limited to 120 Unicode characters. |
| Page tokens | {page} becomes the current one-based page number; {pages} becomes the total structural page count. |
| Font size | A whole value from 6 through 36 points. An oversized line is reduced one point at a time to a 6-point floor. |
| Edge margin | A whole value from 0 through 200 points. |
| Alignment | Both lines are horizontally centered. There are no separate left and right positions. |
| Page scope | The same configuration is applied to every structural page, without a cover-page exclusion. |
| Font | Standard Helvetica supports a practical Latin character set, but not every writing system or emoji. |
| Download name | The source filename base is retained, followed by -header-footer.pdf. |
If the embedded Helvetica font cannot encode the entered text, file creation fails visibly instead of silently removing unsupported characters. For multilingual branding, a custom licensed font, or precise typographic control, use a desktop publishing application that can embed the font you need. The tool does not create multi-line fields, images, different odd/even content, section-specific numbering, Bates numbering, dynamic dates, rich fonts, or hyperlinks.
Add the header or footer
- Choose a local PDF. Open Header Footer PDF and select a non-empty PDF no larger than 25 MiB. The source is processed in the browser rather than uploaded.
- Enter the repeated text. Add a header, a footer, or both. Keep each field to one line and no more than 120 Unicode characters after trimming. To show page numbers, enter the exact lowercase tokens {page} and {pages}; a footer such as Page {page} of {pages} will show the current page and total on each page.
- Set the font size and edge margin. Choose a whole-number font size from 6 through 36 points and a whole-number edge margin from 0 through 200 points. These settings control the requested appearance, although the font may be reduced when a line is too wide.
- Create and download the new PDF. Select Add header and footer. The browser opens the source, expands the page tokens for each structural page, measures each line with the embedded Helvetica font, centers it within the existing page box, and saves the new content as a separate PDF. Download the current copy; its filename retains the source base and adds -header-footer.pdf.
Changing a setting revokes the previous download so that an outdated configuration cannot be mistaken for the current one. A stale asynchronous job also cannot replace a newer file or text choice. After making an adjustment, create the file again and download the newly generated version.
Fit the line within the page
The margin is measured in points. With the requested font size, the header is positioned below the top edge using the selected margin, while the footer begins above the bottom edge using that margin. Both lines are centered from their actual measured text width rather than stretched to fill the page.
When a line exceeds the usable page width, the tool reduces its font size one point at a time down to the 6-point floor. It does not stretch, wrap, or silently remove the text. Very narrow pages or excessive margins can still leave little usable space, so inspect the result even after successful creation. The tool does not create white space, detect a safe margin, move body content, read document language, or avoid logos and crop marks. Existing content near an edge can therefore overlap the new header or footer.
Check the downloaded copy
A successful file creation does not prove that the placement is visually suitable. Open the downloaded PDF and review the top and bottom edges on the first and last pages, along with any page containing unusual content. Confirm that the added text is legible, centered, fully present, and not covering diagrams, tables, signatures, logos, crop marks, or body copy. Also check that page numbering begins at one and that the displayed total matches the source document.
If the line is too prominent or overlaps existing material, reduce the font size or margin and create a fresh copy. If the underlying body content must be moved to create a safe area, use a desktop publishing application for that layout work. Always work from the most recent download because changing settings revokes earlier output.
Match the method to the final requirement
Header Footer PDF is appropriate for straightforward centered labels, confidentiality notices, filenames, revision names, and simple page numbering across an entire document. It is not the right choice for a cover that must remain untouched, section-specific wording, separate odd/even pages, a starting-number offset, Roman numerals, Bates numbering, dynamic dates, image-based branding, custom fonts, hyperlinks, or rich layout control.
For a simple centered page-number footer with numbering that starts at one, use Header Footer PDF. Related workflow: Add Page Numbers to PDF workflow If you need licensed typography or changes to the document body, use a desktop publishing application. For one uniform label or page-count footer, Header Footer PDF provides the shorter local workflow described above.