Add a Header or Footer to Every PDF Page
A footer is the cheapest way to make a loose stack of pages traceable. One line, applied everywhere, with tokens that fill themselves in.
What this tool does
Adds one line of text to a header or footer position on every page, with tokens such as [PAGE_ARABIC], [PAGE_ROMAN] and [TOTAL_PAGES] so the same line numbers itself per page.
How it works
Write the line, choose one of the six positions, set the font and the starting number, and decide whether to keep the existing margins or widen them to make room. The preview shows the line on the real page, so a footer that collides with content is visible before you save.
- Choose the PDF, or drag it onto the page.
- Set header/footer line and location on page — the settings below explain what each one changes.
- Run the tool and download the result.
Settings that decide the result
- Location on page — Header left, Header center, Header right, Footer left, Footer center, Footer right
- Font — Times New Roman, Helvetica, Courier
- Document margins — Leave unchanged, Increase margins
- Header/footer line — Compose with [PAGE_ARABIC], [PAGE_ROMAN], [TOTAL_PAGES_ARABIC] and [BASE_NAME].
The remaining 3 controls stay on the tool page, where each one sits next to the live preview.
When to reach for it
- Every page needs a case or client reference. One line, every page, no manual typing.
- The document needs page x of y. [PAGE_ARABIC] and [TOTAL_PAGES] do the counting.
Questions we get
Can I skip numbering the cover page?
Yes — switch first-page-off on and the cover stays clean while headers start on page two. You can also choose the starting number and exactly what the line says.
Where it fits
The tools people usually open next to Header & Footer:
- Bates Numbering — Bates stamp multiple files at once.
- Deskew — Automatically straighten and deskew scanned PDF pages.
- Create Bookmarks — Add, modify and remove bookmarks from PDF document outline
Every tool works on a copy, so the original file is never modified. Uploads are stored under an unguessable id and deleted automatically two hours after you last open them; nothing is listed, shared or indexed. More on the security page.