Add Header & Footer to PDF

Put a line of text at the top or bottom of every page, with the page number, page count, date, file name or a Bates number filled in for you.

About this tool

Add Header & Footer to PDF — Page Numbers, Date, Bates Numbers

Put a line of text at the top or bottom of every page, with the page number, page count, date, file name or a Bates number filled in for you. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, no sign-up, no watermark and no file size limit.

Left, Centre and Right

Header and footer each have three slots. Type plain text and insert placeholders for the page number, the page count, the date, the file name and the Bates number.

Bates Numbering

Number legal and audit documents with a prefix and a fixed number of digits, starting at any number.

Follows the Final Page Order

Numbers are filled in after pages are reordered, inserted or deleted in the editor, and lines stay upright on rotated pages.

How to use it

  1. Drop the PDF. The editor opens with the Document tab showing Header & footer.
  2. Type into the header or footer slots, or click Add page numbers or Add Bates numbers for a ready-made line.
  3. Insert placeholders such as Page number or Date where the caret is.
  4. Set the font size, the distance from the edge, the first number, and whether to skip the first page.
  5. Check the preview on the page, then download the edited PDF.

Frequently asked questions

Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?

No. Toolula processes the document inside your browser tab with pdf-lib and WebAssembly, so the file never leaves your device.

Can I leave the cover page without a header?

Yes. Tick Skip the first page; numbering then starts on the second page.

Can I add a watermark in the same step?

Yes. The Document tab also has a text watermark with opacity, angle and colour.

I only need page numbers.

Add Page Numbers is a simpler tool for just that: pick a corner and a format.

Is it really free?

Yes. You can use every Toolula PDF tool for free, without an account. The free plan has fair-use limits; Toolula Pro, an optional plan, raises them and adds advanced features.