Add Header and Footer to PDF Online Free

Type custom text into 6 header and footer zones, insert page numbers, the current date, or your filename automatically, and choose your font size and color. Runs entirely in your browser.

No adsNo signupNo file uploadsUnlimited use6 zones

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PDF up to 50MB

No adsNo signupNo file uploadsUnlimited use

OneClickPDF's add header and footer to PDF tool lets you label every page of any PDF document directly in your browser, with no file uploads and no account required. Choose from six independent text zones spanning the top and bottom of each page, insert smart variables for page numbers, total pages, the current date, or the document filename, and apply your own font size and text color. Your file is processed entirely on your device and is never sent to any server.

How it works

How to Add a Header and Footer to a PDF in 3 Steps

Three steps. Type your text into any of the six zones, drop in page numbers, the date, or the filename, preview every page, and download — all in your browser.

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Step 1: Upload Your PDF
Drop your document onto the page or click to browse. Your file loads directly into your browser's memory — nothing is sent to a server at any point during this step.
02
Step 2: Set Up Your Header and Footer
Type your text into any of the six zones (top-left, top-center, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-center, bottom-right). Click the variable buttons to insert the page number, total pages, the current date, or the filename automatically — combine page and total for formats like 'Page 3 of 12'. Then set the font size and text color, adjust the top, bottom, and side margins, and choose whether to apply the header and footer to all pages, odd pages only, even pages only, or a custom page range. A live preview shows exactly how every page will look.
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Step 3: Download Your Updated PDF
Click Apply & Download and your PDF is ready in seconds. No waiting, no email required, and no watermark added. The header and footer text is drawn directly onto the page, so your original content stays untouched and selectable, and your file never leaves your device.

Everything You Need to Label a PDF Professionally

Six independent zones, smart variables, font and color control, margin and page-range targeting, and a live preview — all running entirely in your browser.

Six independent text zones

Three zones run across the top of every page (left, center, right) and three across the bottom. Each zone is fully independent — leave any empty or fill all six. Put a company name in the top-left, a page number in the top-center, and a document title in the top-right, all at once. That is the layout flexibility of a desktop PDF editor without the cost or the install.

Smart variables for page numbers, date, and filename

The page number variable inserts the current page number into whichever zone you choose. Pair it with the total pages variable to display 'Page 3 of 12' automatically, and set the starting number to skip front matter. The date variable inserts the current date for version control, and the filename variable pulls the document's name into the header or footer to identify archived copies at a glance.

Font size and color control

Set the exact font size and pick any text color with the color picker so your header and footer match a company brand, a department color code, or any style standard your team uses. Free tools from SmallPDF and PDF24 do not offer both — OneClickPDF does, and the color you choose is applied faithfully to the output.

Margins and page targeting

Dial in the top, bottom, and side margins in points to place each zone exactly where you want it. Then choose where the header and footer apply: all pages, odd pages only, even pages only, or a custom page range like '2-10, 15'. A separate skip-pages field lets you exclude individual pages such as a cover.

Live preview of every page

Before you download anything, a live preview renders every page as a thumbnail with your resolved header and footer text overlaid in its real position and size. Skipped pages are clearly marked. Adjust your text, margins, or scope and the preview updates instantly, so you are never guessing how the final file will look.

Zero uploads, genuinely private

Unlike every competitor in this space, OneClickPDF uses client-side PDF processing. Your document is loaded into your browser's memory and stamped with pdf-lib. Nothing is transmitted to any server at any point, and your original page content stays selectable rather than rasterized. When you close the tab, the file is gone — no logs, no storage, no data sharing.

6 Zones. Smart Variables. Zero Uploads.

Every competitor that offers a PDF header and footer tool uploads your file to their server the moment you hit the process button. That means your contracts, financial reports, legal filings, and confidential documents travel over a network and sit on a third-party server for at least a brief window. OneClickPDF eliminates that risk entirely — your PDF never leaves your browser.

Most free online alternatives give you a single header line and a single footer line. OneClickPDF gives you six. Top-left, top-center, and top-right are fully independent zones. So are bottom-left, bottom-center, and bottom-right. Add a company name in one, a page number in another, and a document title in a third — all at the same time, each with its own variables.

Free, with no hidden limits. There is no daily cap, no hourly restriction, no file count limit, and no watermark added to your document. There is no enforced file-size cap either — your file size is bounded only by your device's available browser memory.

Why choose ours?

6 zones. Smart variables. Zero uploads.

Every competitor uploads your file to their server. Ours never does — header & footer processing happens entirely in your browser.

Feature	SmallPDF	iLovePDF	Sejda	PDF24	Adobe	Ours
Free & unlimited	✗ 2/hr	✗ Daily	✗ 3/hr	✓	✗ Paid	✓
No account needed	✗	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓
Files stay in browser	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓
No ads or interruptions	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓
6-zone layout	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓
Text variables	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓
Date variable	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓
Filename variable	✗	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓
Font selection	✗	✓	✓	✗	✓	✓
Color picker	✗	✓	✗	✓	✓	✓
Odd/even page support	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓
No file size limit	✗	✗	✗ 50MB	✓	✗	✓

Competitor information was accurate at time of publication and may have changed.

When You Need to Add Headers and Footers to a PDF

Adding page numbers to a thesis, research paper, or legal brief before submission
Inserting a company name, document title, or confidentiality notice on every page of a business report
Stamping the current date onto document pages for version control or archival purposes
Labelling pages with "Draft" or "Confidential" in the header for internal review
Adding the document filename to each page so printed copies can be traced back to their source file
Targeting odd-only or even-only pages — and running a second pass with different text — for professionally bound reports or booklets, or adding a diagonal watermark across the page body instead

Finished labelling your pages? add dedicated page numbers with more numbering styles — or watermark, merge, or compress your PDF next. All tools run in your browser, no account required.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a header and footer to a PDF for free online?

Go to oneclickpdf.net/tools/header-footer and upload your PDF. Type your text into any of the six available zones across the top and bottom of the page, pick a font size and text color, and click Apply & Download. Your PDF is processed entirely in your browser with no file uploads and no account required. Download the result immediately, completely free.

Can I add page numbers to a PDF header or footer without Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. OneClickPDF's header and footer tool includes a page number variable that automatically inserts the correct page number on every page of your document. You can also add a total pages variable to display formats like 'Page 3 of 12', and set the starting number so numbering can begin at any value. No Adobe Acrobat subscription or installation is needed — the tool is free and works directly in your browser.

What is a PDF header and footer?

A PDF header is a line or block of text that appears at the top of every page in a document. A PDF footer is the same element at the bottom of every page. Headers and footers are used to display page numbers, document titles, company names, dates, chapter names, confidentiality notices, and similar repeating information. They are placed in fixed positions in the page margins so they appear consistently across all pages, outside the main content area.

How do I insert the current date automatically into a PDF header or footer?

Use the date variable in OneClickPDF's header and footer tool. After uploading your PDF, click into any of the six text zones and press the Date button — the tool inserts a {date} token that is replaced with the current date on every page when you apply. This is particularly useful for document version control and timestamped archival copies. The date variable is not available in Sejda or PDF24's free tools, but it is available in OneClickPDF at no cost.

Can I apply a header and footer to only odd or only even pages?

Yes. OneClickPDF's 'Apply To' control lets you target all pages, odd-numbered pages only, even-numbered pages only, or a custom page range such as '2-10, 15'. There is also a separate 'skip pages' field to exclude individual pages from whichever scope you choose. If you need genuinely different text on odd and even pages — for example a chapter name on left pages and the document title on right pages in a bound report — run the tool twice: once with your odd-page text targeting odd pages, then again with your even-page text targeting even pages.

How do I add the document filename to a PDF header or footer?

OneClickPDF includes a filename variable in its header and footer tool. After uploading your PDF, click into whichever zone you want the filename to appear and press the Filename button — the tool inserts a {filename} token that is replaced with the document's name (without the .pdf extension) on every page. This is helpful for identifying printed copies or archived files when the document title is not visible on the page itself.

Is it safe to add headers and footers to a PDF online?

With most online tools, adding a header or footer means uploading your file to a third-party server. OneClickPDF does not upload your file at all. The entire process runs inside your browser using client-side JavaScript — pdfjs-dist renders the preview and pdf-lib stamps the text. Your document is never transmitted over a network, never stored on any server, and is gone the moment you close the tab. This makes it safe to use even for confidential, legally privileged, or personally sensitive documents.

How many text zones does OneClickPDF's header and footer tool have?

OneClickPDF provides six independent text zones: top-left, top-center, and top-right for the header, and bottom-left, bottom-center, and bottom-right for the footer. Each zone can contain different text and its own variables, and you can use all six at once or leave some empty. For example, you might put a company name in the top-left, a page number in the top-center, and a date in the bottom-right — all in a single pass.

What is the difference between a PDF header and footer and a watermark?

A PDF header and footer adds text to the fixed top and bottom margins of every page, typically for page numbers, titles, or dates. A watermark is text or an image overlaid on the main content area of each page, often used to indicate document status such as 'Draft', 'Confidential', or 'Sample'. Headers and footers sit in the margin space and do not interfere with page content, while watermarks sit on top of the page content. OneClickPDF has separate tools for each purpose — use the watermark tool when you need a diagonal stamp across the page body.

Can I add a header and footer to a PDF without uploading it?

Yes, using OneClickPDF. Unlike SmallPDF, iLovePDF, Sejda, PDF24, and Adobe's online tools, OneClickPDF processes your PDF entirely inside your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your file is loaded into memory locally, modified, and returned to you for download without ever being transmitted to any server. This is the only free online header and footer tool in this category that offers true zero-upload processing, with no enforced file-size cap — your file size is limited only by your device's available browser memory.

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Add Header and Footer to PDF Online Free

How to Add a Header and Footer to a PDF in 3 Steps

Step 1: Upload Your PDF

Step 2: Set Up Your Header and Footer

Step 3: Download Your Updated PDF