Home › PDF utility › Header & Footer
Header & Footer
Header & Footer writes running text into the top-right and bottom areas of every page — document titles, client names, reference numbers or confidentiality notices. Unlike page numbers, it is free text you control.
How to use Header & Footer
- Upload the document that needs running head or foot text.
- Enter the header and footer strings, including placeholders such as the page index if you need them.
- Apply the stamp and download the updated file.
Where Header & Footer is useful
- Adding a case or matter reference to the top of every page.
- Stamping client names onto a proposal before sending it.
- Putting a confidentiality notice in the footer of every sheet.
Formats, algorithms and limits
Text is drawn as vector content near the page edges with a standard font and a light grey colour so it does not compete with the body. Existing content is not re-encoded, and the stamps appear on every page in the run.
Troubleshooting and honest limits
- Keep header and footer text short so it does not collide with wide tables or footnotes.
- Leave the outer margin free — 30 points from the edge is comfortable for most printers.
- Add page numbers separately if you also need a counter; the Header & Footer fields are plain text.
Frequently asked questions
Can I include the page number in the footer text?
Use the dedicated Add page numbers tool for counters — it handles the incrementing sequence, while this tool stamps fixed text on every page.
Does the stamp cover existing content?
It is drawn in the margin band. If a page has content running to the very edge, choose a position that overlaps as little as possible.
Can I use different text on odd and even pages?
Run the tool twice — split the document by odd and even pages first, stamp each set, then merge them back together.
Are the stamps searchable?
Yes. Header and footer text is embedded as real page text, so search and copy see it.
Related tools
Page written and reviewed by the FreeConvertio engineering team on 2026-10-14. Header & Footer runs entirely in your browser — no uploads, no account and no daily limits.