Sejda PDF

Header & footer

Add running titles, dates and labels to every page.

Drag & drop your files here

Supported: PDF

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About Header & footer

Place text in the top or bottom margin with dynamic placeholders for the page number, total pages, date and filename.

  • Dynamic date and page placeholders
  • Independent header and footer
  • Batch processing

How to header & footer

  1. 1

    Upload the file

    One document or a batch.

  2. 2

    Write the text

    Left, center and right slots with placeholders.

  3. 3

    Apply

    Consistent across the whole document.

A practical guide to header & footer

When a running header earns its place

Reach for headers and footers when a document will be printed, filed or circulated and each page needs to stand on its own. Contracts benefit from a matter name and date along the top; internal drafts read better with a "Confidential" line and a page-of-total count in the footer. Reports that get photocopied or split later are far easier to reassemble when every sheet carries its title and number. If you only need plain numbering, the dedicated page-numbers tool is simpler; choose header and footer when you want descriptive text, dates or a filename alongside the count, placed independently at the top and bottom of the sheet.

Keeping the text clear of your content

The most common problem is a header that lands on top of body text on edge-to-edge pages. Preview the first and last page before applying, and if your layout runs close to the paper edge, add a little white space with the margins tool first so the header has room to sit. Keep each slot short: a title, a date and a page count read cleanly, while a long sentence wraps and looks cramped. Match the font size to your body text rather than the largest option, and pick a position that stays consistent so a reader's eye finds the same information in the same spot on every page.

Fitting it into a larger workflow

Headers and footers usually go on last, once the document is otherwise final. If you are combining several PDFs, merge them first so the numbering placeholder counts across the whole finished file rather than restarting. Add margins before the header if pages are tight, then stamp the running text across the batch in one pass. When the file is truly done and you want the labels locked so no reader can shift or clear them, flatten it afterward. Keep your untouched original, since the header is written permanently into the copy you download and cannot be peeled back off later.

Frequently asked questions

What placeholders can I insert into the header or footer text?
You can drop in dynamic tokens for the current page number, the total page count, today's date and the source filename. Type your fixed wording around them, such as "Page {n} of {total}", and each page fills in its own values when the tool runs.
Can I put different text on the left, center and right?
Yes. Both the header and the footer have three independent slots, so you might place a report title on the left, a date in the center and a page count on the right. Leave any slot empty and it simply stays blank.
Will adding a header change my existing page numbers?
No. This tool draws its own text in the margin and does not touch numbering added earlier by another tool. If you want the two to line up, apply page numbers and the header in a consistent position so they don't collide.
Are my files kept private while the header is applied?
Yes. Uploads are processed in a temporary session, the header and footer are written into a fresh copy, and the files are deleted automatically afterward. There is no signup, and your original document is never altered.

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