Need every page of a contract to say "Draft" at the top? Typing it into each page by hand takes ages. The Add PDF Header tool stamps one line of text near the top edge of every page.
It is made for office staff, students, and freelancers who share files that need a label. You type the text, pick left, center, or right, and download the result. The tool offers no other formatting choices.
Table of Contents
- What Add PDF Header Does
- How to Use It, Step by Step
- How It Works
- Where the Header Lands
- Privacy and File Handling
- Example: Marking a Contract as a Draft
- Tips and Related Tools
- Limitations
- FAQs About the Add PDF Header Tool
What Add PDF Header Does
The tool writes your text onto every page of the PDF. It has two settings and one button.
- Header Text: the line to print. The sample text is "CONFIDENTIAL - Internal Use Only".
- Alignment: a menu with Center, Left, and Right. Center is the default.
- Download PDF with Header applies the text and saves the file.
How to Use It, Step by Step
- Drop a PDF on the box that reads "Drag & drop PDF to add header", or click it and choose a file.
- Wait until the status line reads "PDF loaded. Ready to apply header."
- Replace the sample text in Header Text with your own line.
- Pick an option from Alignment.
- Press Download PDF with Header. Your browser saves pdf-with-header.pdf.
- Open the saved file and check the top of a few pages.
Always change the sample text, because it prints exactly as shown. When the build finishes, the status line reads "Done. Header added to 8 pages. Your download has started." for an eight page file.
How It Works
The tool opens your PDF with the pdf-lib library and loads the Helvetica font. It then visits each page and draws your text near the top edge of the visible area.
Upload PDF→Type Header Text→Choose Alignment→Stamp Every Page→Download
The same text goes on every page. The code has no page range, no page numbers, and no date field. If you leave Header Text empty, the tool shows "Enter the header text first." and saves nothing.
Where the Header Lands
- The text is 10 point Helvetica in dark gray. Long text shrinks, but never below 6 points.
- The baseline sits 24 points below the top edge of the page.
- Left alignment starts 36 points, or half an inch, from the left edge.
- Right alignment ends 36 points from the right edge.
- Center alignment places the text in the middle of the page width.
- Rotated pages get the text turned to follow the visible top edge.
The text is drawn on top of the page. It is not placed in a reserved margin. If your page content reaches the top edge, the header may overlap it. The text is also written as a single line without wrapping.
Privacy and File Handling
Your PDF stays in your browser. The code reads the file into memory, adds the text with pdf-lib, and saves it through a browser download. It does not send the file to a server.
The pdf-lib script itself loads from a public code host. That script holds no copy of your file.
Example: Marking a Contract as a Draft
Dana Whitfield has an eight page vendor agreement. Her lawyer wants each page marked before review. Dana uploads the file and sees "PDF loaded. Ready to apply header."
| Setting | Dana Chooses |
|---|
| Header Text | Draft for Legal Review |
| Alignment | Right |
She presses Download PDF with Header. The saved file still has eight pages. On a US Letter page, the text ends half an inch from the right edge. It sits 24 points below the top, which is about one third of an inch.
Tips and Related Tools
Keep the header short, since the code does not wrap long lines. Use plain letters and numbers. Emoji or non-Latin letters bring up a message that the built-in Helvetica font cannot print them.
For a matching label at the bottom, try the PDF footer tool. Numbered pages need the page numbers tool. The add date to PDF tool stamps a date instead of free text.
A large diagonal label works better with the watermark tool. To clear an old header, use Remove Header & Footer. A title page is the job of the cover page tool. You can find more in the PDF tools hub.
Limitations
- You cannot choose the font, color, or distance from the top edge. The size is 10 points unless long text shrinks it.
- The header goes on every page. You cannot skip the first page or pick a range.
- Text too long even at 6 points gets the message "The header text is too long to fit the narrowest page."
- The text sits on top of existing content and does not make room for itself.
- An encrypted PDF shows a message to remove the password first. A damaged one shows "The header could not be added."
- The tool handles one PDF at a time.
FAQs About the Add PDF Header
Does the tool upload my PDF?
No. The file is read and changed in your browser, then saved to your device. The code sends it nowhere.
Can I add a header to only some pages?
No. The tool stamps every page with the same text. Split the file first if you need a different result.
Can I change the font or color?
No. The text is always Helvetica in dark gray, at 10 points or smaller if it must shrink. Only the text and the alignment can change.
Will the header overlap my page content?
It can. The text is drawn on top of the page, 24 points from the top edge. Check a few pages after you download.
Does the tool change my original file?
No. It saves a new file named pdf-with-header.pdf. Your original stays on your device unchanged.
What if I clear the Header Text box?
The tool will not build a file. It asks you to enter the text first, so you cannot stamp a blank line by accident.
This tool runs in your web browser and may not handle every PDF file, font, or browser the same way. Keep a backup of your original file. Reviewed for general accuracy by Prof. Dr. Khalil Mudassar, PhD.