Page layout
How do I add a header, footer or page numbers to a PDF?
A header or footer is three independent slots on one line (left, centre and right) and page numbers are a token that becomes the real number on each page, so a title, a date and “Page 3 of 40” can all sit on the same band.
You usually do this on the PDF because you don't have the original. The file came from somebody else or from a system, or it was put together from several sources and the numbering needs to run across all of it.
Three slots, one line
A header is not one piece of text. It is three, and they behave independently:
- Left: usually the document or company name.
- Centre: usually the page number, or a status like "Draft".
- Right: usually the date, or "Page 3 of 40".
They are separate because one line of text padded with spaces can't keep its position. Change the font or the page width and the spacing is wrong. Three slots, each anchored to its own edge, stay where they were put.
Header & Footer works this way, and the footer is the same three slots at the bottom of the sheet.
Page numbers that count themselves
Typing "Page 1" into a header puts "Page 1" on every page, which is not what anyone wants. Instead you insert a placeholder that becomes the real value on each sheet:
- Page number: 1, 2, 3 as the document goes.
- Total pages: how many there are.
- Today's date: the date the header was added.
- File name: the document's own name.
So "Page number of Total pages" in the right-hand slot produces "Page 1 of 40", "Page 2 of 40", and so on.
Numbering only part of a document
This is the one that catches people out. A report with front matter usually should not number the cover and contents, and should start "1" at the introduction.
Two settings handle it:
- Which pages: choose the range the band appears on, so the cover stays clean.
- Start at: the number the first numbered page gets. Set the range to pages 5 onwards and "Start at" to 1, and page 5 of the file becomes page 1 of the numbering.
Where the band sits
You can change the distance from the edge, and it matters more than it sounds. A header too close to the top runs into whatever the document already has up there. Too far down and it runs into the body text. Watch the preview instead of guessing. The band is drawn on the document as you type.
If the text is too long
Write as much as you like. When a band's three slots together are wider than the page, the text is made smaller to fit, so nothing is cut off or runs past the edge. If it comes out very small, write less.
Header, footer or watermark?
Different jobs:
| What it is for | |
|---|---|
| Header & Footer | A line of information at the top or bottom: title, date, page number |
| Page Numbers | Numbering alone, when that is all you need |
| Watermark | A mark *across* the page: DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, a logo |
A watermark sits over the content. A header sits above it, in the margin, and should not overlap anything.
Common questions
Can I number only some of the pages?
Yes. Choose the page range the band applies to, and set the number the first numbered page should get. A cover and contents can stay unnumbered while the body starts at 1.
Will the header overlap the document's own content?
It can, if the margin is too small for that document. The band is drawn on the page as you type, so you can see the overlap and move it before applying.
What happens if I write too much?
The type scales down so everything fits inside the page. Nothing is cut off and nothing runs past the edge.
Can I remove a header I added?
Applying again replaces the band rather than layering a second one on top, and undo removes it entirely before saving.