Header, Footer & Bates

What can I put in a header or footer?

Any Latin-alphabet text, plus four tokens that are filled in for each page: {page} (the page number), {pages} (the last number printed), {date} (today’s date, in your time zone) and {file} (the file name without “.pdf”). Leave a position empty to skip it. Anything else in braces is printed exactly as you typed it.

What does {pages} count?

The last number actually printed — the same rule as the Page Numbers tool. If you stamp pages 2–4 of a 5-page file starting at 10, {page} reads 10, 11, 12 and {pages} reads 12 on every page. It is not the file’s physical page count.

What is Bates numbering?

A unique, sequential label — such as ABC000123 — stamped on every page of a set of documents, so each page can be cited. Choose a prefix, how many digits, the number to start at, and an optional suffix. Add several files and the sequence runs on from the last page of one into the first page of the next; the order of the list is the order of the numbers, and moving a file changes them. You download each numbered file, or all of them as one ZIP.

Does this make my documents court-ready or tamper-proof?

No. A Bates number here is a visual stamp, drawn on top of the page exactly like a page number or a watermark: anyone with a PDF editor can cover or remove it. It identifies pages for citation; it does not prove anything about them. Digital signatures and court rules are outside what this tool does.

Why does it say my text is too wide?

The three positions on a line must fit between the page margins without touching. If the left and centre texts would overlap on a narrow page, or one position is wider than the page, the tool tells you which row and which page, and keeps your settings so you can shorten the text or use a smaller font size.

Can I use accented letters, other alphabets or emoji?

Latin letters including accents (é, ü, ñ), and the usual punctuation, yes. Greek, Cyrillic, Chinese, Arabic, emoji and arrows cannot be drawn with the built-in font, and the tool says which position has the problem. A file name inserted with {file} counts too.

Will it renumber or remove Bates numbers already on my file?

No. It only adds new text on top of the pages. A Bates number or other stamp that is already printed on the file stays where it is, and the new number is drawn in addition — so stamping a file that was already numbered gives it two sets of numbers. Use Redact if an old stamp has to go.

Does it change anything else in my PDF?

No. Only the text is added; the pages, the document’s properties and everything else stay as they were. On a rotated or cropped page the text sits at the top or bottom of what you actually see, reading upright.