Overview

Adding headers, footers, and page numbers to your PDF documents provides important information and improves document navigation. Adobe Acrobat offers tools to add and customize these elements easily. This guide covers both standard pagination and specialized formats like Bates numbering.

Adding Headers and Footers

Headers and footers can contain text, page numbers, dates, document titles, or other information that appears consistently throughout your document.

Steps to Add Headers and Footers

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat
2. Select All tools > Edit PDF. Alternatively, you may see the "Edit PDF" option directly in the right-hand panel if you recently used the tool.
3. Click on Header & Footer > Add. If headers or footers already exist, you'll see an Update option instead.
4. Configure the header and footer properties in the dialog box that appears:
   • Appearance settings: Choose font type, size, color, opacity, and add underline if desired.
   • Margin settings: Specify the top, bottom, left, and right margins from the edge of the page.
   • Header and Footer Text: Enter your desired text in the six available text boxes (Left, Center, and Right for both Header and Footer).
5. Insert dynamic elements (macros) as needed:
   • For page numbers, click in the desired text box, then click Insert Page Number
   • For total pages, click in the desired text box, then click Insert Total Pages
   • For date, use the date formatting options
   • For document title or filename, use the corresponding buttons
6. Specify which pages to apply the header and footer to:
   • All Pages: Applies to every page in the document
   • Pages: Allows you to specify a specific page range (e.g., 1-5, 7, 9-12)
7. Review the preview to ensure correct placement and formatting
8. Click Save Settings (optional) to save your configuration as a preset
9. Click OK to apply the header and footer
10. Save your document using Menu > Save or Menu > Save As

Adding Page Numbers

Page numbers are typically added through the header and footer functionality in Adobe Acrobat.

Basic Page Numbering

1. Follow steps 1-3 from the "Adding Headers and Footers" section above
2. Click in the text box where you want the page number to appear (commonly Center Footer)
3. Click Insert Page Number
4. For a format like "Page X of Y", type "Page " (with a space), click Insert Page Number, type " of ", then click Insert Total Pages
5. Customize the font appearance as desired
6. Click OK to apply

Customizing Page Number Appearance

The "Font" button in the Header & Footer dialog allows for significant customization:

• Font type: Choose from available fonts
• Font size: Adjust as needed for readability
• Font color: Choose a color that complements your document
• Styles: Apply bold, italic, or underline formatting

Page Range Options

You can customize which pages receive page numbers:

• Apply to all pages or a specific range
• Exclude the first page (often a title page) by setting the starting page number to 2
• Use different number formats in different sections by splitting the document, adding page numbers, then recombining

Bates Numbering (For Legal Documents)

Bates numbering (also known as Bates stamping) is often required for legal documents. This feature is available in Adobe Acrobat Pro:

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro
2. Select Tools, then search for "Bates Numbering" or Search for Bates Numbering if you don't see it under All tools.
3. Select Add Bates Numbering
4. Configure the Bates Numbering options:
   • Prefix: Add text before the number
   • Starting number: Set the first number in the sequence
   • Number of digits: Determine how many digits to use (e.g., 5 digits would format 1 as 00001)
   • Location: Specify where the Bates number will appear on the page
5. Click OK to apply

Managing Existing Headers and Footers

Removing Headers and Footers

1. Select All tools > Edit PDF
2. Click Header & Footer > Remove
3. Confirm removal when prompted

Updating Existing Headers and Footers

1. Select All tools > Edit PDF
2. Click Header & Footer > Update
3. Make your changes in the dialog box
4. Click OK to apply

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

• Page numbers not appearing: Check page range settings and font color
• Incorrect page numbers: Verify that the page number code is correctly inserted
• Overlapping content: Adjust the header or footer margins
• Different page numbering needed: Consider splitting the document, applying different numbering schemes, then recombining

Tips for Best Results

• Choose font sizes and colors that ensure readability
• Preview before applying to avoid placement issues
• Consider using different headers/footers for odd and even pages for professional layouts
• Avoid placing headers and footers where they might obscure important content

Note: This guide applies to most recent versions of Adobe Acrobat. The specific location of tools and menu options may vary slightly depending on your version. Always consult Adobe Acrobat's built-in help documentation for the most up-to-date information.

Need Additional Support?

This guide aims to provide useful information, but as technology changes, interfaces or steps might vary. Please use the Comment button to let us know if anything differs from your experience. Your feedback helps us keep this information accurate. Thank you!