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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To add a header or footer to every page of an existing PDF, create the header or footer as page content, then merge or insert it while iterating over the destination pages. pypdf is a good fit when your overlay is already a PDF page; PyMuPDF is convenient when you want to draw text or place an image at explicit coordinates. Both approaches preserve the original document and let you choose whether the new content appears above or below it.
Choose the right approach
| Need | Best approach | How placement works |
|---|---|---|
| An overlay already designed as a PDF page | pypdf | Merge the stamp page onto each destination page; use a transformation for translation or scaling. |
| Text, logos or images positioned by coordinates | PyMuPDF | Insert text or an image into a rectangle on each page. |
| Foreground or background content | Either | Use over=True for content above existing artwork or over=False for an underlay. |
Keep the header or footer inside each page’s media box and reserve enough margin that it does not cover body text. PDF coordinates are measured in points; a common print convention is 72 points per inch, but the existing document’s geometry—not an assumed paper size—should determine your coordinates.
Method 1: merge a prepared overlay with pypdf
Install the library
python -m pip install pypdfCreate a one-page file named header_footer.pdf. Its page should have the same intended page size as the input, with the header, footer, logo or page-number artwork in the correct locations. You can create that stamp with a PDF library, a design tool, or a template generated by your application.
Merge the overlay onto every page
from pypdf import PdfReader, PdfWriter
stamp = PdfReader("header_footer.pdf").pages[0]
reader = PdfReader("input.pdf")
writer = PdfWriter()
for page in reader.pages:
page.merge_page(stamp, over=True) # use over=False for an underlay
writer.add_page(page)
with open("output.pdf", "wb") as out:
writer.write(out)
merge_page() combines the stamp page’s content stream with the destination page. The same stamp can be reused for every page. With over=True, the header or footer is visible over existing content; with over=False, it becomes a background watermark and may be hidden by opaque page artwork.
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Move or resize the stamp
If the template is the wrong size or needs an offset, use merge_transformed_page() and a Transformation:
from pypdf import PdfReader, PdfWriter, Transformation
reader = PdfReader("input.pdf")
stamp = PdfReader("header_footer.pdf").pages[0]
writer = PdfWriter()
transform = (
Transformation()
.translate(tx=18, ty=0)
.scale(sx=0.9, sy=0.9)
)
for page in reader.pages:
page.merge_transformed_page(stamp, transform, over=True)
writer.add_page(page)
with open("output.pdf", "wb") as out:
writer.write(out)
Adjust tx and ty in points. Scaling around the page origin can move an element toward a corner, so inspect the result and alter the translation after scaling when necessary. To stamp only selected pages, iterate with enumerate(reader.pages) and call the merge only for the desired indices.
Handle rotated source pages
A page can have a rotation entry instead of physically rotated content. That can make an apparently correct overlay land in an unexpected position. For troublesome pages, normalize the page before merging:
from pypdf import PdfReader, PdfWriter
reader = PdfReader("input.pdf")
stamp = PdfReader("header_footer.pdf").pages[0]
writer = PdfWriter()
for page in reader.pages:
if page.rotation:
page.transfer_rotation_to_content()
page.merge_page(stamp, over=True)
writer.add_page(page)
with open("output.pdf", "wb") as out:
writer.write(out)
Normalization changes the page’s content and geometry so subsequent placement uses a consistent orientation. Test portrait and landscape pages separately; a single stamp size is rarely appropriate for mixed page dimensions.
Method 2: insert text or images with PyMuPDF
Install and open the document
python -m pip install PyMuPDFPyMuPDF exposes each page’s rectangle, allowing you to calculate a footer position from the actual width and height. The following writes text near the bottom while leaving a 12-point lower margin:
import pymupdf
doc = pymupdf.open("input.pdf")
for page in doc:
margin = 36
footer_rect = pymupdf.Rect(
margin,
page.rect.height - 36,
page.rect.width - margin,
page.rect.height - 12,
)
page.insert_textbox(
footer_rect,
"Confidential · 2026",
fontsize=9,
overlay=True,
)
doc.save("output.pdf")
The rectangle’s coordinates are x0, y0, x1, y1. Calculate from page.rect rather than hard-coding a letter or A4 width, especially when the input contains mixed sizes. overlay=True places the text above existing content; set it to False for an underlay. Check the return value of insert_textbox() in your installed version when you need to detect text that did not fit.
Add a logo or other image
For an image header, use a small rectangle inside the page bounds. The PyMuPDF basics documentation demonstrates page.insert_image(page.bound(), filename="watermark.png", overlay=False); a logo normally belongs in a much smaller rectangle:
import pymupdf
doc = pymupdf.open("input.pdf")
logo = "logo.png"
for page in doc:
rect = pymupdf.Rect(36, 18, 86, 68)
page.insert_image(rect, filename=logo, overlay=True)
doc.save("output.pdf")
For a footer image, derive the rectangle from page.rect.height, for example pymupdf.Rect(36, page.rect.height - 54, 86, page.rect.height - 18). Keep the rectangle within the page and scale the source image to avoid covering body text.
Reuse image data for large documents
When inserting the same logo repeatedly, read its bytes once and pass the data to the insertion call where supported by your PyMuPDF version. Reusing image data avoids needless file reads and can reduce avoidable memory and file-size overhead. Confirm the exact keyword signature against the version installed in your deployment.
Page numbers and per-page text
A single static stamp cannot automatically know the destination page number. Generate a stamp for each page, or use a coordinate-based API and calculate the label during iteration:
import pymupdf
doc = pymupdf.open("input.pdf")
total = len(doc)
for number, page in enumerate(doc, start=1):
rect = pymupdf.Rect(36, page.rect.height - 36, page.rect.width - 36, page.rect.height - 12)
page.insert_textbox(
rect,
f"Page {number} of {total}",
fontsize=9,
align=pymupdf.TEXT_ALIGN_CENTER,
overlay=True,
)
doc.save("numbered.pdf")
For pypdf, create a separate one-page stamp containing each page’s number, then merge the matching stamp while iterating. This is useful when the footer includes complex PDF artwork, but it requires generating or caching those stamp pages.
Preservation, output, and security considerations
- Preservation: merging adds content; it does not reflow paragraphs or reserve margin automatically. If the original text reaches the edge, move the overlay or regenerate the source with a larger margin.
- Forms and annotations: verify interactive fields, links and annotations after writing. A visual overlay is separate from form-field values and does not replace them.
- Encrypted files: decrypt with the permitted password before editing. Do not bypass access controls; honor the document owner’s permissions.
- Fonts and transparency: embed fonts in generated stamp PDFs when portability matters, and test transparent PNGs against both light and dark page backgrounds.
- Atomic writes: write to a temporary output and replace the final file only after the writer closes successfully, so a failed run does not destroy the input.
- Validation: reopen the output, count pages, and inspect portrait, landscape, rotated and unusually sized pages before distributing it.
Troubleshooting
The header is invisible
Check that the stamp is inside the destination page’s bounds, that the merge uses over=True, and that the stamp’s color or transparency contrasts with the page. An underlay can be hidden by an opaque background.
The footer covers body text
Move it farther from the content area, reduce its rectangle or font size, or regenerate the source PDF with a reserved bottom margin. Neither library can infer where the document’s meaningful text ends.
Content is shifted on rotated pages
Inspect page.rotation. With pypdf, call transfer_rotation_to_content() before merging and then test each orientation. With PyMuPDF, calculate from the page’s exposed rectangle rather than assuming the original orientation.
Text does not fit in a PyMuPDF rectangle
Increase the rectangle height, reduce the font size, shorten the string or use a larger margin. Treat a negative or otherwise unsuccessful insertion result as a layout error instead of silently shipping a clipped footer.
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The output file is unexpectedly large
Do not recreate or embed a separate high-resolution image for every page. Reuse image data, use an appropriately sized logo and avoid rasterizing the entire PDF when only a small overlay is needed.
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Open the result in at least two PDF viewers and inspect transparency, fonts, links and annotations. PDF rendering differences are often exposed by unusual blend modes, missing fonts or nonstandard page boxes.
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FAQ
Can I add a header without rebuilding the PDF?
Yes. Prepare a one-page overlay and merge it with pypdf, or insert text and images directly with PyMuPDF. The original page content remains in place.
Should I use a stamp or a watermark?
Use a foreground stamp for a readable header or footer. Use an underlay when the new content should sit behind existing artwork; choose over=False in the relevant operation.
Do all pages need the same overlay size?
No. Mixed page sizes and rotations often need page-specific coordinates or stamps. Calculate positions from each page’s geometry.
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Can I add a header without rebuilding the PDF?
Yes. Prepare a one-page overlay and merge it with pypdf, or insert text and images directly with PyMuPDF.
Should I use a stamp or a watermark?
Use foreground content for a readable header or footer; use an underlay when it should sit behind existing artwork.
Do all pages need the same overlay size?
No. Mixed page sizes and rotations often require page-specific coordinates or stamps.
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