Add Headers and Footers in PDF Using C# and IronPDF

How can I add headers/footers during rendering?

Alternatively, you can directly add a header/footer using the renderer's RenderingOptions. This adds the text header and footer during the rendering process, which is more efficient than adding them after the PDF is created. This approach is recommended when you know the header and footer content beforehand, as it reduces processing time and ensures consistent formatting from the start.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-render-with-textheaderfooter.cs

using IronPdf;

// Instantiate renderer
ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

// Create header and add to rendering options
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "This is the header!",
};


// Create footer and add to rendering options
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "This is the footer!",
};

// Render PDF with header and footer
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World!</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("renderWithTextHeaderFooter.pdf");

What does the customized text header look like?

Which fonts are available by default?

You can see what font types are available by default in the IronPDF API Reference. IronPDF supports a wide range of standard fonts including Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, Courier, and their variations. If you need custom fonts, learn more about managing fonts in IronPDF.

How do I apply margins through rendering options?

If you add margin values in the RenderingOptions of ChromePdfRenderer, these margins will also apply to the header and footer. This approach provides a centralized way to manage margins across your entire document, including headers, footers, and main content. For more advanced margin customization, check our guide on setting custom margins.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-rendering-options-margins.cs

using IronPdf;

// Instantiate renderer and create PDF
ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

TextHeaderFooter header = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "This is the header!",
};

TextHeaderFooter footer = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "This is the footer!",
};

// Margin values are in mm
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginRight = 30;
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginLeft = 30;
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginTop = 25;
renderer.RenderingOptions.MarginBottom = 25;

// Add header and footer to renderer
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextHeader = header;
renderer.RenderingOptions.TextFooter = footer;

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World!</h1>");

Why should I avoid UseMarginsOnHeaderAndFooter?

The UseMarginsOnHeaderAndFooter property on RenderingOptions is not suitable for this use case. It applies the same margin values to the header, footer, and main content, which can cause the header to overlap with the document body. This property is primarily intended for applying headers and footers to existing PDFs using the AddTextHeadersAndFooters method. For better control over layout, consider using page breaks to manage content flow.

What is Dynamic Margin Sizing?

Static margins posed an issue when header content varied between documents. Adjustments were required not only for header and footer margins but also for the main HTML margin to accommodate different header and footer sizes. Consequently, we implemented a Dynamic Margin Sizing feature where the height of the header and footer will dynamically adjust based on content, and the main HTML will reposition accordingly. This feature is particularly useful when working with responsive CSS layouts. Use the code below to try this feature:

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-dynamic-marigns.cs

using IronPdf;

ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();

renderer.RenderingOptions.HtmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter()
{
    HtmlFragment = @"<div style='background-color: #4285f4; color: white; padding: 15px; text-align: center;'>
                    <h1>Example header</h1> <br>
                    <p>Header content</p>
                    </div>",
    // Enable the dynamic height feature
    MaxHeight = HtmlHeaderFooter.FragmentHeight,
};

PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Main HTML content</h1>");
pdf.SaveAs("dynamicHeaderSize.pdf");

Which placeholders should I use most often?

To learn more about {page} and {total-pages}, visit the IronPDF Page Numbers Guide. These placeholders are the most commonly used as they provide essential navigation information. The date and time placeholders are particularly useful for documents that need timestamp tracking, such as reports or invoices.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-mail-merge.cs

using IronPdf;

// Create header and footer
TextHeaderFooter textHeader = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "{page} of {total-pages}",
    LeftText = "Today's date: {date}",
    RightText = "The time: {time}",
};

TextHeaderFooter textFooter = new TextHeaderFooter
{
    CenterText = "Current URL: {url}",
    LeftText = "Title of the HTML: {html-title}",
    RightText = "Title of the PDF: {pdf-title}",
};

How do I control HTML header/footer margins?

Similar to text headers and footers, the AddHtmlHeaders and AddHtmlFooters methods have pre-defined margins applied to them. To apply custom margins, use an overload of the functions with the specified margin values. To span the whole content without any margins, set the margins in the overload function to 0. This level of control is essential when creating professional documents with specific layout requirements.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-htmlheaderfooter-margins.cs

// Add to PDF
pdf.AddHtmlHeaders(header, 0, 0, 0);
pdf.AddHtmlFooters(footer, 0, 0, 0);

Can I add HTML headers/footers during rendering?

Adding headers and footers can also be done directly through the renderer's RenderingOptions. This adds the HTML header and footer during the rendering process, which is more efficient than post-processing. This method is particularly useful when generating PDFs from HTML files or URL to PDF conversions.

:path=/static-assets/pdf/content-code-examples/how-to/headers-and-footers-htmlheaderfooter.cs

using IronPdf;

string headerHtml = @"
    <html>
    <head>
        <link rel='stylesheet' href='style.css'>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>This is a header!</h1>
    </body>
    </html>";

string footerHtml = @"
    <html>
    <head>
        <link rel='stylesheet' href='style.css'>
    </head>
    <body>
        <h1>This is a footer!</h1>
    </body>
    </html>";

// Instantiate renderer and create PDF
ChromePdfRenderer renderer = new ChromePdfRenderer();
PdfDocument pdf = renderer.RenderHtmlAsPdf("<h1>Hello World!</h1>");

// Create header and footer
HtmlHeaderFooter htmlHeader = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = headerHtml,
    LoadStylesAndCSSFromMainHtmlDocument = true,
};

HtmlHeaderFooter htmlFooter = new HtmlHeaderFooter
{
    HtmlFragment = footerHtml,
    LoadStylesAndCSSFromMainHtmlDocument = true,
};

// Add to PDF
pdf.AddHtmlHeaders(htmlHeader);
pdf.AddHtmlFooters(htmlFooter);

What are the performance implications?

Text headers/footers render faster because they don't require HTML parsing and CSS processing. HTML headers/footers provide more flexibility but require additional rendering time proportional to their complexity. When working with large documents or batch processing, the performance difference becomes more noticeable. For optimal performance in high-volume scenarios, consider our guide on async PDF generation.

Ready to see what else you can do? Check out our tutorial page here: Create PDFs