Overview
The Custom Header field injects HTML directly into the <head> tag of the rendered form page. It loads before the page content, which makes it the right place for anything that needs to be available as soon as the form renders — external CSS files, web fonts, metadata tags, or favicons.
If you just need to apply template-specific styling rules, use the Custom CSS field instead — it's simpler and scoped to the form automatically. Custom Header is for cases where you need to reference an external resource or add head-level HTML that CSS alone can't provide.
Add a custom HTML header
- In the Receive module, go to Form management and open the relevant form template.
- Click the Custom HTML/Javascript tab.
- In the Custom Header field, enter the HTML you want injected into the
<head>of the page — for example, a<link>tag to load an external stylesheet, or a<meta>tag. - Click Update to save your changes.
- Click Publish to make the updated template live for new form instances.
What to add here
Typical uses for the Custom Header field include:
- Linking to external CSS files — load a stylesheet hosted on your CDN or design system to apply organisation-wide styles to the form.
- Loading font libraries — add a
<link>tag to Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, or a self-hosted font to ensure your brand typeface renders correctly. - Adding metadata — include
<meta>tags for things like page description, author, or viewport overrides. - Setting a custom favicon — replace the default browser tab icon with your organisation's favicon using a
<link rel="icon">tag.
Check with your security team first: Any external resources you load via the Custom Header must comply with your organisation's security and privacy requirements. Loading third-party scripts or stylesheets from unverified sources can introduce vulnerabilities — when in doubt, host assets internally and reference them from your own CDN.
Custom Header vs Custom Footer: Custom Header is for resources that need to load before the page renders — stylesheets, fonts, metadata. If you're adding analytics tracking pixels, branding elements, or JavaScript library links that can load after the page content, the Custom Footer field is more appropriate for those.
Once saved and published, the header HTML will be included on every new instance of the form. Use Test Form to verify external resources are loading correctly before publishing.