Add a watermark to a PDF
Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or your logo across your pages.
or drop it here
Processed in your browser. Your files are never uploaded. How we know
How to add a watermark to a PDF
A watermark tells readers at a glance what a document is: a draft not to be relied on, a confidential copy, a sample, or a file belonging to your business. Use one-click presets for DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL and COPY, type your own words, or use your logo. Every setting updates a live preview of the page, so you can judge how strong it looks before saving.
- 1
Open your PDF
Choose or drop the file to see a preview of the first page.
- 2
Design the watermark
Text or image; size, opacity, angle, position, layer and page range.
- 3
Download
Save the watermarked copy; the original is unchanged.
Watermark features
- Text watermarks with DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL and COPY presets
- Image or logo watermarks, keeping PNG transparency
- Opacity, angle, size and position controls
- Single or tiled placement
- On top of the content or behind the text
- All pages or a page range
How the watermark is added to your pages
The watermark is drawn onto your pages in this browser tab, so the document never leaves your device.
Text watermarks are added as real text in the font you pick; images keep their transparency if they’re PNGs. Transparency (opacity) is stored the standard PDF way, so the watermark looks the same in every reader and prints as previewed.
On top places the watermark over the page content. Behind text tucks it underneath, which keeps text crisp, but on scanned pages the scan image is solid and will hide it. Watermarks deter casual reuse, but a determined person can remove them: they are not a security control.
Marking a draft contract
Choose the DRAFT preset. It appears diagonally across the centre at 45°. Set opacity to about 20% so the clauses underneath stay readable, pick a mid grey, and switch to Tiled if you want it repeated across the page so it can’t be cropped out of a screenshot. Leave the page range on All pages, save, and every page carries the mark. For a branded handout, switch to Image, choose your PNG logo, set it to 25% of the page width and place it bottom right.
Good to know
- Opacity between 15% and 30% usually marks a page clearly without making it hard to read.
- Rotation runs from −90° to 90°; the quick angles cover the common choices.
- To actually stop people opening a file, use Protect PDF to add a password.
- Adding page numbers too? Page numbers works on the watermarked file.
Related tools and guides
Watermark: frequently asked questions
Can I use my logo?
Yes. Upload a PNG or JPG and set its size and transparency. PNG logos keep their transparent background.
Can I put the watermark behind the text?
Yes. Choose Behind text. On scanned pages the scan itself may hide it, so On top with low opacity often works better.
Can a watermark be removed?
A determined person with editing software can often remove or cover one. Watermarks discourage casual reuse; they don’t secure a document.
Can I watermark only some pages?
Yes. Set a page range, such as 2-5, and the other pages are left untouched.
Will the watermark print?
Yes. It’s part of the page, so it prints exactly as it appears in the preview.