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Add a Watermark to a PDF

Mark a document as DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or with your own name. Adjust the size, transparency, angle and placement and see the result on the first page as you go.

  • Files stay on your device
  • No sign-up
  • Free to use

How to use PDF Watermark

  1. Drop your PDF onto the upload area. A preview of the first page appears.
  2. Type the watermark text and adjust size, opacity, colour and angle while watching the preview.
  3. Choose a single centred stamp or a repeating tiled pattern, and limit it to certain pages if needed.
  4. Select Add watermark and download the stamped PDF.

PDF Watermark features

Live preview

Every change to the text, size or opacity is shown on the first page before you apply it.

Centre or tiled layout

Place one large stamp in the middle or repeat it across the page to discourage cropping.

Any language

The text is rendered with your system fonts, so accents, non-Latin scripts and symbols all work.

Fine opacity control

Go from a faint background mark to a bold stamp.

Selected pages only

Apply the watermark to the whole document or to a page range such as 2-5.

Private

The PDF is stamped in your browser and never leaves your device.

When to use PDF Watermark

  • Marking a contract or report as DRAFT before it is finalised.
  • Labelling confidential documents sent outside the organisation.
  • Adding your name or studio to a portfolio or proof you send to a client.
  • Stamping a recipient's name on a copy so leaked copies can be traced.

PDF Watermark FAQ

Can the watermark be removed afterwards?

The watermark is added as an extra layer on each page. Someone with a PDF editor and enough effort can remove it. For stronger deterrence, use the tiled layout and consider converting the pages to images.

Does the watermark cover the text?

It is drawn on top of the page content with the transparency you choose. At 10–25% opacity the document stays fully readable.

Can I use an image or logo as a watermark?

This tool adds text watermarks. Emoji and symbols are supported because the text is drawn by the browser.

Will the file get much bigger?

No. The stamp is stored once and reused on every page, so the size increase is typically a few kilobytes.

Can I watermark only some pages?

Yes. Enter a range such as 1, 3-6 in the pages field. Leave it empty to stamp every page.

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Choosing watermark settings that work

A watermark has to balance two goals: being obvious enough to carry its message and unobtrusive enough that the document remains readable. A diagonal stamp at 15–25% opacity in a neutral grey or red is the conventional choice for DRAFT and CONFIDENTIAL marks because it crosses lines of text without hiding them.

A single centred stamp is easy to crop out of a screenshot. Tiling repeats the text across the whole page, which makes it much harder to remove and is a better choice when the purpose is to discourage redistribution. For personalised copies, using the recipient's name or email address as the watermark text is a simple and effective deterrent.

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