Watermark PDF
Add text watermarks to PDF pages
How to use Watermark PDF
Upload your PDF
Click the upload area or drag and drop your PDF file.
Configure the watermark
Enter your watermark text and adjust position (diagonal or horizontal), opacity, font size, and color.
Click Add Watermark
The watermark is applied to every page in your browser instantly.
Download the watermarked PDF
Click Download to save the result.
Drop a PDF here
Then configure your watermark
Max 50 MB
What is PDF watermarking?
PDF watermarking adds text overlaid diagonally or horizontally across every page of a PDF document. Watermarks are used to mark draft documents, identify confidential files, add copyright notices, or brand documents with a company name. For restricting access rather than visual marking, consider Protect PDF to add password protection and permission controls.
The watermark text, position, opacity, font size, and color are all configurable. The result is a standard PDF that opens in any PDF reader, with the watermark embedded as permanent page content.
Watermarking is standard practice in many professional environments. Law firms watermark draft contracts with 'DRAFT' to prevent premature reliance on unsigned versions. Architecture and engineering firms mark preliminary drawings with 'NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION' to avoid liability. Publishers add 'REVIEW COPY' to advance manuscripts sent to critics. Companies distributing confidential financial reports add the recipient's name as a watermark so leaked copies can be traced. In all these cases, the watermark serves as a clear visual signal of the document's status or ownership.
The watermark is rendered as a vector text layer on top of existing page content, so it scales cleanly to any zoom level or print size without pixelation. Diagonal placement at roughly 45 degrees is the most common configuration because it covers the largest area of the page and is difficult to crop out. For a subtler approach, try a light gray color at 15-20% opacity positioned in the center of the page. The watermark layer is embedded permanently into the PDF structure, meaning it persists through printing and most re-save operations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a watermark added with this tool?
Watermarks added by this tool are embedded as page content in the PDF. They can be removed using PDF editing software like Adobe Acrobat, but standard PDF readers cannot remove them.
Will the watermark appear on all pages?
Yes. The watermark is applied uniformly to every page in the document.
Can I adjust the watermark opacity?
Yes. You can set opacity from very faint (good for background identification) to fully opaque. A lighter watermark lets the document content remain clearly readable.
Will the watermark survive if someone prints the PDF?
Yes. The watermark is embedded as permanent page content in the PDF file. It will appear on printed copies exactly as it looks on screen, at the opacity and position you configured.
What is the best watermark text for a draft document?
The most common choices are 'DRAFT', 'DRAFT - NOT FINAL', or 'PRELIMINARY'. Use a large font size (60-80pt), diagonal placement, and 20-30% opacity in gray or red. This makes the draft status immediately obvious without obscuring the content for reviewers.
Can I add a watermark to only specific pages of a PDF?
The watermark is applied to all pages uniformly. To watermark only certain pages, split the PDF into the pages you want watermarked and those you do not, apply the watermark to the relevant section, then merge the parts back together.