How to Add a Text Watermark to a PDF or Image

Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or your name on a PDF or photo. Set font, color, opacity and angle, tile it across the page, and pick which pages get it.

A watermark is a line of text laid over a page or picture. A pale “DRAFT” across a contract tells everyone the text is not final. “CONFIDENTIAL” reminds the reader to be careful. Your name or website across a photo shows who made it. This guide explains when watermarks are useful, how to add one in a few minutes, and which settings make it look professional instead of messy.

Why people add text watermarks

• Marking drafts. A DRAFT or FOR REVIEW stamp prevents an unfinished version from being mistaken for the final one.
• Protecting private files. CONFIDENTIAL or INTERNAL USE ONLY makes the status of a document obvious.
• Showing ownership. Photographers and designers add a name or a copyright line to pictures they publish.
• Preventing document misuse. A copy of an ID, certificate or form with the words “For admission use only” written across it is harder to reuse for something else.

Step-by-step: add a watermark

1. Open the Text Watermark tool.
2. Drop a PDF or an image onto the page.
3. Type your watermark text, such as CONFIDENTIAL or Copyright Your Name.
4. Choose a font, then set bold or italic if you want. Pick a color and a size in points.
5. Adjust the opacity and the rotation until it looks right.
6. Choose the layout: a single watermark you can drag into place, or Repeat across whole page.
7. For a PDF, choose whether to apply it to all pages, the current page or a page range.
8. Use the preview arrows to check other pages, then click Download.

Settings that make a watermark look good

A watermark has to be visible enough to do its job and gentle enough that the page is still readable.

• Opacity. Somewhere around 20 to 40 percent is a good starting point. Too strong, and the content underneath is hard to read. Too faint, and nobody notices it.
• Rotation. A diagonal angle is the classic choice for DRAFT and CONFIDENTIAL because it crosses the page without covering one line of text completely.
• Color. Gray or a soft red works on most documents. On a dark photo, use white or gold so it can be seen.
• Font. A clean bold font such as Arial or Impact reads clearly. Decorative fonts like Pacifico look nice on photos but are less serious on business documents.
• Size. Large enough to be read from a distance, but not so large that a single word fills the page.

Single watermark or repeating pattern?

A single watermark is the best choice for a small credit line in a corner of a photo, or one big DRAFT across the middle of a page. You can drag it where you want.

A repeating pattern tiles the text over the whole page. It is harder to crop out and is the better choice for sensitive copies of documents, as long as you keep the opacity low so the page can still be read.

Watermarking a copy of an ID or certificate

If you must send a photo or scan of an ID document, certificate or bill to someone, add a watermark that states the purpose and the date, for example “For bank account opening, [today’s date]”. Use the repeating layout so it covers the whole page. Then if the file is ever misused, it is clear what it was meant for. This does not make misuse impossible, but it makes it harder and easier to trace.

Apply it to the right pages

With a multi-page PDF you rarely want the same treatment everywhere. A cover page may not need a stamp, while every content page does. Use the page-range option to match that. Always scroll through the preview before you download, because long documents sometimes have pages with different layouts or dark backgrounds where a color needs changing.

Combine it with other tools

• Need to fix wording first? Edit the PDF text, then watermark the corrected file.
• Need a signature as well? Add the signature before or after the watermark.
• Want to place a photo over a new background? See the Change Image Background tool.

Be honest about what a watermark can do

A watermark discourages casual copying and shows where a file came from, but it is not a lock. Someone with the right tools may be able to hide or remove it. For files that truly must not leave your control, do not send them at all, or share them through a system with proper access controls.

The watermark is added in your browser and the file is never uploaded. Find more free tools on the tools page.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• How to Add a Signature to a PDF for Free (Typed or Drawn)
• How to Edit a PDF Online for Free (Without Adobe Acrobat)
• How to Protect Your Photos and Documents With a Watermark: Best Practices

Related tools: Watermark Remover