Add a Watermark to a PDF
Lay a pale line of text, such as DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL, over some or all pages of a PDF. A preview of page 1 follows every change you make.
Add one PDF to watermark.
or drop a file here
Your PDF is handled inside this browser tab and is never uploaded.
How to use it
- Pick the PDF you want to mark with ‘Choose a file’, or drag it onto the page.
- Type the ‘Watermark text’, up to 60 characters; the box starts with CONFIDENTIAL. ‘Layout’ offers ‘Diagonal’, ‘Centered’ and ‘Tiled’.
- Set ‘Size’, ‘Color’ and ‘Opacity (%)’ while you watch the ‘Preview of page 1’.
- To mark only some pages, switch ‘Pages’ from ‘All pages’ to ‘Page range’ and type something like 1-3, 5.
- Click ‘Add watermark’, then ‘Download’. The marked copy keeps your file name with -watermark added.
What it does
Three layouts
‘Diagonal’ slants one line along the page’s corner-to-corner diagonal. ‘Centered’ sets it level in the middle. ‘Tiled’ repeats a smaller copy in staggered, slanted rows over the whole page.
Size, color and opacity
Pick small, medium or large; gray, red or blue; and an opacity from 5 to 80 percent. The slider starts at 35, and the preview shows each change before you save.
Any language
Accents and any script your device has a font for come out right, because your browser itself draws the letters. The result is placed on the page as a picture.
Only the pages you choose
Mark every page, or limit the stamp to pages like 1-3, 5, which keeps a cover or an appendix clean.
Your last choices are remembered
The text, layout, size, color and opacity are kept in this browser, so a stamp you use every week is ready the next time.
Good to know
A watermark tells a reader at a glance what a document is: a DRAFT contract out for comment, a CONFIDENTIAL board packet, a SAMPLE worksheet, a handout marked with the course name. Diagonal suits one strong word, and Centered is the quiet choice for letters. Tiled repeats the mark across the whole page, so no large area is left without it.
The text becomes a transparent picture laid over each chosen page, so the page’s own text stays selectable and searchable. In the diagonal and centered layouts, longer wording is scaled down to fit the page; tiled copies keep their size, so use a word or two there. A watermark is a visible label, not a lock: it doesn’t stop anyone from copying or printing the file. Protect PDF can add a password and block printing, editing and copying.
Once saved, a watermark stays: this tool has no removal option. It never changes your original, though, because the marked copy is a new file, so keep the original if you may need a clean version later.
Questions and answers
How do I watermark only some pages of a PDF?
Set ‘Pages’ to ‘Page range’ and type the pages, for example 1-3, 5. The other pages are copied unchanged.
What opacity should I choose?
Between 20 and 35 percent usually shows the mark without hiding the text beneath. The slider runs from 5 to 80 and starts at 35, so check the preview before saving.
Can I use a logo or an image as a watermark?
Not here: this tool stamps text only. To put a logo on a page, use ‘Add image’ in Edit PDF, one placement at a time.
Does the watermark cover the text underneath?
It lies over the page at the opacity you chose, so the text beneath stays readable and can still be selected.
Can I type the watermark in another language?
Yes, as long as your device has a font for the characters. The browser draws the text and it is placed on the page as a picture.
Can I remove a watermark afterwards?
This tool has no remove option, but your original file is never changed. Keep it, and make a new marked copy whenever you need one.