Protect & sign
Watermark PDF
Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, a name or your logo across the pages of a PDF. Place it once or repeat it as a pattern, on up to 10 files at a time.
Runs on your device: nothing is uploaded unless you choose it
Drag and drop here
PDFUp to 10 PDFs, 50 MB each and 100 MB in total
What Watermark PDF does
Watermark adds text or an image on top of, or behind, the content of each page. Start from the Confidential, Draft, Sample or Logo presets, or build your own from up to eight elements, each with its own font, color, opacity, rotation and page selection.
Text can include variables that are filled in for you: {page} and {pages} for page numbers, {filename} for the file's name and {date} for today's date.
You design the watermark in your browser against a live preview, and your browser also draws the marks onto the pages when you select Export, so the PDFs are not uploaded. On a device that cannot finish a large batch, you can opt to export on our server instead; nothing is sent unless you choose that. Text marks are added as high-resolution images, so they display correctly in any language, and the document's own text stays searchable.
Is this the right tool?
Good for
- Marking a contract or report as DRAFT while it is still being reviewed.
- Putting a client's name across each page of a proposal, so it is obvious whose copy it is.
- Branding handouts, price lists or portfolios with a faint logo.
Not the right tool for
- Stopping people from opening or copying the document. A watermark is a visible label, not a lock.Protect PDF
- Running page numbers in a corner.Page Numbers
- Watermarking photos or other image files.Watermark Image
How to add a watermark to a PDF
Add your PDFs
Choose the PDF to mark, or a batch of up to 10, 50 MB each and 100 MB in total.
Start a watermark
Pick Confidential, Draft, Sample or Logo next to Start with. On the Style tab set the Watermark text or logo, Font size, Color, Opacity and Rotation.
Position it and choose pages
On the Position tab choose Single mark or Repeat pattern. On the Pages tab set Apply this watermark to, and turn on Skip the first page to leave a cover clean.
Export and download
Select Export PDF, look through the final preview, then select Download PDF or download every file as a ZIP.
Worked example
Sending a draft proposal to three clients
Say you are sending the same 12-page proposal to three prospective clients and want each copy clearly marked as a draft, without spoiling the cover.
Choose the Draft preset and lower the Opacity until the body text reads comfortably through the mark. On the Position tab switch to Repeat pattern; a single mark in the middle is easier to crop out. On the Pages tab turn on Skip the first page.
Add a second, small text watermark near the bottom edge with the client's name followed by page {page} of {pages}. Export, download, then change the name and export again for the next client.
Tips for a better result
- Behind PDF content keeps text fully readable, but the mark disappears wherever a page has a solid background or is a full-page scan. Use Above PDF content with a low opacity for scans.
- Save as preset stores the design in this browser, logo included, so a letterhead mark is one click away next time.
- A PDF with a password has to be unlocked before it can be watermarked.
Watermark PDF: questions and answers
Can a watermark be removed from the PDF afterward?
Someone with PDF editing software and enough patience can remove most watermarks, because a watermark is an extra layer drawn on the page. A repeated pattern over the content is much harder to remove cleanly than a single mark in a margin.
What kind of image works best as a logo watermark?
A PNG with a transparent background. A JPEG logo brings its white rectangle with it, which shows up as a pale box over your text. Use a file with plenty of pixels so it stays sharp in print, and control its size on the page with Image width.
Does watermark text work in languages such as Arabic, Hindi or Chinese?
Yes. The text is drawn by your browser and added to the PDF as a high-resolution image, so any script your device can display appears the same way in the file. The trade-off is that the watermark text cannot be selected or searched.
Will the watermark show when the PDF is printed?
Yes. It is part of the page, so it prints exactly as it appears in the preview. For a clean printout, use your unmarked original, which the tool does not alter.