Add Watermark
Runs in your browserWatermark a PDF in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and there is no limit. Set the words, the angle and how transparent they are, and put the mark once in the middle of each page or tiled across the whole thing.
or drop them here, or paste
One file. It stays on your device.
A watermark here is text drawn on top of the page at whatever opacity you choose. It becomes part of the page content, so it prints, it survives being sent on, and it cannot be switched off in a reader.
Everything happens inside this page. Your file is read by JavaScript running on your own machine, and no part of it is sent anywhere.
What a watermark actually protects
It deters casual reuse and it makes the provenance of a leaked copy obvious. That is the whole of it, and it is worth being clear about, because watermarking is often sold as security.
Anyone determined can remove it. The text sits above the page rather than inside the image, so a capable tool can strip it back out. If a document genuinely must not be read by the wrong person, encrypt it with the protect tool. Watermarking answers a different question: not who can open this, but who leaked it.
Once in the middle, or tiled
A single centred mark is the right default. It is legible, it says what it needs to say, and it leaves the document readable.
Tiling repeats the text across the whole page in an offset brick pattern, alternate rows shifted by half a step so it does not form obvious columns. Use it when the document is an image-heavy proof or a sample that people are likely to crop, since a cropped corner still carries a mark.
Opacity and angle
Around 15 to 25 per cent is where a watermark is unmistakable and the text underneath is still comfortable to read. Below 10 it disappears on a printer that is low on toner. Above 40 the document becomes tiring.
45 degrees is conventional for a diagonal mark and it has a practical reason: a diagonal line crosses more of the page than a horizontal one, so it is harder to crop away and harder to cover. Set the angle to 0 for a horizontal band, which suits a short word like DRAFT along the top.
Colour
Grey is the safe choice on a text document because it stays neutral against black type. Red reads as a warning and is right for CONFIDENTIAL or DO NOT COPY. Whatever colour you pick, check it against a page with images on it, because a light mark vanishes over a dark photograph.
How to add watermark
- 01
Add your PDF
Select or drop the file you want to mark.
- 02
Set the mark
Type the text and set the angle, opacity and colour.
- 03
Apply
Press Add Watermark and download the marked file.
Questions about Add Watermark
How do I watermark a PDF for free?
Add the file, type the text you want across the pages, set the opacity and angle, then press Add Watermark. There is no account, no limit and no charge.
Can a watermark be removed?
Yes, by someone who knows what they are doing. It is drawn on top of the page rather than fused into it. Use the protect tool if you need the document itself restricted.
What opacity should I use?
Between 15 and 25 per cent. That is visible on screen and on paper while leaving the text underneath readable.
Can I watermark only some pages?
Yes. Set a page range and only those pages are marked. Leaving it empty marks every page.