Add a watermark to a PDF online

Adding a watermark to a PDF — semi-transparent text or a logo overlaid on every page — is most often used to mark a document as draft or confidential, or to claim its origin before sharing it widely (a photo book, a study, a contract template). Unlike password protection, a watermark doesn't technically prevent anything: it's a visual marking, not a security measure.

Text or image, with full control over the rendering

The tool offers two watermark types. A text watermark, where you type the wording you want ("CONFIDENTIAL", "COPY", your company's name) with a choice of font, size, colour, and opacity. Or an image watermark, where you import a logo or a scanned stamp, which you position and resize freely on the page. Either way, a live preview on the displayed page lets you adjust angle, position, and opacity before applying the watermark to the whole document.

Selective application

A watermark shouldn't always cover an entire document: for example, marking only a report's appendix pages as "draft" while leaving the main text untouched. The tool lets you restrict the watermark to a specific selection of pages, using the same range syntax as the other tools in this toolbox ("1-3, 7").

What a watermark doesn't do

It's important to understand a watermark's limits: it's a visual element added to the page, not a technical safeguard. It prevents neither copying the underlying text, nor printing, nor extracting the page's images. To restrict those actions (blocking printing or copying without the right password), you need encryption-based protection, offered by our dedicated PDF protection tool — the two tools serve different needs and can even be combined on the same document.

Frequently asked questions

Can the watermark be text or an image (like a logo)?
Both are supported: a text watermark (for example "CONFIDENTIAL" or "DRAFT") with the font, size, and colour of your choice, or an imported image (a company logo, a scanned stamp) positioned and resized on the page.
Does the watermark apply to every page or only some?
By default to every page of the document, but you can restrict it to a specific selection of pages, useful for example to mark only a report's appendices.
Can I make the watermark semi-transparent so it doesn't hinder reading?
Yes, opacity is adjustable from fully opaque to very light, with a live preview: the most common setting sits around 20 to 30% opacity, enough to be visible without making the underlying text unreadable.
Does a watermark prevent copying or printing the document?
No: a watermark is purely visual, overlaid on the existing content. It prevents neither copying the text, nor printing, nor editing the document. To restrict those actions, use the password protection tool instead.
Can I rotate the watermark diagonally?
Yes, the angle is freely adjustable from 0° to 360°, with the classic diagonal (about 45°) offered as the default setting for a text watermark.
Can the watermark easily be removed by whoever receives the file?
A watermark added by this tool becomes a normal page element (embedded text or image): removing it would require a PDF editing tool capable of manipulating individual page elements, which isn't trivial without a dedicated tool, but it's also not cryptographic protection.

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