PDF Watermark
Updated June 1, 2025Add a text or image watermark to PDF pages, with control over opacity, position, and rotation.
Select a PDF to watermark
Features
- Add text watermarks to all PDF pages
- Customize text, font size, color, and opacity
- Control watermark position and rotation
- Add image-based watermarks (logos)
- Preview watermark before applying
- 100% client-side processing
Common Use Cases
- Add CONFIDENTIAL or DRAFT markers to documents
- Brand PDFs with company logo watermark
- Add copyright notices to published content
- Mark internal documents as INTERNAL USE ONLY
- Watermark images portfolios or design proofs
PDF Watermarking Explained
PDF watermarking overlays text or images onto existing PDF pages without modifying the underlying content. Watermarks are semi-transparent and typically sit behind (or in front of) the main content.
Types of watermarks: Text watermarks display custom text like "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", or a copyright notice. Image watermarks overlay a logo or graphic, often used for branding. Both can be customized for opacity, position, and rotation.
Common positions: Center (diagonal across page), top/bottom margins, and corner placements. Diagonal watermarks at 45° are popular for "DRAFT" and "CONFIDENTIAL" since they cover the page evenly without blocking readability.
Opacity control: Higher opacity makes the watermark more visible but can interfere with reading. Lower opacity is subtle and non-intrusive. 20-40% opacity is usually the sweet spot for readability with clear marking.
Examples
Original: 25-page report PDF
Watermark: "CONFIDENTIAL" diagonal, red, 30% opacity
Result: Every page marked as confidentialOriginal: Presentation PDF
Watermark: Company logo, bottom-right, 15% opacity
Result: Professionally branded documentOriginal: Portfolio PDF
Watermark: "© 2025 Your Name" centered, 25% opacity
Result: Copyrighted portfolio pagesFrequently Asked Questions
No. Watermarks are permanently embedded into the PDF. Always keep an unwatermarked original if you need a clean version later. Think of watermarking as a final step before distribution.
At proper opacity (20-40%), text watermarks are visible but don't prevent reading. For maximum readability, use diagonal placement and lower opacity. Preview before applying to check the balance.
Currently, the tool applies watermarks to all pages. To watermark specific pages, use the PDF Splitter to extract those pages first, watermark them, then merge back if needed.
PNG with transparency works best for logos. JPEG images can be used but will appear as solid rectangles. For best results, use a transparent PNG at a reasonable resolution.
Yes! You can set the text content, font size, color (HEX color picker), and opacity. The standard font set includes Helvetica, Times, and Courier in regular and bold weights.
💡 Tips
- Use 25-35% opacity for watermarks that don't interfere with reading
- Diagonal placement works best for status markers like DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL
- Always keep an unwatermarked original for future editing
- Test watermark appearance on different page types (text-heavy vs image-heavy)