Watermark a PDF

Stamp a word or phrase across every page — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, your company name. Decide how strong it looks, then download.

Files are never uploaded

How to use it

Add your PDF

Drop the document onto the box above, or click to browse. One file is stamped at a time, so the wording stays consistent across the whole document.

Type the watermark

Short phrases work best: CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, COPY, or your company name. A long sentence stretched across a page is hard to read and easy to mistake for content.

Choose the placement

Diagonally across the page is the classic look and the hardest watermark to crop out. The repeated grid mode covers the page for documents that must not be reused.

Set how strong it looks

Opacity controls how see-through the stamp is. Around 0.2 keeps the underlying text easy to read; raise it above 0.5 when the mark needs to be unmistakable.

Download the stamped file

Press Watermark PDF, then save the result. Your original file is left untouched on disk, so keep it if you may need a clean copy later.

Common issues

Watermarking your only copy

The download is a new file, but it becomes the version you send. Keep the original somewhere safe in case the wording or the strength needs changing later.

Text running past the page edge

A 110 point font at 45 degrees is wider than most pages. If the first attempt comes out clipped, reduce the font size rather than the opacity.

Mistaking a watermark for redaction

Anyone can still copy the text underneath a watermark. If the goal is to hide a name or an account number, remove those pages instead — a stamp hides nothing.

A light watermark that vanishes on a dark scan

Grey at low opacity disappears over a dark photograph or a badly scanned page. Use a stronger colour, or a higher opacity, for image-heavy documents.

Frequently asked questions

Can I watermark only some pages?

Not with this tool — the stamp goes on every page. To keep some pages clean, split the document first, watermark the part that needs it, then merge the pieces back together.

Does the watermark hide the original text?

No. The watermark is drawn on top of the page as an extra layer. The text underneath stays selectable and searchable, so a watermark is decoration, not protection.

Can I use an image or logo as the watermark?

Not yet. This tool writes text watermarks. Image watermarks need the picture embedded on every page and are on our list.

What does opacity mean here?

Opacity is how see-through the stamp is. At 0.2 the underlying text reads normally; at 0.6 and above the watermark becomes the dominant mark on the page.

Which colour should I pick?

Grey is the usual choice because it looks like a stamp without fighting the page. Red suits DRAFT or VOID, blue suits a company name. Black is the heaviest option.

Will the watermark show up in print?

Yes. It becomes part of the page content, so it appears on screen, in print and in any other PDF reader.

Why has my text run off the page?

A large font combined with a steep angle makes the text wider than the sheet. Lower the font size or set the angle back to horizontal and stamp again.

Can I remove a watermark later?

Only if you kept an unwatermarked copy. Once the stamp is saved into the file it is part of the page, and there is no reliable way to strip it back out. Always work from a copy.

Is my document uploaded?

No. The watermark is drawn by JavaScript in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.

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About this page. Written and maintained by the AI-Mind team. Last reviewed 11 October 2026. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Found an error or have a suggestion? Use the feedback form above or email [email protected].