PDF Tools
Add Watermark to PDF
Stamp a word such as DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL — or your own image — across every page of a PDF, with control over size, angle and how faint it looks. It all happens in your browser.
Your file and options
Choose text or an image, tune how it looks, and stamp every page.
This tool runs entirely inside your browser. Your file is never uploaded, never stored, and disappears when you close the page.
Result
Choose a file and your watermark settings to begin.
About this calculator
This tool stamps text or an image over every page of a PDF, such as 'DRAFT' or a company name, to visually mark a document before it's shared. It works entirely in your browser, so the file you upload never leaves your device.
How to use it
- 1.Choose the PDF you want to mark.
- 2.Type your watermark text, or switch to image mode and pick a PNG or JPG.
- 3.Adjust size, opacity, angle and colour, then download the watermarked copy.
Good to know
A watermark is a visual deterrent, not security. Anyone with the file can still read, copy or print the pages underneath it.
Low opacity around 0.15 to 0.25 keeps the page readable. Higher values make the mark obvious but harder to read through.
How it works in plain English
After you pick a PDF, the tool reads it locally using JavaScript and WebAssembly and shows you a preview of how the watermark will look. You can type a line of text or upload a PNG or JPG image to use instead, and the watermark is then drawn onto a copy of every page. Because none of this touches a server, the source PDF and the watermarked result both stay on your device throughout, with no upload, no storage, and nothing left behind once you leave the page.
For text watermarks, you control the font size, the colour, the rotation angle, and the opacity. A diagonal watermark set at a low opacity, for example a faint grey text running corner to corner, is a common style because it stays visible without blocking the page contents underneath. A horizontal watermark placed near the top or bottom reads more like a stamp or header. Image watermarks, such as a logo, follow the same opacity and rotation controls, so a small translucent mark can be placed consistently across every page.
It's worth being clear about what a watermark actually does. It's a visible label, not a security feature: it makes it obvious to anyone reading the document that it's a draft, confidential, or not for distribution, and it discourages casual reuse of a page. It does not stop someone from copying the text or images underneath it, cropping the watermark out, or extracting the page content some other way. If you need to actually restrict copying or printing, a watermark alone won't do that.
Worked example
Say you've finished a 12-page proposal but want reviewers to know it isn't final before it circulates further. You open the tool, upload the PDF, and type 'DRAFT - NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION' as the watermark text, setting it to run diagonally across each page at a light grey colour and around 20 percent opacity.
The preview shows the text sitting behind the body copy without obscuring it, so you nudge the font size down slightly and confirm. The tool applies the same diagonal watermark to all 12 pages and gives you a new PDF to download, leaving your original file completely untouched.
Common watermark opacity settings and their visual effect
| Opacity | Typical look | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| 10-20% | Very faint, barely noticeable | Subtle branding on final documents |
| 25-40% | Visible but text stays easy to read | Draft or confidential labels |
| 50-60% | Watermark competes with the page content | Short single-word stamps like 'VOID' |
| 70%+ | Watermark dominates the page | Rarely recommended, hurts readability |
| Solid image, low opacity | Logo visible as a light background mark | Company-branded document sets |
General guidance for readable overlays on printed or on-screen pages
Frequently asked questions
Does the tool upload my PDF to add the watermark?
No. Everything is processed locally in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly. The PDF you choose is read from your device, the watermark is applied there, and the finished file is offered straight back to you as a download. Nothing is transmitted to a server or stored anywhere beyond your own session.
Can I use an image instead of text as the watermark?
Yes. You can upload a PNG or JPG, such as a logo, and it will be placed on every page using the same opacity, rotation, and sizing controls available for text. A PNG with a transparent background usually looks cleanest, since the watermark blends into the page rather than showing a solid rectangle.
Does a watermark stop people from copying my document?
No, and it isn't meant to. A watermark is a visible marker that signals the document's status, such as draft or confidential, but the underlying text and images can still be selected, copied, or extracted by anyone with the file. If you need real copy protection, that requires a different kind of restriction entirely.
Can I control where on the page the watermark appears?
You can adjust the rotation angle and general placement, choosing between a diagonal watermark running across the page or a horizontal one sitting near the top or bottom. Combined with font size and opacity, this lets you match common styles like a corner-to-corner diagonal stamp or a plain header-style label.
Will the watermark be applied to every page, including a cover page?
By default the watermark is applied to every page in the document, cover pages included, since the tool doesn't know which page is meant to be different. If you need a cover page left clean, the simplest approach is to watermark the file first and then handle the cover separately, or remove it from the batch beforehand.
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