Add a text watermark to a PDF
Stamp a diagonal text watermark across every page.
To watermark PDF files, upload one, type the watermark text, set the opacity, colour and optional font size, and download the stamped file. The text is placed diagonally across the centre of every page; you cannot choose individual pages. The default is CONFIDENTIAL in grey at 35% opacity, up to 100 characters. This is a visual text mark only, not an image or logo stamp.
How to watermark a PDF
Choose a PDF up to 25 MiB and enter your text, for example DRAFT or a client name. Pick a colour, drag the opacity slider between 5% and 100%, and optionally set a font size from 8 to 300. Submit and download the new file, named after the original with -watermarked added. Check a couple of pages before sharing it.
Size, colour and opacity
If you leave font size blank, the tool sizes the text to the page: an eighth of the shorter page side, with a minimum of 24. That suits most pages but can run off the edge with very long text, so shorten the wording or lower the size by hand. Lower opacity keeps body text readable underneath. The mark is drawn on top of existing content.
What the watermark cannot do
It places one line of text at 45 degrees, always in the built-in Helvetica font, so stick to Latin letters; other scripts may not display correctly. There are no image watermarks, no per-page choices and no tiling. A watermark is not security: because it sits in the page itself, a determined person with a PDF editor may be able to remove or cover it.
Pair it with other tools
For a document you send out, a common order is to add a mark here, then use PDF Password to restrict printing and copying, and finally Compress PDF if the size matters. To number pages as well, use Add Page Numbers. Each tool works on one file, so run them one after another on the downloaded result.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a watermark to a PDF?
Upload the PDF, type the watermark text, adjust colour and opacity, and submit. The tool stamps the text diagonally across every page and gives you the new PDF to download.
Can I add a logo or image watermark?
No. This tool only stamps text. There is no image upload for the watermark, so a logo cannot be added here. Use a desktop PDF editor if you need an image or logo stamp.
Can I watermark only certain pages?
No. The watermark is applied to every page of the document. If only some pages should carry it, split those out with Split PDF, watermark them, and merge everything back with Merge PDF.
Can someone remove the watermark afterwards?
Possibly. The text is added directly to the page, so a PDF editor may allow it to be deleted or covered. Treat it as a clear visual label, not as protection against misuse.
How do I make the watermark lighter?
Lower the opacity slider; the minimum is 5% and the default 35%. A pale colour such as light grey also helps. You can also reduce the font size so the text covers less of the page.
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