Watermark PDF
Watermark PDF
Add a customizable text watermark to your PDF with live preview
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
- No sign-up
- Free, no daily limits
- 1Add your file
- 2Choose settings
- 3Download
Drop a PDF here
Choose a fileSelect a PDF to watermark · up to 100 MB · nothing is uploaded
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It is processed inside this browser tab and never uploaded, and it is gone when you close the page.
Good to know
- The watermark is text only; there is no image or logo upload.
- The same watermark goes on every page.
- Opacity around 15–30% keeps the text underneath readable.
Last updated
Watermark PDF stamps a text overlay, such as CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, or SAMPLE, across every page of a PDF document, running locally in your browser using pdf-lib. You type your custom wording and adjust placement, font scale, rotation angle, opacity percentage, and hex color. A live preview over the first page displays your adjustments before you commit, and the final document is generated only when you click Add Watermark.
This tool focuses specifically on text watermarks. There is currently no image or company logo upload feature; watermarks are rendered as vector text in a bold standard font. If you need to edit underlying document words rather than stamp a status label over pages, use Edit PDF. If your document requires cryptographic locking to prevent unauthorized copying, use Protect PDF.
How it works
1. Drop your PDF
Upload a .pdf file up to 100 MB. A password-protected document displays an alert directing you to the PDF Unlock tool, and controls remain disabled until an unlocked file is provided.
2. Enter watermark wording
The Watermark Text field defaults to CONFIDENTIAL. Replace it with DRAFT, SAMPLE, COPY, your organization name, or custom text. The action button stays disabled if this input is left empty.
3. Adjust position, scale, angle, and opacity
Select one of five positions: Center or one of the four corners. Font size ranges from 12pt to 120pt, rotation spans 0 to 360 degrees (with a 315-degree diagonal slant as default), and opacity adjusts from 5% to 100%. Color supports hex codes starting at #808080 gray.
4. Preview and download
The preview panel reflects your settings over the first page. Click Add Watermark to process all pages, then click Download Watermarked PDF once finished. The output appends -watermarked to the filename.
When you'd use it
Marking review documents as drafts
Stamping DRAFT diagonally across every page before sharing documents for team review makes unapproved status obvious, preventing working versions from being circulated as final releases.
Creating self-attested submission copies
When administrative or exam portals request self-attested photocopies, stamping FOR VERIFICATION ONLY or COPY at low opacity over scanned records identifies the submission purpose without obscuring card details.
Protecting commercial proposals and quotes
Placing a low-opacity CONFIDENTIAL stamp across financial quotes discourages recipients from distributing proprietary pricing schedules to external parties while maintaining full reading clarity.
Labeling specimen and archival documents
Marking reference templates with SAMPLE or SPECIMEN keeps training materials distinct from operational records without needing to redesign the underlying source file.
How to configure opacity and rotation for DRAFT or SAMPLE stamps?
A low opacity setting between 15% and 25% (with 30% as default) maintains complete legibility of underlying paragraphs while ensuring the status stamp remains prominent. This balance is standard for legal disclosures and draft review cycles. Higher opacity between 60% and 90% makes the stamp the visual focal point, which is standard for short SAMPLE or SPECIMEN overlays where page text is non-critical.
The default diagonal angle of 315 degrees slants from bottom-left to top-right across standard portrait orientations. For headers or footer notices, setting rotation to 0 degrees keeps text horizontal, which pairs effectively with top-left or bottom-right corner positions.
| Stamp intent | Typical wording | Recommended opacity | Recommended angle | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draft review | DRAFT | 20% - 25% | 315 degrees (diagonal) | Center |
| Confidential disclosure | CONFIDENTIAL | 15% - 25% | 315 degrees (diagonal) | Center |
| Submission copy | FOR VERIFICATION ONLY | 20% - 30% | 315 degrees (diagonal) | Center |
| Specimen archive | SAMPLE / SPECIMEN | 40% - 60% | 315 degrees (diagonal) | Center |
| Header notice | INTERNAL USE ONLY | 30% - 40% | 0 degrees (horizontal) | Top-Right |
Source: TryDocsy PDF Watermark Documentation, checked October 28, 2026
Can you add image or logo watermarks?
The tool currently supports vector text watermarks rendered using standard system typefaces. It does not accept uploaded PNG, JPG, or SVG image files. Watermarks are applied uniformly across all pages of the document; there is no option to stamp only the initial cover page.
The color selector accepts any six-digit hex color code. For light-colored stamps on white backgrounds, gray tones like #808080 or #A0A0A0 work reliably across both digital screens and physical monochrome laser printing.
How does watermarking affect existing document content?
The watermark text is added as an overlay drawing operator into each page dictionary. Existing text layers, vector diagrams, and embedded bitmap photos remain unchanged and selectable beneath the transparent stamp. The process does not rasterize your pages or degrade text crispness.
Password-protected files cannot be processed directly. If your document requires a password to open, unlock it first using Unlock PDF, then apply your watermark here. If you need running page numbers or header dates instead of centered stamps, use Header & Footer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an image or company logo as a watermark?
No. The tool currently supports typed text watermarks rendered in bold vector typography. Graphic image uploads are not supported.
What opacity is recommended for CONFIDENTIAL stamps?
An opacity between 15% and 25% (the tool default is 30%) keeps the underlying text readable while ensuring the watermark remains clearly visible across the page.
Does the watermark apply to all pages or just the first page?
The identical watermark settings (text, position, scale, angle, opacity, and color) are stamped across every page in the document in a single pass.
Can I place the watermark in a corner instead of the center?
Yes. Position options include Center, Top-Left, Top-Right, Bottom-Left, and Bottom-Right, each supporting independent rotation and opacity.
What happens if I upload a password-protected PDF?
Protected documents are stopped upon upload with a message prompting you to remove the password using /pdf/unlock before watermarking.
What is the maximum file size for watermarking PDFs?
Documents up to 100 MB can be processed. Because the tool operates inside browser memory, files are never uploaded to remote servers.