How to watermark a PDF
- Drop your PDF on the box.
- Type the watermark text, such as CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, COPY or your company name, or press Use an image instead to stamp a logo (PNG with transparency works best).
- Choose the layout: one large diagonal mark, a horizontal mark, a tiled pattern that covers the whole page, or a discreet footer line. Adjust colour, opacity and size.
- Optionally limit it to certain pages, then press Add watermark and download.
When to use a watermark
Watermarks label the status of a document (draft, sample, void, final), discourage casual copying of designs, photos and proposals, and make leaked copies traceable, for example by watermarking each copy with the recipient's name. A common privacy tip is to watermark copies of your passport, driving licence or utility bills with the purpose and date ("For flat rental application, March 2026 only") before sending them, so they are less useful to fraudsters if they leak.
The watermark is drawn into each page as text or an image with transparency, on top of the existing content. It is not a security feature: someone with PDF editing software could remove it. For stronger protection, flatten the PDF into images afterwards using Compress PDF in strong mode.
All processing happens in your browser; your documents are never uploaded.
How do I watermark ID documents safely?
Use a tiled watermark with the recipient and date, at around 20–30% opacity, so the details stay readable but the copy cannot be reused elsewhere.
Can the watermark be removed?
A determined person with editing software can remove text watermarks. Converting pages to images afterwards makes it much harder.
Does it work on scanned PDFs?
Yes. The watermark is placed over each page, whether it contains text or scanned images.