How to Watermark a PDF (Free, Text or Image)
Add a 'CONFIDENTIAL', 'DRAFT' or company logo watermark across every page of your PDF. 30 seconds, free, no install.
You're sharing a PDF and you want the reader to be reminded — every time they look at any page — that it's a draft, that it's confidential, or that you own it. That's what a watermark is for.
Here's how to add one in half a minute.
When watermarks actually make sense
- Drafts shared for review: a big diagonal "DRAFT" across every page prevents the recipient from emailing it onward as if it's final.
- Confidential business documents: "CONFIDENTIAL — Do Not Distribute" signals seriousness even if the PDF leaks.
- Copyright on creative work: photographers, designers, writers share previews with their name across them. Doesn't stop a determined thief, but stops casual reposting.
- Branded reports: agencies and consultancies put their logo on every page of the report they deliver.
When watermarks don't make sense:
- Real security — anyone can crop or paint over a watermark. If the file genuinely shouldn't be shared, use encryption or redaction.
- Final deliverables — a "DRAFT" watermark on a final contract is unprofessional. Remove it before sending the final version.
How to add a watermark — step by step
Open the watermark tool
Go to pdfty.com/tools/watermark. Free up to 20 MB.
Upload your PDF
Drag the file in.
Choose text or image
Text watermark: type the words ("CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT v3", "© 2026 Acme Inc"). Pick a font, colour and rotation.
Image watermark: upload a PNG/JPG (works best with a transparent background — your logo, a stamp, a signature).
Position and opacity
Centered, top-left, footer, full-page diagonal — pick the placement. Adjust opacity (10-100%) — diagonal watermarks usually look best at 20-30% so the text underneath stays readable.
Apply and download
The watermark is baked into every page. Download the new PDF.
Tips for a watermark that actually works
| Decision | Good choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Text content | Short, all caps: 'DRAFT', 'CONFIDENTIAL', '© ACME 2026' | Recognizable at a glance |
| Rotation | 45° diagonal across the page | Hardest to crop out cleanly |
| Opacity | 20-30% | Visible but doesn't hide the content underneath |
| Colour | Mid-grey (#999) or muted red | Doesn't fight the text below for attention |
| Size | Big — diagonal across the whole page | Small footer watermarks are easy to ignore |
| Image background | PNG with transparent background | Avoids a white box around your logo |
Can I add different watermarks per page?
Yes — our tool lets you apply different watermarks to different page ranges. Useful when:
- The first page has your logo + "Proposal v2" but later pages just say "DRAFT".
- You want different opacity on charts vs text pages.
For most use cases, one watermark across all pages is enough.
Frequently asked questions
Can a watermark be removed?
Visually, yes — anyone with a screenshot tool can crop or paint over a watermark. Programmatically, sometimes — if the watermark was added as a separate layer (instead of merged into the page). Our watermark tool flattens the watermark into the page image so it can't be removed with one click. For real protection use encryption or redaction.
Will it appear on printed copies?
Yes — the watermark is part of the page image. Print preview shows it, your printer prints it. (For sensitive prints, also lock the file with Password Protect so the recipient has to deliberately decide to print.)
Can I watermark just one specific page?
Yes — pick the page range in the tool. Default is "all pages" but you can restrict it.
Will the watermark cover important content?
Up to you. Place it as a small footer ("© Acme 2026") and it covers nothing important. Place it as a full-page 45° diagonal with 30% opacity and it's visible without hiding the text underneath.
Does it work for scanned PDFs?
Yes. The watermark is drawn over the scan image. No interaction with OCR layers if present.
Can I save my watermark settings for next time?
Currently no — each upload starts fresh. (We're considering saved templates as a Pro feature; let us know if you'd use it.)
Will the file size grow?
Slightly — usually a few KB for text watermarks, more for image watermarks (the logo file gets embedded once and reused on every page). For a 5 MB report, expect 5.0-5.2 MB after watermarking.
Is there a limit on the number of pages?
Free plan: 20 MB or 50 pages, whichever comes first. Pro: unlimited.
The pdfty team builds privacy-first online PDF tools — compress, convert, OCR, sign and protect. Files are deleted within 1 hour. About us →
