Add a Watermark to PDF
Stamp a text watermark like DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL across your PDF with a live preview, and save it into the file — entirely in your browser. Your files are never uploaded.
No Upload, Ever
The watermark is added locally in your browser — files never touch a server.
Full Style Control
Set the font, size, color, opacity, and rotation of your watermark.
Tile or Place
Drop one watermark in any spot, or tile it across the whole page.
Live Preview
See exactly how the watermark looks before you download.
Watermark a PDF in one sentence. Drop a PDF into the tool above, type your watermark text, choose position, opacity and angle, watch the live preview, then download a PDF with the watermark baked in. Everything runs in your browser — files never leave your device. Free, no sign-up, files up to 100 MB.
What is a PDF watermark?
A watermark is text stamped across the pages of a PDF — words like DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or a company name, usually faint and often angled. It signals the status or ownership of a document without obscuring the content underneath. This tool adds text watermarks with full control over how they look.
Watermarks serve two main purposes. They mark a document's state — draft, sample, confidential — so no one mistakes its status. And they assert ownership or discourage copying, especially when tiled across the whole page. The watermark becomes part of each page, so it travels with the file and shows up in print.
Why "no upload" actually matters
Almost every other online watermark tool uploads your file to a server, stamps it in the cloud, and promises to delete it later. The irony is sharp: you often watermark a document precisely because it's confidential — yet these tools require you to hand that confidential file to a stranger's server first.
This tool works differently. The watermark is applied entirely in your browser using JavaScript, so your PDF stays on your device from start to finish. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored, and the file is released from memory the moment you close the tab. It even keeps working offline once the page has loaded.
How to watermark a PDF in 4 steps
- 1
Upload your PDF
Drag the file onto the box above or click to browse. The tool accepts a single PDF up to 100 MB, and nothing is uploaded — the file is read locally.
- 2
Type your watermark text
Enter the words you want — DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, a name. Then choose a position, or tick Tile to repeat it across the whole page.
- 3
Style it and check the preview
Set the opacity, rotation, color, font, and size. The live preview shows exactly how it will look, so you can keep it readable but unmistakable.
- 4
Download the watermarked PDF
Click Add watermark & download. The watermark is written into a new file — your original stays untouched on your device.
Watermark options explained
A handful of controls cover every watermark style. Here's what each one does and how to use it well.
| Option | What it does | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Places the watermark in one of nine spots on the page. | Middle-center is the classic stamp position. |
| Tile | Repeats the text across the entire page. | Best for "DO NOT COPY" style protection. |
| Opacity | Controls how see-through the watermark is. | 20–40% keeps the text under it readable. |
| Rotation | Angles the watermark on the page. | 45° is the classic diagonal watermark. |
| Skip first page | Leaves the cover page unmarked. | Use it for title pages and report covers. |
A faint, angled watermark at 45° and around 30% opacity reads as professional on almost any document. Tile it when the goal is anti-copying rather than a status label.
Common watermark scenarios cheat sheet
Six situations cover most watermarking jobs. The table below shows the settings that fit each.
| Scenario | Settings | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Mark a working draft | "DRAFT" · middle-center · 45° · 30% | Clear diagonal draft stamp. |
| Protect against copying | "DO NOT COPY" · tile · 20% | Repeated faintly across every page. |
| Brand a proposal | Company name · bottom-center · 25% | Subtle footer branding. |
| Flag a confidential file | "CONFIDENTIAL" · middle-center · red · 35% | Bold central warning. |
| Send a sample copy | "SAMPLE" · tile · large · 15% | Faint repeated sample mark. |
| Keep the cover clean | Any setting · skip first page | Title page stays unmarked. |
If your case isn't listed, a single "CONFIDENTIAL" at middle-center, 45°, around 30% opacity is the safe default for most documents.
Common watermark problems and how to fix them
The watermark hides the text underneath
The opacity is too high. Lower it to 20–40% so the watermark is clearly visible but the document content stays readable through it.
The watermark is too faint to notice
Raise the opacity, increase the font size, or pick a stronger color. For protection marks, tiling also makes the watermark much harder to miss.
It only needs to be on some pages, not the cover
Tick "Skip the first page (cover)" so the title page stays clean and the watermark starts on page 2.
The watermark looks crooked or off-center
Use the rotation slider to set a clean angle — 0° for straight, 45° for the classic diagonal — and pick a position from the grid. The live preview shows the exact result before you download.
5 pro tips for watermarking PDFs
30% opacity, 45° angle
This is the classic, professional watermark look — visible but never in the way of reading.
Tile for anti-copying
A single stamp says "draft". Tiling "DO NOT COPY" across the page says "don't reuse this".
Use the live preview
Adjust opacity and size while watching the preview so the watermark stays readable against your specific page.
Skip the cover
Title pages usually look cleaner without a watermark. One checkbox keeps the cover clear.
Your original is safe
The tool writes a new watermarked copy and never changes your source file, so experiment freely.
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Frequently asked questions
Common questions about adding watermarks to PDF
Is this watermark tool free?
Yes — it's free with no account and no sign-up. There's no daily cap and no per-file limit beyond the 100 MB upload size.
Do you upload my PDF to a server?
No — this tool never uploads anything. The watermark is applied entirely in your browser, so the PDF stays on your device — which matters most for the confidential files you tend to watermark.
Can I add a text watermark to every page?
Yes — the watermark applies to all pages by default. You can also tick "Skip the first page" to leave the cover unmarked, so numbering starts on page 2.
Will the watermark make my file much bigger?
No — a text watermark adds almost nothing. Text is tiny compared to the page content, so the watermarked PDF is essentially the same size as the original.
Will the watermark show up when the PDF is printed?
Yes — it becomes part of each page. The watermark prints exactly as it appears on screen, in every viewer and on every device.
Can I tile the watermark across the page?
Yes — tick the Tile option. It repeats your text across the whole page, which is the standard look for anti-copying marks like "DO NOT COPY".
Can I control the opacity and angle?
Yes — both are adjustable with sliders. Set the opacity so the content stays readable, and the angle for a straight or diagonal watermark. The preview updates live.
Do I need an account?
No account and no sign-up. Just open the page, drop in a PDF, and watermark it. There's no watermark from us added to your output, either.
Related PDF tools
If you came here to watermark a PDF, you'll probably need one of these next:
- Add page numbers to PDF — number the pages along with the watermark.
- Rotate PDF pages — fix sideways pages before stamping.
- Merge several PDFs into one — combine files first, then watermark the whole thing.
- Convert PDF pages to JPG — turn the watermarked pages into images.
- How our tools work — privacy and architecture overview.
Ready to Watermark Your PDF?
Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or your brand across a PDF with a live preview. It's free, fast, and your files never leave your device.
Add Watermark