Watermark PDF

What a watermark actually does

A watermark does not lock a document, but it changes how people treat it. Stamping DRAFT across a proposal stops a client from mistaking an early version for the final one. Marking a document CONFIDENTIAL reminds anyone who receives it that it should not be forwarded. Adding your company name to a report makes it obvious where the work came from if someone shares a screenshot. It is a social protection rather than a technical one, and that is usually exactly what is needed.

Getting the look right

A good watermark is visible without fighting the content. Keep the opacity low enough that the text underneath stays comfortable to read, usually somewhere between 15 and 30 percent. A diagonal stamp across the middle of the page is the hardest to crop out and reads clearly at a glance. If the document will be printed, check that the watermark is still visible on paper, since printers often render light greys weaker than screens do.

Common watermark text

• CONFIDENTIAL, for internal documents that should not circulate.
• DRAFT or SAMPLE, for work in progress and previews.
• Your company or website name, for branding and attribution.
• A date or version number, to stop old copies being mistaken for current ones.

Free, online, private

The watermark is drawn onto every page in your browser, so the document is never uploaded. There is no signup and no limit, and the output carries only your text, not any branding from this site.