Add a Watermark to PDF
Stamp text such as CONFIDENTIAL or DRAFT on all or some pages of a PDF, in the layout, angle, size, color and opacity you choose, with the file never leaving your device
Click to select a PDF
PDF files only. No fixed size limit; very large files depend on your device's memory.
Latin letters (accents included), numbers and common symbols
Leave it empty to mark every page
Status
How to use this tool
- Click the box and select the PDF.
- Type the watermark text, for example DRAFT.
- Choose the layout, angle, size, opacity and color. Optionally type the pages to mark.
- Press “Add watermark & download”.
Worked example
Say you need to send a 10-page proposal for review and want every page marked as a draft. Type DRAFT, choose “One in the center”, “Diagonal, rising”, “Large”, “Light (15%)” and “Gray”, and press “Add watermark & download”: each page gets a large, pale diagonal DRAFT, and the text underneath stays readable.
Methodology
The open-source pdf-lib library (version 1.17.1, served from this site) opens your PDF in the browser, draws your text on the pages you selected using the standard Helvetica Bold font, and saves the result as a new file. Nothing is sent to a server.
Watermark surprises, and what happens in each
Most surprises come from expecting a watermark to behave like a security feature. Here is what the tool does.
- Expecting protection. A watermark can be removed with a PDF editor. Use it to label a version, not to stop copying or to hide information.
- The watermark hides the text. It is drawn over the page, so a dark color at high opacity can make small print hard to read. Light or medium opacity in gray keeps the page readable.
- Long text overflows. In the centered layout the size is reduced until the text fits the page. In the repeated layout a long text simply repeats less often.
- Text in other alphabets. The standard font supports Latin letters with accents, digits and common symbols. Other scripts, such as Cyrillic or Chinese, are refused with a message instead of producing wrong characters.
- A password-protected PDF. It cannot be opened here, and the log says so. Unlock it first with the program that protected it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PDF watermark tool really free and unlimited? ▼
Yes. There is no account, daily limit, page cap or watermark of ours. The practical limit is your device's memory, which matters mainly for very large PDFs.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server? ▼
No. The file is read and changed inside your browser tab and the watermarked copy is created on your device. The page only downloads its own scripts.
Can I use an image or logo as a watermark? ▼
Not in this tool: it adds text only. For a logo you would need a PDF editor that supports image stamps.
Can the watermark be removed afterwards? ▼
Yes, anyone with a PDF editor can delete it, and your original file is never modified. A watermark labels a version; it is not a security measure.