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🔏 PDF Watermark Stamper · Text & Image · Free
Add Watermark to PDF
Text or Image Stamp
Stamp CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, your logo, or any custom text onto every page of a PDF. Control opacity, rotation, position and page range — all in your browser, no uploads.
📝 🖼️
Text & Image Mode
9
Position Options
0
Files Sent to Server
⚡
Instant Preview
🔏 Add Watermark to PDF — Start Here
Upload your PDF, choose a text or image watermark, adjust the settings, preview the result, and download the stamped PDF.
What You Can Do
Full Watermark Control
in Your Browser
Text stamps, image logos, diagonal overlays, tiled patterns — complete control over every watermark parameter without uploading your PDF to any server.
Text Watermark
Stamp any text onto your PDF — use the built-in presets like CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, VOID or type your own custom text in any of 6 font styles.
Image Watermark
Upload a PNG, JPG or WebP image as your watermark — perfect for logos and seals. PNG files with transparent backgrounds produce the cleanest results.
Opacity Control
Set watermark opacity from 5% to 100% with a smooth slider so the original content remains readable behind the stamp.
Full 360° Rotation
Rotate the watermark from 0° to 360° — the classic diagonal 45° angle, flat horizontal, or any angle you need.
9-Point Positioning
Click a cell in the 3×3 position grid to place the watermark at any corner, edge midpoint, or centre of each page.
Tile Mode
Enable Tile Mode to repeat the watermark in a grid pattern across the entire page — great for security-sensitive documents.
Page Range Control
Apply the watermark to all pages, first page only, last page only, or a custom range such as 1,3,5-8. Full flexible control.
100% Private
Your PDF and watermark image are never sent to any server. All processing runs entirely in your browser using pdf-lib.
Live PDF Preview
After generating, the watermarked PDF loads in a live preview iframe so you can check every page before downloading.
7 Color Swatches
Choose from seven preset watermark colors — Red, Orange, Blue, Green, Purple, Gray, Black — or pick any custom hex color with the color picker.
15+ Quick Presets
One-click text presets including CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, COPY, SAMPLE, VOID, DO NOT COPY, APPROVED, REJECTED, PAID, EXPIRED and more.
6 Font Choices
Pick from Helvetica, Times Roman or Courier in both regular and bold weights — covering serif, sans-serif and monospaced needs.
Font Size 12–144pt
Scale text watermarks anywhere from a subtle 12pt corner stamp to a massive 144pt diagonal overlay using the size slider.
No Installation
Runs in any modern browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge — on Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS or Android. No software install required.
Completely Free
No paywall, no signup, no watermark on the output, no daily usage limits. Watermark as many PDFs as you like.
Simple Process
Watermark a PDF in 3 Steps
From upload to stamped PDF download in under a minute.
1
Upload Your PDF
Drag and drop or browse to upload any PDF file. The page count and file size are shown automatically.
2
Configure Watermark
Choose text or image mode, set text content, color, opacity, rotation, position and page range using the settings panel.
3
Generate & Download
Click Generate to preview the result, then download the watermarked PDF to your device instantly.
Real-World Use Cases
Who Uses PDF Watermarks?
From law firms to photographers, watermarking is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect, label and trace PDF documents.
⚖️ Legal
Marking Document Drafts
Law firms stamp early-stage contracts and motions with a clear DRAFT watermark so unfinished documents are never mistakenly sent or filed as the final version.
Setup: Text "DRAFT" · Red · 30% opacity · 45° rotation · Center position · All pages.
💼 Business
Confidential Reports
Companies stamp internal financial reports, strategy decks and pre-IPO materials with CONFIDENTIAL or INTERNAL USE ONLY so anyone viewing knows the document is restricted.
Setup: Text "CONFIDENTIAL" · Gray · 25% opacity · 45° rotation · Tile mode for high security.
📸 Photography
Portfolio Proofs
Photographers and designers send client proofs as PDF contact sheets with their logo or studio name watermarked, preventing customers from using images before payment.
Setup: Image (PNG logo, transparent) · 60% scale · 40% opacity · Center · All pages.
🏫 Education
Sample Exam Papers
Teachers and tutors share past exams as SAMPLE-stamped PDFs so students can study from them but cannot pass them off as official current papers.
Setup: Text "SAMPLE" · Orange · 35% opacity · 30° rotation · Tile mode.
🏠 Real Estate
Property Listings
Real estate agents brand printable listing brochures with their agency logo so the document is clearly attributed if it's shared, printed or forwarded.
Setup: Image logo · Bottom-right · 25% scale · 60% opacity · All pages.
💰 Accounting
Paid Invoices
Bookkeepers and accountants stamp invoices with PAID, UNPAID or VOID after status changes, leaving a clear visual trail on the document itself.
Setup: Text "PAID" · Green · 40% opacity · 15° rotation · Top-right or Center.
📰 Publishing
Press & Review Copies
Authors and publishers send pre-release book PDFs to reviewers with FOR REVIEW or NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION watermarks containing the reviewer's name or ID.
Setup: Custom text "REVIEW COPY — [name]" · 25% opacity · Diagonal · Tile mode.
🏛️ Government
Certified Copies
Agencies mark duplicate official documents with COPY or CERTIFIED COPY watermarks so it's instantly obvious which is the original on file and which is a reproduction.
Setup: Text "COPY" · Blue · 30% opacity · 45° rotation · All pages.
🎨 Freelancers
Proposals & Quotes
Freelancers add their personal logo and a small DRAFT or PROPOSAL watermark to client quotes so the document is obviously preliminary until accepted.
Setup: Image logo top-corner · Text "PROPOSAL" diagonally · 25% opacity.
Choosing Your Watermark
Text Watermark vs
Image Watermark
Both types are fully supported in the tool above. Use this side-by-side comparison to pick the best option for your document.
| Feature | 📝 Text Watermark | 🖼️ Image Watermark |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Status labels (DRAFT, PAID, CONFIDENTIAL) | Brand identity, logos, official seals |
| Setup time | ~5 seconds (pick preset) | ~30 seconds (upload PNG) |
| File size impact | Minimal (~1 KB) | Varies (10 KB – 500 KB+) |
| Custom color | Yes — full color picker | No — colors set in the image itself |
| Custom font | 6 built-in fonts | N/A — text must be baked into the image |
| Searchable in PDF | Yes — text is real PDF text | No — image is a raster object |
| Sharpness when zoomed | Always crisp (vector) | Depends on image resolution |
| Transparency support | Yes (opacity slider) | Yes (opacity + PNG alpha) |
| Rotation | 0° – 360° | 0° – 360° |
| Tile mode | Supported | Supported |
| Recommended file format | N/A | PNG (transparent), 300 DPI logo |
Industry Applications
PDF Watermarks Across
Different Industries
Watermarking is used in nearly every sector that handles documents. Here's how each industry typically applies it.
⚖️
Law & Legal Services
Stamp pleadings, agreements and discovery documents with DRAFT, ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGED, or FILED watermarks to track document state and protect privilege.
🏥
Healthcare
Mark patient records, lab reports and clinical trial documents with PATIENT COPY, CONFIDENTIAL — PHI, or research site identifiers for HIPAA-aware workflows.
🏦
Finance & Banking
Stamp loan documents, account statements, audit files and investor decks with CONFIDENTIAL, AUDIT COPY or specific document control numbers.
🏗️
Architecture & Engineering
Mark CAD-export PDFs and blueprints with NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION, FOR PERMIT, or revision codes so the field always uses the correct drawing set.
📚
Publishing & Media
Send pre-release PDFs of books, magazines and reports to reviewers, journalists and partners with FOR REVIEW, EMBARGOED or recipient-specific tags.
🎓
Education & Training
Stamp study guides, sample papers, course materials and certificates with school logos, SAMPLE markings, or student-specific IDs to discourage redistribution.
🛒
E-commerce & Retail
Add SAMPLE or NOT FOR RESALE watermarks to product catalogs, pricing sheets and wholesale lookbooks shared with retail partners and resellers.
🎬
Film & Entertainment
Studios mark scripts and treatments sent to actors and crew with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, the recipient's name and a date, deterring unauthorized script leaks.
🏛️
Government & Public Sector
Stamp official records and certified copies with CERTIFIED, COPY, FOIA — REDACTED, or agency seals to distinguish originals from reproductions.
🧑💻
Tech & SaaS
Mark pitch decks, due diligence files, internal RFCs and roadmap docs with CONFIDENTIAL, NDA REQUIRED or DRAFT status indicators.
🏨
Hospitality & Travel
Brand vouchers, booking confirmations, menus and event brochures with hotel or agency logos so the document is clearly identified at a glance.
🚚
Logistics & Shipping
Stamp packing slips, customs documents and bills of lading with status markers like DUPLICATE, ORIGINAL, or VOID after a shipment changes.
Settings Reference
Every Watermark Setting
Explained
A complete reference for each control in the tool — what it does, what values to try, and where it matters most.
Watermark Type
Text vs Image
Pick Text for status labels like CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, or PAID — quick, sharp at any zoom, and tiny in file size. Pick Image when you need to stamp a brand logo, signature graphic or official seal. Both modes accept the same opacity, rotation, position and page-range settings.
Watermark Text
The text that gets stamped
Type any string up to a few words long. Short and high-contrast words like CONFIDENTIAL work best. Avoid long sentences — they shrink to fit and become hard to read. Special characters and unicode are supported by the Helvetica and Times Roman fonts but Courier is ASCII-best.
Font Style
Six standard PDF fonts
Helvetica Bold is the default — strong, neutral and the most readable at low opacity. Times Bold gives a more formal/legal feel. Courier works for technical or quasi-stamp aesthetics. The "Regular" variants are slimmer and better for subtle corner watermarks.
Watermark Color
Pick a swatch or use the custom picker
Red signals warnings (VOID, DRAFT, REJECTED). Green is positive (APPROVED, PAID). Blue is neutral/informational (COPY, CERTIFIED). Gray and Black are subtle and great for backgrounds. The custom color picker accepts any hex value — match your brand exactly.
Font Size
From 12pt to 144pt
For a corner stamp: 14–24pt. For a typical diagonal CONFIDENTIAL overlay on a letter-size page: 64–96pt. For dramatic full-page lettering: 120–144pt. The slider adjusts in real time and the chosen value is shown next to the label.
Image Scale
From 5% to 100% of original size
Image watermarks render at a fraction of their original pixel dimensions. 20–40% is typical for a corner logo on a letter-size page. 60–100% for centered full-page seals. If the image already looks small at 100%, you may need a higher-resolution source.
Opacity
From 5% (ghostly) to 100% (solid)
The sweet spot for most documents is 20–40% — visible enough to be unmistakable, transparent enough that the underlying text remains comfortable to read. Use 70–100% for stamps in margins where there's nothing to obscure.
Rotation
Any angle from 0° to 360°
0° is flat horizontal. 45° is the classic diagonal — most associated with the look of a real rubber stamp. 90° is sideways for vertical edge stamps. 15–30° is a more subtle slant that often looks more polished than 45° on modern documents.
Position
9-cell grid
Click any cell of the 3×3 grid to anchor the watermark. Center is the standard for full-page diagonal stamps. Bottom-right is best for a small logo signature. Top-center works well for FOR REVIEW or DRAFT labels above the document body. Position is ignored when Tile Mode is on.
Tile Mode
Repeat the watermark across the whole page
When enabled, the watermark repeats in a grid covering the entire page area. This is the strongest visual deterrent against photo-copying or screenshotting because the stamp appears in every region of the document. Combine with low opacity (15–25%) to keep the page readable.
Apply to Pages
All / First / Last / Custom
Most use cases need All Pages. First Page Only is good for cover-letter stamps. Last Page Only for signature-block markings. Custom Range accepts comma-separated single pages and dash-separated ranges, e.g. 1,3,5-8,12.
Pro Tips
Best Practices for
Effective PDF Watermarks
A great watermark is visible enough to be unmistakable yet subtle enough that the content stays readable. These tips cover the difference.
01
Keep opacity between 20% and 40%
This is the practical sweet spot. Below 20% and the watermark vanishes when the PDF is printed in black-and-white or photocopied. Above 40% and underlying text becomes hard to read.
02
Use 45° rotation for the classic stamp look
Diagonal watermarks are the most recognizable security pattern. They're also the hardest to remove cleanly because they cross every line of body text on the page.
03
Prefer PNG with a transparent background
For image watermarks, PNGs preserve true transparency. A JPG logo over body text leaves an ugly white rectangle around your mark, even with opacity reduced.
04
Source logos at 300 DPI or higher
If you scale a low-resolution logo up, you'll see pixelation in the printed PDF. Start from a vector or high-DPI raster — the tool can scale down cleanly but cannot invent detail.
05
Use Tile Mode for the highest deterrent
Tiling the watermark across the whole page makes it nearly impossible to crop or photocopy out without destroying the document. Use 15–25% opacity to keep readability.
06
Match font weight to opacity
At low opacity, thin fonts disappear. Always pair opacities under 25% with a Bold font weight. At higher opacities (40%+), regular fonts read cleanly.
07
Match color to message
Red for warnings (VOID, DRAFT), green for positive states (APPROVED, PAID), blue for neutral classifications (CERTIFIED, COPY), gray for subtle internal markers.
08
Stamp every page, not just the first
If you only watermark page 1, anyone can simply detach and redistribute pages 2 onward. Always use "All Pages" unless you have a clear reason not to.
09
Include the recipient's name for traceability
Custom text like "REVIEW COPY — Alex Park — 2026" makes it obvious which copy leaked if a document is shared without permission. Combine with Tile Mode for maximum effect.
10
Preview before sending — always
The live preview iframe shows exactly how the stamped PDF will look. Scroll through every page (especially the first and last) before downloading and distributing.
11
Keep an unwatermarked master
Always retain your original PDF separately. The downloaded watermarked file is a new file — once you've stamped a PDF, that stamp is embedded.
12
Test print one page first
Some printers handle low-opacity stamps differently. Before sending hundreds of pages to print, run a single test page to check how the watermark looks on paper.
Privacy & Security
Why This Tool is Different
(and Safer)
Most online watermark tools upload your PDF to their servers, process it there, and stream back the result. This one runs entirely in your browser — your file never leaves your device.
🔒 100% Client-Side Processing
Every step of the watermarking — reading your PDF, embedding the watermark, generating the output — happens in your browser using the open-source pdf-lib JavaScript library. No file content, no metadata and no watermark image is ever uploaded to any server.
No File UploadsYour PDF stays on your device. Network tab will confirm: zero outgoing requests with file data.
No Account RequiredNo sign-up, no email, no tracking. Open the page, drop a file, get the result.
No File RetentionBecause the server never sees your file, there's nothing for us to store or accidentally leak.
Works OfflineOnce the page loads, you can disconnect from the internet and the tool still works.
Open-Source EnginePowered by pdf-lib, an MIT-licensed library you can audit on GitHub at any time.
HIPAA / GDPR FriendlyBecause no data leaves your device, the tool is compatible with strict data-handling regimes by default.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about adding watermarks to PDF files online — covering technical details, security, file compatibility and design choices.
Is my PDF sent to a server?
No. All watermarking runs entirely in your browser using the pdf-lib JavaScript library. Your PDF file never leaves your device, and you can verify this by checking the network tab of your browser's developer tools.
Can I use a transparent logo as a watermark?
Yes. Upload a PNG image with a transparent background for the cleanest logo watermark. JPG and WebP images are also supported, but JPG cannot store transparency, so a JPG logo will appear inside a rectangle.
Will the watermark cover the text in my PDF?
The watermark is added with the opacity you set — the default 30% opacity keeps the original content clearly readable through the stamp. You can lower it further for an even subtler effect.
Can I watermark only specific pages?
Yes. Use the Page Range dropdown to select All Pages, First Page, Last Page, or enter a custom range like 1,3,5-8 to stamp specific pages. Combine commas for individual pages and dashes for ranges.
Does it work with password-protected PDFs?
No. Password-protected or encrypted PDFs cannot be processed in the browser. Remove the password first using a PDF password remover, then add the watermark with this tool, and optionally re-encrypt afterwards.
Is the watermark permanent?
The watermark is embedded directly into the PDF pages. It is not easily removed from the downloaded file without specialist PDF editing tools. For maximum protection, combine the watermark with Tile Mode and low opacity to make removal even harder.
What's the largest PDF I can watermark?
There's no hard server-side limit since processing is local, but in practice large PDFs (200+ MB, thousands of pages) may slow your browser. For very large files, consider splitting the PDF first, watermarking parts separately, then merging them.
Can I watermark scanned PDFs?
Yes. The watermark is overlaid on each page regardless of whether the page content is searchable text or a scanned image. The watermark itself is added as a separate layer on top.
Will the watermark show when printed?
Yes. The watermark is part of the page content, so it appears in print just as it does on screen. Make sure your opacity is at least 25–30% — very low opacities can wash out on some printers, especially in black-and-white.
Can I remove a watermark added by this tool?
Once embedded, the watermark is part of the page content. Some specialist PDF editors may be able to remove simple watermarks, but doing so on documents you don't own may violate copyright or the document owner's rights.
Does the tool support multi-line watermark text?
The current input accepts a single line of text. To simulate multi-line watermarks, you can use Tile Mode with a short phrase that gives a "field of text" effect, or stack multiple watermark runs at different positions.
Can I use custom fonts (e.g. my brand font)?
The tool ships with six standard PDF fonts (Helvetica, Times Roman, Courier in regular and bold). To use a custom brand typeface, the cleanest workflow is to render your text as a PNG image in a graphics tool and use the Image Watermark mode instead.
What's the difference between rotation and tilt?
There's no difference here — "rotation" rotates the watermark around its anchor point. 0° is flat horizontal, 45° gives the classic diagonal stamp look, 90° turns it sideways. Use 15–30° for a subtler slant.
Why does my image watermark look pixelated?
The source image is too low-resolution. Upload a higher-resolution PNG (ideally 300 DPI or vector-exported) — the tool can scale down cleanly but cannot add detail that wasn't there.
Does the watermark increase file size a lot?
Text watermarks add almost nothing (a few KB). Image watermarks add roughly the size of the image multiplied across pages — a 100 KB logo on 50 pages can add a few MB. For minimum file size, use compressed PNGs.
Can I save my settings as a preset?
Settings are not persisted between sessions in the current version — each visit starts with the defaults. The Quick Presets cover the most common text watermarks (CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, etc.) so you can re-apply common stamps in one click.
Is there a limit on how many PDFs I can watermark?
No. There's no daily quota, no signup, no rate limit. Watermark as many PDFs as you like — back-to-back if needed.
Does the tool work on mobile?
Yes. The interface is responsive and works on iOS Safari and Android Chrome. For very large PDFs, a desktop browser will be faster simply because it has more memory and CPU available.
Can a watermark help me prove ownership of a leaked document?
A unique watermark (e.g. the recipient's name and date stamped on every page) can help identify the source of a leak. This is sometimes called document "fingerprinting" — it's not foolproof but is a strong forensic deterrent.
Does this tool change the original PDF?
No. The tool reads your uploaded PDF, builds a new in-memory PDF with the watermark added, and offers that new file as a download. Your original file is untouched.
Reference
Watermark & PDF Glossary
Key terms used in PDF watermarking and on this page, explained simply.
Watermark
A semi-transparent text or image overlay placed on top of document content to label, brand, classify or protect it.
Opacity
How transparent the watermark is. 0% is invisible, 100% is fully solid. Typical PDF watermarks use 20–40%.
Rotation
The angle at which the watermark is drawn, measured in degrees. 0° is horizontal; 45° is the classic diagonal stamp angle.
Tile Mode
A repeating-pattern watermark that fills the whole page in a grid, instead of appearing only once per page.
Page Range
The set of pages a watermark is applied to — e.g. all pages, first page only, or a custom selection like 1,3,5-8.
Anchor / Position
The point on the page where the watermark is placed. The tool offers a 3×3 grid of nine standard anchor points.
Alpha Channel
The transparency channel in PNG and WebP images. Lets parts of an image be see-through, which is what makes logo watermarks look clean.
Vector Text
Text drawn from mathematical font outlines rather than pixels. Stays sharp at any zoom level — the format used by Text Watermarks.
Raster Image
An image made of pixels (PNG, JPG, WebP). Image watermarks are raster; quality depends on source resolution.
DPI
Dots Per Inch — a measure of image resolution. 300 DPI is the standard for print-quality logos and seals.
pdf-lib
An open-source JavaScript library for reading and writing PDF files in the browser. The engine behind this tool.
Client-Side Processing
All file processing happens on your computer (in your browser) rather than on a remote server. Faster and more private.
Document Fingerprinting
Embedding a unique identifier — like a recipient's name — into each copy of a document so leaks can be traced to a source.
Diagonal Stamp
A watermark rotated to 45°, which gives the classic "rubber stamp" look most commonly associated with words like DRAFT or VOID.
PDF Layer
A logically distinct group of content within a PDF page. Watermarks are added as a top layer over the existing page content.
PDF Encryption
Password-protection applied to a PDF. Encrypted PDFs cannot be edited (including watermarking) until the password is removed.
Ready to Watermark Your PDF?
Drop your file in the tool above and stamp it in seconds — no signup, no upload, no limits.
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