Add a watermark to a PDF
Put a line of text across your pages, once in the centre or repeated in a pattern.
Your files never leave your device
Drop a PDF here
Or drag it anywhere on this page.
Opened on this device. Nothing is uploaded.
One PDF at a time, up to 200 MB. Text watermarks only, in Helvetica: letters from Western European languages work, other scripts don't. Password-protected PDFs can't be edited.
How to watermark a PDF
- Choose a PDF file, or drag it onto the page.
- Type the watermark text, then set the size, colour, opacity, angle and placement.
- Press Add watermark, then download the watermarked PDF.
Watermarking a PDF in your browser
A watermark is text drawn on each page. Your browser opens the PDF with pdf-lib, works out the visible area of every page, and draws the text there with the colour, opacity and angle you chose. The result is a new file; your original stays as it was.
The text uses Helvetica, one of the fonts every PDF viewer already has, which keeps the output small but limits the characters to the Western European Latin set. Tiled placement repeats the text in a staggered pattern so it can't be cropped away from one corner.
Tips
- Keep the opacity low, around 20 to 35 percent, so the page stays readable.
- Want page numbers as well? Add them with Add page numbers.
- Need to share a flattened copy? Turn the pages into pictures with PDF to JPG.
Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The watermark is drawn into a copy of your PDF by the open-source pdf-lib library, inside your browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
Which characters can I use?
The watermark uses Helvetica, a standard PDF font that covers the Western European Latin alphabet, digits and common punctuation. If your text contains anything else, such as Chinese, Arabic, Cyrillic or most symbols, the tool tells you which characters it can't draw instead of producing a broken file.
Can the watermark be removed afterwards?
It is drawn as ordinary page content on top of the page, not as a removable layer, and your original file is not changed. Keep your original if you need a clean copy. A watermark is a visual deterrent, not a security measure.
Can I watermark only some pages?
Yes. Choose Some pages and enter pages or ranges such as 1-3, 5. Pages are counted from 1.
What does tiled placement do?
The text is repeated in a staggered grid that covers the whole page, at the angle and size you choose. Centre places one copy in the middle of each page.
Does it work on rotated or cropped pages?
Yes. The watermark is positioned in the visible area of each page, and pages that are stored rotated get the watermark turned with them so it appears at the angle you chose.