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PDF Watermark Tool

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Add a text watermark to every page of a PDF without Adobe Acrobat. Upload your document, choose a watermark label (DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, FOR REVIEW ONLY, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE, or your own text), set the position, opacity, font size, and colour, then download the stamped PDF in seconds. Everything runs locally in your browser - your file is never sent to a server.

No signupRuns in your browserFormula explained belowGeneral information only

How to use this tool

  1. 1Upload your PDF using the file area. Any PDF without an open password will work. Your file stays on your device and is never uploaded to a server.
  2. 2Choose your watermark text. Select one of the four preset labels - DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, FOR REVIEW ONLY, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - or click Custom to type your own phrase.
  3. 3Select the position. Diagonal across page is the standard choice for document security markings. Use Centre, Top, or Bottom for header or footer style marks.
  4. 4Adjust the font size (24-120pt) and opacity (5-80%). The default - 60pt at 30% opacity - works well for most documents and keeps the watermark visible without obscuring the content beneath.
  5. 5Choose a colour. Grey is subtle for internal reviews, red draws attention for drafts and urgent markings, black gives a formal stamp appearance.
  6. 6Click Add watermark. The watermark is applied to every page. Review the page count shown in the result, then click Download to save the file.

Example

Sending a draft contract for client review

A consultant sends a 6-page services contract to a client for initial review. Upload the contract PDF, select DRAFT, choose Diagonal, 60pt, 30% opacity, grey. Click Add watermark. The downloaded file clearly shows DRAFT diagonally on every page, signalling the client that figures and terms are still subject to change before the final version is issued.

Distributing a confidential financial report

A finance manager needs to share a quarterly P&L report with three external advisors before the public announcement. Upload the report PDF, select CONFIDENTIAL, choose Diagonal, 72pt, 35% opacity, red. The resulting file carries a prominent red CONFIDENTIAL mark across every page. Recipients can read all figures clearly while understanding the document is not for wider distribution.

Common use cases

  • Freelancers and agencies sending draft deliverables to clients before final approval, preventing premature use of preliminary work
  • Finance and legal teams marking internal reports as CONFIDENTIAL before sharing with advisors or board members
  • HR departments stamping employment contracts or offer letters with FOR REVIEW ONLY before sign-off to prevent recipients acting on draft terms
  • Property professionals watermarking draft floor plans, valuations, or proposals before the authorised version is released
  • Businesses protecting pricing documents, proposals, or presentations with a DRAFT stamp so prospects understand the figures may change
  • Procurement teams marking supplier quotes as DO NOT DISTRIBUTE before internal review and vendor selection is complete

Common mistakes

  • Setting opacity above 60% - the watermark becomes so dark it obscures the document text and makes the PDF difficult to read; stay between 20-40% for legible documents
  • Using a very large font size (100pt or above) for long phrases like FOR REVIEW ONLY - the text overflows the page width at diagonal position; use 48-72pt for multi-word watermarks
  • Expecting the watermark to restrict copying or printing - a visible text watermark does not encrypt the document or prevent editing; use a permission password if access control is needed
  • Uploading a password-protected PDF - this tool cannot open PDFs that require a password to view; remove the open password first before applying a watermark

Frequently asked questions

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. All processing runs entirely in your browser using the pdf-lib library. Your file is never sent to any server or stored anywhere. You can safely watermark confidential documents, financial reports, contracts, and other sensitive files.

What is the difference between this and the Batch Image Watermark tool?

The PDF Watermark Tool adds a text layer directly to the PDF document structure using pdf-lib, preserving all existing text, links, bookmarks, and searchability in the original document. The Batch Image Watermark tool stamps image files (JPG, PNG, WebP) with a visible overlay. Use this tool for PDF documents and use the image tool for photos or graphics.

Does the watermark prevent someone from removing it?

A visible text watermark applied with pdf-lib can be removed by someone with access to PDF editing software such as Adobe Acrobat Pro. This tool is designed for document marking, version control, and visual deterrence - not as a security mechanism. If you need a tamper-proof document, consider combining a visible watermark with a digital signature and permission restrictions.

Can I watermark a password-protected PDF?

This tool cannot process PDFs that require a password to open. If your PDF has an open password, remove it first. PDFs that only have copy or print restrictions but open without a password can usually be processed. If the tool shows an error, the PDF likely needs the password removed first.

Why does my diagonal watermark look slightly off-centre on some pages?

The watermark is positioned to appear centred on standard A4 and US Letter pages. PDFs with unusual page sizes, very wide landscape pages, or mixed-size pages within the same document may show slightly different placement. The tool uses the actual dimensions of each page, so most standard business documents will look correct.

Can I apply different watermarks to different pages?

Not with this tool. The same watermark text, position, size, and colour is applied uniformly to every page. For page-specific watermarks, you would need PDF editing software with per-page annotation control.

What PDF size or page count can I process?

The tool handles standard business documents well. Very large PDFs (50 MB or over 100 pages) may take a few extra seconds to process since all work runs locally in your browser without server-side acceleration. There is no hard page limit.

Can I add an image or logo watermark to a PDF?

Not with this tool. This tool adds text watermarks only. For image-based watermarking of photos or graphics, use the Batch Image Watermark tool instead.

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