A watermark is a balance between being seen and not getting in the way. The text, position, opacity and number of copies decide whether it reads as a deliberate mark or an accidental smudge over the content.
Step by step
-
1
Upload your PDF
Drag your PDF onto the box or click Choose file. It is sent over an encrypted connection and only used for this task.
-
2
Set the options
Adjust watermark text, location on page, left (pt) and right (pt). Every field has a sensible default, so you can usually run the tool straight away.
-
3
One mark, or a page full of them
The Multi watermark button opens a copies box: 4 spreads a 2×2 grid, 9 a 3×3, and any number works — every copy shrinks to fit its cell so the page stays readable.
-
4
Pick the face by looking at it
Style lists every bundled font in its own face and previews your watermark text right under the row, so the choice is made on the lettering you will get.
-
5
Custom means real edges
Left / Right / Top / Bottom are PDF points from the page edge, applied to the mark as you see it — turned marks included — and the preview moves with the numbers.
-
6
Run it and download
Press Watermark and the page shows progress while it works. When it finishes you get a download link — nothing is emailed and nothing is stored longer than it needs to be.
Text or image
Text is fastest for “Draft”, “Confidential” or a client name. An image works for a logo or a handwritten-style mark; use a transparent PNG and check its aspect ratio before placing it. For an image watermark, the width and height percentages control the footprint on the page.
Placement, angle and repeats
A centred, lightly angled mark is the familiar default. A custom position measured from the page edges is better when the mark must avoid a logo or a signature block. Multiple copies create a tiled pattern; keep the opacity low and test on a dense text page so the watermark does not make the document hard to read.
Fonts, colour and page ranges
Pick a font and colour with enough contrast to be visible but not enough to compete with the body text. Apply the mark to selected pages when a cover page or an appendix should stay clean. If the document will be printed in black and white, preview it that way; a pale colour may disappear entirely.
Check the final PDF
Open the downloaded file at 100%, check the first and last page, and print one page if it matters. Confirm the mark is on the pages you chose, that no important text sits underneath it, and that the page count is unchanged. For a client copy, keep an unwatermarked master separately.
Good habits for Watermark
- The preview updates as you type, so you can judge spacing before running it.
- Leave a page range blank to apply to every page.
- Colours accept a hex value, so you can match an existing brand colour exactly.
Common questions
Is this tool free?
Yes. Every tool on this site is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily task limit.
Do I need to install anything?
No. The tools run in your browser and are processed by this server.
What happens to my files?
They are stored under an unguessable id and swept automatically after a couple of hours. Nothing is shared or indexed.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. The page pickers and editors are built for touch, so dragging, rotating and selecting pages all work without a mouse.
What does Watermark do exactly?
Type your mark or pick a picture, then choose where it sits and how it looks — Style carries every bundled font with a live preview. Multi watermark tiles the same mark over the page, and the pages box limits it to the sheets you name.
Does watermarking change the original PDF?
No. The mark is applied to the copy you download. Your upload is unchanged.
Can I watermark only some pages?
Yes. Use the Pages field to apply the mark to the pages that need it and leave covers or appendices clean.
Can I use an image as a watermark?
Yes. The tool accepts an image and lets you set its width and height as a percentage of the page; a transparent PNG usually produces the cleanest result.