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Watermark PDF

Add a text or image watermark to every page of any PDF. Control opacity, rotation, position and size — with a live preview. Nothing uploaded, nothing stored.

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Add a Watermark to Your PDF

Choose text or image watermark, adjust the settings, preview on the first page, then apply to all pages and download.

Drop your PDF here
or click to browse — one PDF at a time
PDF
Loaded File
PDF
—
—
Watermark Type
Watermark Text
Font Size
48px
Opacity
30%
Rotation
-30°
Color
Position
Watermark Image
Click to upload your logo or watermark image
PNG with transparency recommended
Watermark image loaded — change
Need to edit an image?
Size
25%
Opacity
50%
Position
Live Preview (first page)
PREVIEW
Apply To
Output Filename
.pdf

How to Add a Watermark to a PDF

PDFToolShack’s Watermark PDF tool runs entirely in your browser. PDF.js renders a live preview of your first page so you can see exactly how the watermark will look before applying it. pdf-lib.js then burns the watermark into every page and the finished PDF downloads directly to your device — nothing is ever uploaded.

Text watermarks are ideal for labels like CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, or DO NOT COPY. Control the font size, rotation, color, and opacity, or enable tiling to repeat the text across the entire page for maximum protection. Image watermarks are perfect for logo branding — use a PNG with a transparent background for the cleanest result.

Use the page scope selector to apply your watermark to all pages, odd/even pages only, or just the first page — useful for cover-page branding on reports and proposals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Your PDF is loaded into memory, the watermark is drawn onto each page locally by JavaScript, and the result downloads directly to your device. Nothing is transmitted to any server.
What format should my watermark image be?
PNG with a transparent background gives the cleanest result. JPEG works but has no transparency support, so you’ll get a rectangular image overlay. For logo watermarks, always export as PNG from your design tool.
What is the best opacity for a watermark?
For visible branding (e.g. a company logo on a report), 40–60% opacity works well. For protective watermarks (CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT), 15–25% keeps the text readable over the content while still clearly marking the document.
Can the watermark be removed?
The watermark is burned into the PDF pages as a permanent layer. While determined users with advanced editing tools could attempt removal, a tiled watermark at low opacity covering the entire page is extremely difficult to remove without damaging the underlying content. For the strongest protection, combine with a password using our Protect PDF tool.
Does watermarking reduce PDF quality?
The text watermark is added as a vector layer, so it doesn’t affect text or image quality. Image watermarks are embedded at their original resolution. Neither type re-compresses or re-renders the existing page content.
Why use a tiled watermark?
A single centered watermark can be cropped or obscured. A tiled watermark repeating across the whole page means any portion of the document — even a screenshot of part of a page — will still show the watermark. It’s the most effective visual protection for sensitive documents.