Real text or burned in
By default the watermark is added as real text on every page using a built-in standard font, so the file stays about the same size and the rest of the page is untouched. Anyone with a PDF editor can still delete that text.
Turn on Make it hard to remove to render each page as a picture with the watermark burned in at 150 DPI. It can't be deleted as an object, but text in the PDF is no longer selectable or searchable and the file gets larger. More about hard-to-remove watermarks.
Choosing text, angle and opacity
- Short wording works best: Confidential, Draft, or For KYC with HDFC Bank only.
- A diagonal angle of about 30 to 45 degrees is easy to read and hard to crop around.
- Keep opacity between 30 and 50% so the page underneath stays readable.
- The built-in font covers Latin letters. Characters outside it, such as Devanagari, are replaced with a question mark in text mode; use the hard-to-remove mode to draw them.
Two layouts
- Repeat across the page tiles the text in staggered rows on every page.
- One in the centre places a single mark, shrunk if needed to fit the page.
Private by design
- Your file is opened and stamped inside this browser tab. It is never uploaded, and the page is not allowed to connect to other sites.
- The saved copy has no metadata: camera details, location and PDF author information are removed.
- The site works offline once it has loaded, and it needs no sign-up.
Questions
How do I add a watermark to a PDF for free?
Open the PDF on this page, type your text, adjust the preview and press Add watermark. Download the result; there is no sign-up and no watermark of ours.
Can the watermark be removed from the PDF?
In the default mode it is real text that a PDF editor can delete. With Make it hard to remove, pages are saved as pictures with the watermark burned in, so it can't be removed as an object.
Does adding a watermark make the PDF bigger?
Barely, in the default mode, because only text is added. In hard-to-remove mode the pages become images, so the file is usually larger.
Can I watermark a PDF or password-protected PDF?
Yes. Choose the PDF and the watermark is added to every page. If it is locked, enter the password when asked; the saved copy has no password.
Is my ID uploaded when I add a watermark?
No. The file is opened and stamped inside your browser tab, and the page's security policy blocks it from sending data to any server. It also works offline once loaded.