Report a bug

Add Watermark to PDF Online

Add a text or image watermark to a PDF.

Choose a PDF document to watermark

Add confidential stamps, draft labels, or company logo watermarks (up to 50 MB, 100 pages)

Text or Logo Watermarks
Stamp diagonal "CONFIDENTIAL" text or upload your company logo emblem.
Adjustable Opacity
Adjust opacity from subtle 10% to bold 80% so underlying document text remains legible.
PDF processing in your browser
Your PDF is processed in your browser and is not uploaded by this tool.

How to add a watermark to a PDF

Watermarks help clarify document status before a file is shared or circulated. Whether you need to mark contract drafts as "CONFIDENTIAL", label review copies as "DRAFT", or stamp an internal memo with your company logo, this browser tool makes it straightforward to apply customized labels without installing software.

  1. Choose your PDF: Drag and drop your document into the upload area or click "Choose PDF" to pick a file (up to 50 MB and 100 pages).
  2. Choose text or logo: Enter your watermark text (or select a quick preset like "CONFIDENTIAL" or "SAMPLE"), or switch to "Image Watermark" to upload a PNG or JPEG logo.
  3. Adjust appearance: Choose font, size, color, opacity, angle, and vertical position (top header, center, or bottom footer). The live preview updates immediately so you can see how it looks.
  4. Select pages & download: Apply the stamp to all pages, odd/even pages, skip the cover page, or specify a custom page range. Click "Add Watermark & Download" to generate your new PDF.

Text and logo watermark options

Different documents require different watermark treatments:

  • Text watermarks: Choose one of the bundled standard PDF font styles and enter up to 200 characters. Text supports English and accented Latin characters; other scripts are not supported by these text fonts.
  • Image watermarks: Upload a PNG or JPEG logo up to 15 MB. Transparent areas in a PNG can show the page beneath them; JPEG does not support transparency.
  • Adjustable opacity: The control ranges from 5% to 80%. Check the preview to make sure the mark does not hide information readers need.
  • Rotation & position: Place the mark where it identifies the document without covering information readers need to see.

Choose which pages to watermark

Not every page of a document needs a watermark. You can target specific pages:

  • All Pages: Applies the watermark to every page.
  • All Except First Page: Keeps cover sheets or title pages clean while stamping internal pages.
  • Odd / Even Pages: Helpful for double-sided printouts or bound documents where you want alternating placement.
  • First Page Only: Stamps only the cover sheet or summary memorandum.
  • Custom Range: Enter specific page numbers or ranges (such as 1-3, 5) to watermark only confidential appendices or specific exhibits.

File limits and compatibility

Each PDF can be up to 50 MB and 100 pages. Password-protected or encrypted PDFs must be unlocked first. Review the exported file in the PDF viewer you plan to use, especially when the source has unusual page rotations, existing signatures, or document features that matter to you.

Text watermarks are drawn into selected page content. The tool does not promise that every bookmark, annotation, form, signature status, or other document-level feature will be preserved in every PDF. Keep an unchanged copy of the source when those features matter.

Privacy and browser processing

Browser-Local Processing

Your PDF is processed in your browser and is not uploaded by this tool.

File reading, page inspection, preview, and output generation happen in your browser. This tool does not send selected PDF contents, watermark text, or logo files to a FivoTools processing server. Normal page and asset requests still reach our host; optional analytics may measure page visits if you allow it.

For refresh recovery, this browser may save the selected PDF and logo locally in IndexedDB for up to 7 days; watermark settings, including text, may be saved in this tab's session storage. Use Resetto remove the saved tool-session data.

Things to know before exporting

  • Visual label, not access control: A watermark communicates document status or provenance, but it does not encrypt the PDF or restrict access. PDF editing software may alter page content, including the watermark.
  • Digitally signed documents: Editing a digitally signed PDF can invalidate its existing signature or affect its validation status. Keep the original signed file and verify the output if signature status matters.
  • Password protection: This tool does not open encrypted PDFs. Unlock the file first.
  • Output: Exported file size depends on the PDF and watermark image. Check the downloaded file before sharing or printing.
  • Keep your original: Always maintain an unmodified copy of your original PDF so you can refer back to the clean source file at any time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my company logo as a watermark?

Yes. Select the "Image Watermark" option and choose a PNG or JPEG file from your computer. PNG transparency is retained, so transparent parts of the image can show the page underneath. JPEG files have no transparent background.

Will adding a watermark make the text in my PDF unsearchable?

The tool draws the watermark into the selected pages; it does not intentionally rasterize the original page. However, PDF features vary, and this tool does not guarantee that every text layer, bookmark, form, annotation, or signature status will be preserved. Review the exported PDF before relying on it.

What angle is best for a text watermark?

There is no single best angle. Choose a rotation and position that keep the watermark readable without hiding important page content.

How does the tool handle rotated or landscape pages?

The tool accounts for page rotation and the visible page area when calculating placement. Check the preview and exported PDF, since viewers can display rotated or cropped pages differently.

Can a watermark be removed after saving?

The watermark is drawn into the selected page content rather than added as a separate FivoTools-managed layer. A PDF editor may still change page content. Keep the original if you may need an unwatermarked copy.

Related PDF tools

Discover additional free, browser-local document tools on FivoTools:

  • Crop PDF – Trim margins, remove unwanted headers, or reframe scanned documents.
  • Organize PDF – Reorder, rotate, or delete pages, with options to restore deleted pages or reset the order.
  • Split PDF – Extract specific page ranges or split documents into separate files.
  • Add Page Numbers – Number pages after applying a watermark.
  • All PDF Tools – Explore our full collection of client-side PDF utilities.

Method and source

Text and image marks are drawn onto PDF pages in the browser usingpdf-lib's PDFPage API. A watermark is a visual mark; it does not provide encryption or access control.