How to add a watermark to a PDF (DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or your name)
Stamp a diagonal text watermark on every page of a PDF before sharing it, and learn when a watermark is enough and when you need a verification stamp.
A watermark tells everyone who sees a document what it is: a draft, a confidential copy, a sample, or a copy sent to a specific person. It is the quickest way to stop a preview from being mistaken for the final version.
Add a watermark in 3 steps
- Open Watermark PDF and upload your PDF.
- Type the text, for example DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or COPY FOR ACME LTD, and choose the opacity.
- Click Process to download the PDF with the watermark on every page.
Good watermark texts
- DRAFT for versions that may still change.
- CONFIDENTIAL for internal documents.
- SAMPLE or PREVIEW for work you send before payment.
- COPY FOR [name] on IDs and documents you share with one organisation, so a leaked copy shows where it came from.
Watermark or verification stamp?
A watermark labels a document, but it cannot prove the document was not edited. If you need recipients to be able to check that a certificate, invoice or letter is exactly what you issued, add a verification stamp. You can do both in one workflow: watermark first, then stamp as the last step.
Opacity around 15–25% keeps the text readable underneath while the watermark stays obvious.