Add watermark in PDF

How PDF watermarking works

Add Watermark to PDF lets you overlay text or a logo across your PDF and save a new watermarked file. The process runs locally in your browser, so your document and watermark asset stay on your device from start to finish.

When to use this tool

Watermarks are useful when a document needs branding, ownership marking, or a clear status label before it is shared. This is especially useful for draft documents, internal copies, review PDFs, sample files, client proofs, and company-branded exports.

• Add text like Draft, Confidential, Sample, or Internal Use Only.
• Add a company logo as the watermark image.
• Mark documents before sharing them externally or internally.
• Use lower opacity when the file still needs to stay easy to read.

Working with a secured or finalized document?
Open protected files first with a PDF unlocking tool, reduce file size after adding a watermark using a PDF compression tool, or lock the final version before sharing with a PDF password protection tool.

Step-by-step: add a watermark to a PDF

Adding a watermark takes just a few steps:

• Add your PDF. Drop one PDF into the upload box or click to browse.
• Choose the watermark source. Upload one image like PNG or JPG, or leave image mode empty and use watermark text instead.
• Adjust the settings. Pick the placement, size, opacity, and any relevant color, font, rotation, or margin options.
• Preview the result. Review the watermark on real PDF pages before exporting.
• Save the new file. Click Add watermark and download the updated PDF.

Text and logo watermark types

This tool supports two watermark modes:

• Text watermark: enter your own wording such as Draft, Confidential, Approved Copy, Company Name, or Internal Use Only.
• Image watermark: add one image file such as PNG, JPG, JPEG, or WebP. The image is automatically treated as the watermark item.

If an image watermark is present, the tool uses it automatically. If no image watermark is added, it uses the text watermark field instead.

Placement styles

This tool supports standard positions plus more prominent center-based placements across the page.

• Standard positions: top left, top center, top right, bottom left, bottom center, bottom right, and center.
• Center horizontal: a wide watermark across the middle of the page.
• Center vertical: a vertical watermark through the page center.
• Center sideways: a sideways center placement for a stronger branded or stamped look.

Quality and limitations

This tool is designed for document-wide watermarking. It overlays the watermark across the PDF and saves a new file. You can use either watermark text or one watermark image, but not both at the same time in the final output. If an image is uploaded, it becomes the watermark automatically.

• Lower opacity usually works best when the document still needs to stay readable.
• PNG logos are often the best choice when you want transparent edges around the watermark.
• JPG files can work well for flat image watermarks, but they do not support transparency.
• Preview several pages before exporting if your PDF has mixed layouts, dark sections, or different page designs.
• This version is meant for applying one watermark style across the PDF, not separate custom watermark designs per page.

Privacy, limits and how this tool treats your files

FileYoga is built around a simple rule: your files stay with you. Watermarking runs locally in your browser, so your PDFs and watermark assets are never uploaded to FileYoga servers.

Tips for best results

• Use lower opacity like 15% to 35% when the document still needs to stay easy to read.
• Use a PNG logo with transparency for a cleaner image watermark.
• Use center horizontal or diagonal center placement for classic Draft or Confidential style watermarks.
• Preview several pages before exporting, not just the first one.
• Compress the watermarked PDF afterward if you need a smaller file.

Troubleshooting

• Add watermark button does nothing: add one PDF file first. If no image watermark is added, make sure the text watermark is not empty.
• The watermark is too strong: lower the opacity or reduce the size.
• The watermark is too small: switch the size to Large or Extra large.
• The logo does not look clean: try a PNG with transparency instead of a JPG.
• White watermark is hard to see: your PDF background may be too light for white, so switch to black, gray, blue, or red.
• Preview is too zoomed in or too small: change the preview zoom setting.
• Error on the PDF: the file may be damaged, encrypted, or unusually complex — re-save it in a desktop PDF app and try again.
• A protected PDF will not load: unlock the PDF first, then try watermarking it again.

Frequently asked questions