How to Add a Watermark to a PDF (Draft, Confidential, Copyright)
Watermarks deter casual misuse — labeling a draft as DRAFT, marking confidential briefs, claiming copyright on whitepapers. They're visual signals, not security. Here's how to add one to any PDF for free.
The problem
You're sharing a draft with a client and want to make sure they don't accidentally treat it as final. Or you're distributing a whitepaper and want your name visible on every page. Or you're a lawyer marking pre-trial documents CONFIDENTIAL — ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT. Adobe Acrobat does this for $20/month. PDFShed does it free.
Use the tool now
Open the add watermark tool and follow the steps below.
Step-by-step
- 1
Open the Add Watermark tool
Drop your PDF into [Add Watermark](/en/tools/add-watermark). Files process locally — your draft contracts and unreleased whitepapers don't upload anywhere.
- 2
Pick text or image watermark
TEXT for "DRAFT", "CONFIDENTIAL", "© Company 2026". IMAGE for your company logo (upload PNG with transparent background).
- 3
Configure appearance
Position (center, top-left, etc.), opacity (30-50% is usual — visible but not overwhelming), rotation (-45° diagonal across page is standard for "DRAFT"), font size, color.
- 4
Apply to all or specific pages
For most use cases, apply to all pages. For multi-document filings, you might watermark only certain exhibits.
- 5
Download
The watermarked PDF downloads. Original is untouched on your drive.
Pro tips
- •For "DRAFT" watermarks during review, use 40% opacity gray text at -45° diagonal — the convention since the typewriter era.
- •For copyright watermarks, place them in the bottom margin at 70% opacity — visible but doesn't obstruct content.
- •Watermarks are NOT security. Anyone can use a redaction tool to paint over them or run the PDF through Repair PDF to scrub annotations. For real protection, encrypt the PDF with a password.
- •For very long documents, use a header/footer instead of a per-page watermark — same effect, smaller file size impact.
Frequently asked questions
Does PDFShed add its own watermark?
No. Many "free" PDF tools add their logo to the output — PDFShed never does.
Can I remove a watermark someone else added?
Sometimes. If the watermark is a standalone PDF annotation, Remove Annotations tool will strip it. If it's baked into the page (flattened), it cannot be cleanly removed without distorting the underlying content.
Will the watermark survive printing?
Yes if it's above 30% opacity. Below that, some printers will skip it as too light to render visibly.
Can I add a different watermark to each page?
Not in one operation. Split the PDF first, watermark each part separately, then merge.