How to Add a Watermark to a PDF (Text or Image)

A watermark stamps a message across every page of a PDF — “CONFIDENTIAL,” “DRAFT,” a company logo, or a client's name. It discourages unauthorised sharing, signals a document's status at a glance, and brands your work without touching the underlying content. Here's when to use one and how to add it in your browser.

When you should watermark a PDF

• Marking status — “DRAFT,” “FOR REVIEW,” or “SAMPLE” so no one mistakes a work-in-progress for the final version.
• Confidentiality — “CONFIDENTIAL” or “INTERNAL ONLY” on sensitive reports, contracts, and proposals.
• Branding — a faint logo on portfolios, quotes, and deliverables.
• Traceability — a recipient's name or email, so a leaked copy can be traced back to who it was sent to.

Text vs image watermarks

Text watermarks are quick and crisp — type a word or phrase and it's tiled or centred across each page. Image watermarks let you place a logo or signature graphic (ideally a transparent PNG). Use text for status and confidentiality labels; use an image for brand marks. Both should sit at low opacity so they're visible but never obscure the content.

Step-by-step: add a watermark with ToolsGravity

1. Open the PDF Watermark tool and upload your PDF.
2. Type your watermark text (or upload a logo image for an image watermark).
3. Adjust opacity, rotation, and position. A common look is diagonal text at ~30–45% opacity, centred.
4. Apply the watermark and download the stamped PDF.

Recommended settings by use case

Watermarking tips

• Keep it readable underneath. Too much opacity makes the document hard to read; too little and the watermark is pointless. 20–40% is the usual sweet spot.
• Diagonal beats horizontal for security marks. A 45° angle is harder to crop out and reads clearly over body text.
• Use a transparent PNG for logos. A logo on a white box will cover the page; a transparent background blends in.
• Watermark last. If you also need to add page numbers or a stamp, apply those first so the watermark sits cleanly on top.

Summary

A watermark is the simplest way to signal that a PDF is confidential, a draft, or yours. Use text for status labels and a transparent-PNG logo for branding, keep opacity around 20–40%, and go diagonal for security marks. The ToolsGravity PDF Watermark tool applies it across every page in seconds, right in your browser.