When people add a watermark
A few common situations
đ Marking drafts
Label an in-progress document "DRAFT" clearly across every page so it's never mistaken for a final, approved version.
đ Marking confidential files
Add "CONFIDENTIAL" to internal reports or contracts before sharing them with anyone outside a small trusted group.
Šī¸ Protecting shared work
Stamp your name or business across sample work sent to a potential client before payment or a signed agreement is in place.
đ Labeling versions
Add a date or version number so recipients can quickly tell which copy of a frequently-updated document they're looking at.
Why use EkZapp to watermark PDFs
Full control, no design skills needed
Custom text, size & position
Type any wording and choose exactly where and how big it appears.
Free, no limits
Watermark as many PDFs as you like â no account, no extra branding added.
Private by design
Your file is deleted from our server right after processing.
Why a simple text stamp still matters
A watermark doesn't stop someone determined from copying content, but that's rarely the actual goal â most of the time, it's about making intent visible at a glance. A "DRAFT" stamp keeps an unfinished version from being mistaken for the real thing. A "CONFIDENTIAL" label reminds anyone who receives the file, even accidentally, that it wasn't meant for wide distribution. A designer or photographer's name across a preview makes clear the work is a sample, not the final deliverable. In every case, the watermark communicates something about the document at the exact moment someone is looking at it â which a note in an email or a separate cover sheet simply can't do as reliably.
Choosing the right size, position, and opacity
A centered, diagonal watermark at a large size is the traditional choice for documents that need to visibly discourage unauthorized use â a preview, a leaked-draft concern, or a sample sent before a contract is signed. Diagonal placement across the middle of the page is hardest to crop or cover without also cutting off real content, which is exactly the point.
A smaller watermark placed at the top or bottom, by contrast, works better for a quieter label â a version number, a date, or an internal filing reference that needs to be present but shouldn't distract from reading the page. Lower opacity settings, typically in the 15-30% range, keep this kind of label unobtrusive while still fully legible if someone looks for it.
Opacity is really a trade-off between visibility and readability: a highly visible watermark at 70-100% opacity is hard to ignore but can make dense paragraphs harder to read through, while a subtle 10-20% mark stays out of the way but is easy to overlook in a quick glance. Matching the setting to the actual purpose â a bold deterrent versus a quiet label â gets the best result.
đ How to add a watermark to a PDF
Common problems when adding a watermark
The watermark is too dark and hard to read through. Lower the opacity setting â most everyday watermarks look best in the 15-30% range, keeping the original text fully legible underneath.
The text feels too small or too large for the page. Font size is meant as a relative setting rather than a fixed measurement, so it's worth testing one page first for longer documents before applying it more broadly, if the tool you're using supports a quick preview.
You need the watermark removed later. Because the watermark becomes part of the page content, it isn't designed to be lifted back out cleanly. Keeping the original, unwatermarked file safely stored solves this â treat the watermarked copy as the one you share, not the one you keep working from.
Frequently asked questions
Will the watermark appear on all pages?
Yes. The watermark text is applied to every page of the PDF, in the same position, size, and opacity throughout.
Can I remove the watermark later?
Watermarks added by this tool are embedded directly into the page content, so they aren't designed to be removed afterward. Always keep a copy of the original unwatermarked file.
What opacity should I use?
A lower opacity (around 15-30%) keeps the underlying text fully readable while still visibly marking the page. Higher opacity makes the watermark more prominent but can interfere with reading dense text.
Is this tool free?
Yes, 100% free, with no signup required.
Should I use a diagonal or straight watermark?
A diagonal, centered watermark is the most common choice since it's harder to crop out and stays visible across the whole page. A top or bottom watermark works well for a more subtle label like a filename or date.
Can I add a logo instead of text?
This tool currently supports text watermarks only. For a logo or image watermark, converting your logo to a short text label, or using an image-editing step beforehand, is the current workaround.
What's the maximum file size?
PDF files up to 50MB are supported.