Does watermarking change the rest of the document?

No. The watermark is added to each page as a new layer of content — text is drawn as real text and a logo as a real image — so everything already on the page is left exactly as it was. Text stays selectable and searchable, vector drawings stay sharp at any zoom, and images keep their original resolution. Nothing is converted to a picture of itself.

Can I watermark only some of the pages?

Yes. Choose ‘Selected pages’ and type them in: a range is 1-5, individual pages are 1,3,7, and you can combine them as 1,3-5,8. Pages you do not name are returned untouched, and the result tells you how many were marked. A page number the document does not have stops the job with a message rather than quietly marking fewer pages than you asked for.

What image formats can I use as a watermark?

PNG, JPG and WebP. A PNG with a transparent background is almost always what you want — a JPG has no transparency, so it arrives as a rectangle with a visible edge. The logo keeps its proportions whatever size you set, and is reduced automatically if it would run past the edge of the page.

What happens with mixed page sizes, or landscape pages?

Each page is measured on its own. Position, size and margins are worked out from that page's real dimensions and its own orientation, so a document mixing A4 portrait with a landscape spread gets the watermark in the correct corner of both. Pages the document rotates are handled too: 'top left' means the top left you see.

How faint should the watermark be?

Opacity starts at 50%, which reads clearly without making the text underneath hard to follow. Drop it to 25% for something closer to a background tint, or raise it to 100% for a stamp that cannot be missed. Turning it 45 degrees and putting it in the centre is the classic DRAFT look.

Can the watermark be removed again?

By anyone with a PDF editor, yes. A watermark is drawn onto the page rather than locked to it, so this discourages casual reuse and marks a document's status — it is not a security control and should not be relied on as one.

Which languages can the text watermark use?

Anything written in the Latin alphabet, including accented characters — Helvetica is used, which every PDF reader has built in, so the file needs no embedded font and looks the same everywhere. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic and Hebrew are not covered by that font; use an image watermark for those.

Is this converter free?

Yes. Every conversion on ConvertNicely is free to use, with no account, no watermark on the result and no limit on how many files you convert.

What happens to my files?

Your uploaded file is deleted from our servers the moment the conversion finishes, whether it succeeded or failed. The converted result is deleted automatically one hour later, and you can delete it yourself at any time with the Delete button.

Is there a file size limit?

Files up to 95 MB are accepted for this conversion. Larger limits apply to paid plans in future, but the free limit is generous enough for the overwhelming majority of PDF conversions.

Do I need to install anything?

No. ConvertNicely runs entirely in your browser and on our servers, so there is nothing to download or install. It works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. The whole site is built mobile-first, so you can upload from your camera roll or files app, convert, and download the result without leaving your browser.

Free

Watermark a PDF

Mark a document as a draft, a copy or yours before it goes out. Type a line of text or upload a logo, put it where you want it and set how strongly it shows — on every page or only the ones you name. Nothing is re-rendered: the text in your document stays selectable and searchable, the images keep their resolution, and every page comes back at its original size and orientation.

Also known as: add watermark to PDF · stamp a PDF · add logo to PDF

Files up to 95 MBTypically under a minute

Drop your file hereor choose a file from your devicePDF · up to 95 MB

Encrypted upload · deleted right after conversion

Your files are deleted automatically

Uploads are removed as soon as processing finishes, and converted files are deleted after 1 hour. Read our privacy policy.

How to watermark a PDF

Step 1
1. Add your PDF file
Drag your PDF file into the box, or choose it from your device. It can be up to 95 MB.
Step 2
2. Choose your settings
Fill in “Watermark text”. Adjust Watermark (Text), Text size (60pt), Text colour (Grey), Position (Centre), Opacity (50%), Rotation (0°) and Apply to (Every page), or keep the starting values in brackets, which suit most files. Some choices show further settings. The preview shows how it will look before you start. If you choose “Image or logo”, also add the watermark image (PNG, JPG or WebP).
Step 3
3. Press Add watermark
The work happens on our servers, and you can follow its progress.
Step 4
4. Download your PDF file
Your upload is already deleted, and the result is deleted after one hour.

Worth knowing

The watermark is drawn on top of the page, not locked to it — anyone with a PDF editor can take it off again, so it discourages casual reuse rather than preventing it. Password-protected PDFs are refused; Unlock PDF removes the password first (a PDF that only restricts printing or copying unlocks without one). Text is drawn in Helvetica, which covers Latin alphabets but not Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic or Hebrew.

Why watermark a PDF?

Marking a contract DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL before circulating it
Putting a company logo on a proposal going out to a client
Stamping a copyright line across a report before it is shared
Marking sample or preview pages so they are not mistaken for the final

What changes

What watermark a PDF changes, and what it leaves alone
Property	Before	After
Pages	As uploaded	Same count, same order
Page size	As uploaded	Unchanged
Text	Selectable	Still selectable
Watermark	None	Your text or logo

Frequently asked questions

Page updated 3 October 2026

All PDF converters

Watermark a PDF

How to watermark a PDF

1. Add your PDF file

2. Choose your settings

3. Press Add watermark

4. Download your PDF file

Why watermark a PDF?

What changes

Frequently asked questions

Split PDF

Merge PDF

Compress PDF

Watermark Image

Watermark a PDF

How to watermark a PDF

1. Add your PDF file

2. Choose your settings

3. Press Add watermark

4. Download your PDF file

Why watermark a PDF?

What changes

Frequently asked questions

Does watermarking change the rest of the document?

Can I watermark only some of the pages?

What image formats can I use as a watermark?

What happens with mixed page sizes, or landscape pages?

How faint should the watermark be?

Can the watermark be removed again?

Which languages can the text watermark use?

Is this converter free?

What happens to my files?

Is there a file size limit?

Do I need to install anything?

Does it work on a phone?

Related conversions

Split PDF

Merge PDF

Compress PDF

Watermark Image