Add Watermark to PDF Free — Stamp Text and Page Numbers
When you share a draft, a sample chapter or an internal report, a watermark marks it as yours and shows the reader how it should be treated. This free PDF watermark tool stamps your own words, such as CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT or SAMPLE, across every page of your PDF, and can also add Page X of N numbers in the footer so the reader always knows where they are. You choose the text, the size, the opacity and the position: across the centre, diagonally, or tucked at the top or bottom of the page. Everything happens in your browser: your file is never uploaded to a server, never stored anywhere, and never seen by anyone else. The original file on your computer is never changed; you always download a new, stamped copy, so keep the clean original safe and share only the watermarked version.
One PDF at a time. The watermark will be stamped on every page.
No PDF selected yet.
Privacy: your PDF never leaves your browser. Stamping runs entirely on your device.
How to Use
- Add your PDF. Click the drop zone and choose one PDF file, or drag it straight from your computer into the box. Its name and size appear below the box so you can check you picked the right file.
- Set your watermark. Type the words you want stamped, pick a font size, and drag the opacity slider until the preview value looks right. Choose diagonal across the centre for a classic draft mark, or top or bottom centre for a lighter touch. Tick the page numbers box if you want Page X of N in the footer.
- Click Add Watermark. The tool stamps your text on every page and adds page numbers if you asked for them.
- Download and check the result. When the result appears, click Download watermarked.pdf and open it. Check that the watermark is readable but does not hide your text, and that every page carries the right page number, then share the stamped copy.
Worked Example
Suppose you have a 2-page report that you want to share as a draft, marked CONFIDENTIAL. Add the PDF, leave the watermark text as CONFIDENTIAL, set the font size to 48, the opacity to 0.3 and the position to diagonal at 45 degrees, and leave the page numbers box ticked. Click Add Watermark. The expected result is a new file, watermarked.pdf, with exactly 2 pages: each page carries the word CONFIDENTIAL stamped diagonally across its centre at 30 percent opacity, so the report text underneath stays readable, and the footer of page 1 reads Page 1 of 2 while the footer of page 2 reads Page 2 of 2. A 2-page PDF always produces a 2-page watermarked copy, and a 10-page PDF produces a 10-page copy with the same stamp on every page.
Why Watermark a PDF in Your Browser?
Most online watermark tools ask you to upload your document to a remote server, where you have no control over how long it is kept or who can see it. That is a real risk when the file is a contract, a price list, an unpublished manuscript or a client report. This tool takes the opposite approach: the stamping code runs on your own device, inside your browser, and the file never travels over the internet at all. A watermark is also a practical habit, not just a security step. A diagonal DRAFT mark stops a reader from mistaking an early version for the final one, a SAMPLE mark protects a chapter you send to a buyer, and page numbers stop pages from being read out of order when a document is printed.
Tips for a Readable Watermark
Start with an opacity of 0.3, which is the usual balance: clear enough to notice at a glance, faint enough that the text underneath stays easy to read. If the watermark still hides a diagram or a table, drop the opacity to 0.2 or move it to the top or bottom of the page instead of the centre. Use short words in capitals, such as CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT or SAMPLE, because long sentences become hard to read when stamped diagonally. Keep the font size in proportion to the page: 48 points suits a normal letter or A4 page, while a small receipt-sized page needs a smaller size. Always keep your original, unstamped file, because a watermark stamped into a PDF cannot be cleanly removed later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free to add a watermark to a PDF here?
Yes. Adding a watermark and page numbers to a PDF on this page is completely free, with no account, no sign-up and no watermark of ours added on top of yours. You can stamp as many PDFs as you like.
Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?
No. Your PDF never leaves your browser. The watermark is stamped entirely on your device using a PDF library loaded from this site, so your document is never uploaded, stored or seen by anyone else.
Can I remove a watermark added with this tool?
A watermark stamped into a PDF is part of the page, so it cannot be cleanly removed by this tool. Always keep your original, unstamped file, and only share the watermarked copy. If you need a different watermark, stamp a fresh copy from the original.
Will the watermark cover my text?
At a low opacity such as 0.3 the watermark is see-through, so the text underneath stays readable. If the text is hard to read, lower the opacity, use a smaller font size, or move it to the top or bottom.
What if my PDF is password-protected?
Password-protected PDFs cannot be opened here, because the tool cannot read them without the password. Remove the password in your PDF reader first, save an unlocked copy, and then add the watermark to that copy.