Stamp your own text on every page
Type a short phrase in Watermark text and indox adds it to each page of the file. It draws the mark as text in Helvetica, so the letters stay sharp when you zoom in or print.
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Watermark PDF
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- One PDF
- You set
- The watermark text and how it looks
- You get
- The PDF with the mark on every page
A PDF watermark is text stamped across the pages of a document to show its status or its owner. This tool stamps one line of your own text, such as Draft or Confidential, on every page of a PDF. You set its position, size, color, opacity, rotation and scale, and choose whether it sits on top of the page or behind the content. Drop a PDF in the box above, type the text, select Run Watermark PDF and download the copy. The mark becomes part of each page, so keep your original. One job runs without an account, and indox clears free-tier files automatically within 24 hours of the job finishing.
What can you do when you watermark a PDF?
Choose where it sits and how it tilts
Position places the mark at the top, center or bottom of the page. Rotation starts at 45 degrees for a diagonal mark, and 0 keeps it level.
Control size, color and opacity
Scale sets how wide the watermark area is compared with the page, and Text size sets how large the letters are inside it. Opacity runs from 0 to 1 and starts at 0.3, and Text color takes a hex value such as #ff0000.
Put the mark behind the content
Check Place behind page content and the page's own text and images draw over the mark. Leave it unchecked and the mark sits on top.
What watermarking keeps and what it changes
Stays the same
- Text you could select before the stamp stays selectable.
- Page order, page count and page size.
- Your original, which keeps its clean pages.
Changes
- The same line of text is stamped on every page. There is no page range.
- The mark is drawn in Helvetica, a Latin font, so check how other scripts come out.
- It is merged into the page content, either over it or, with Place behind page content, under it.
- Size, color, opacity, rotation and position come from the form. The default is a diagonal, 30% opaque mark in the center.
- The mark is not a separate layer, so you cannot switch it off later.
Which settings for which watermark
| You want | Set | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A diagonal DRAFT across each page | Position center, Rotation 45 | These are the starting values. |
| A small status line at the foot | Position bottom, Rotation 0, a smaller Text size | Keeps the middle of the page clear. |
| A mark that does not hide the text | A lower Opacity, or tick Place behind page content | Opacity runs from 0 to 1 and starts at 0.3. |
| A watermark on a scanned PDF | Leave Place behind page content unticked | A mark under a full-page scan image is usually hidden by it. |
| A colored mark | Text color as a hex value such as #ff0000 | The default is black, #000000. |
How to watermark a PDF in 3 steps
Upload one PDF
Drop a PDF on the box at the top of the page or click it to choose a file.
Type the text and set the options
Fill in Watermark text, then adjust Position, Text size, Opacity, Text color, Rotation and Scale. Check Place behind page content if the mark should sit under the text.
Run it and check the first page
Select Run Watermark PDF, then Download. If the mark looks too large or too faint, select Convert another and stamp the original again with new values.
Why watermark a PDF with indox?
You get eight controls, and each one makes a change you can see: the text, where it sits, how large it is, its color, how see-through it is, its angle, its width against the page, and whether it goes over or under the content. The defaults produce a faint diagonal mark near the middle of the page, so most files need only the text. indox draws the stamp as text, which keeps it crisp at any zoom. If it cannot apply the stamp, the job fails with an error, and you do not get an unmarked file back.
- The same text mark on every page in one run
- Top, center or bottom placement
- Opacity, color, rotation and scale settings
- Option to place the mark behind page content
- No account required for a single PDF
What are the limits when you watermark a PDF?
- Size
- The free tier has a file size limit. Signing in raises it, and paid plans raise it further.
- Formats
- This tool works on PDF files. To change a file's type, use the PDF converter.
- Privacy
- Files are encrypted in transit and processed on indox infrastructure.
- Deletion
- Free-tier files are deleted automatically within 24 hours after the job finishes. Signed-in output stays in your history for your plan's retention period.
Limits worth knowing
- The watermark is text only, on a single line, in Helvetica. This tool has no font choice, no line breaks and no image or logo option.
- The mark goes on every page. You cannot limit it to a page range or leave the cover page clean.
- A rotated mark can sit off center, because rotation turns it around its corner. Check the first page and adjust Position, Scale or Rotation if it drifts toward an edge.
- On a scanned PDF, a mark placed behind page content is usually hidden by the full-page image. Leave that box unchecked for scans.
- A watermark is ordinary page content. It does not stop copying or printing, and a PDF editor can cover or delete it. indox has no tool that removes one, so keep your original file.
When the result is not what you expected
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The watermark is hard to see | Opacity is low or the color is close to the page | Raise Opacity or pick a color that contrasts with the page. |
| It covers the text | The mark sits on top and is quite opaque | Lower Opacity, or tick Place behind page content. |
| It sits off center | A rotated mark turns around its corner | Adjust Position, Scale or Rotation and check the first page. |
| You cannot see it on a scan | The page image hides a mark placed behind the content | Run it again with Place behind page content unticked. |
| The file asks for a password | The page has no field for one | Remove it with Unlock PDF, then watermark the open copy. |
What do the free and paid plans add?
Free
- All converters
- Daily credit refresh
- Email support
Basic
- Access to all features
- AI Extract
- Priority conversions
- Email support
Highest priority
Premium
- Everything in Basic
- Highest priority queue
- Larger file limits
- Priority support
Pay-As-You-Go
- No subscription
- Credits never expire
- Opt-in auto-refill
- Access to all features
What else can you do with a PDF?
Who watermarks PDFs?
Teams circulating drafts
You send a proposal or policy out for review and want every page to say Draft. One run stamps the whole file, so nobody mistakes it for the final version.
Businesses sharing sensitive documents
You send price lists, reports or contracts outside the company. Stamp Confidential or the recipient's name on each page so a forwarded copy shows where it came from.
Creators sending previews
You share sample chapters, sheet music or design proofs before payment. A visible mark across each page makes the preview less useful as a finished copy.
When to watermark a PDF
- Marking a contract as Draft until both sides sign.
- Adding a client's name to each copy of a report you send out.
- Labeling internal documents Confidential before a meeting.
- Stamping Sample across pages you share before a sale.
- Marking an outdated price list or policy as Void.
Where can I read more?
Sources
- Adding a watermark or stamp to a PDFpypdf documentation
- ReportLab PDF Library User GuideReportLab
Facts checked on October 16, 2026
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Watermark PDF FAQs
Can I use an image or logo as the watermark?
This tool stamps text only. For an image, the Add Stamp tool takes an image URL.
Can I watermark only some pages?
The mark lands on every page of the file. To mark part of a document, pull those pages out with Extract Pages and watermark that file.
Can I remove the watermark later?
indox has no tool that removes it, because the mark becomes part of each page. Keep the original PDF and stamp it again if you need a different mark.
Can I add an invisible watermark?
Set Opacity to 0 and the text turns fully transparent. The words are still stored on each page as text, so it works as a hidden label that a PDF editor can find and delete.
How do Text size and Scale work together?
indox draws the text at Text size on a fixed-width area, then Scale stretches that area to a share of the page width. Raise Scale for a wider mark, and raise Text size so the letters fill more of it.
Will the watermark cover my text?
At the starting opacity of 0.3 the mark is see-through, so text under it still shows. On dense pages, lower Opacity or check Place behind page content so the text draws on top.
Which color values does Text color accept?
Hex values such as #000000 for black or #ff0000 for red. A value indox cannot read falls back to black.
Can I watermark a password-protected PDF?
Unlock the file before you stamp it. indox cannot read a PDF that needs a password to open, so the job fails on a locked file. You can protect the stamped copy again afterward.