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Add Watermark to PDF - Protect Documents with Text Watermarks
Adding a watermark to a PDF discourages unauthorized sharing and signals the document's status (DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, PREVIEW). Unlike image watermarks, PDF text watermarks are vector-based and don't pixelate at high zoom.
Common Watermark Text
- DRAFT - indicates document is not final
- CONFIDENTIAL - restricts sharing
- COPY - marks duplicate/distribution copies
- DO NOT COPY - stronger restriction notice
- PREVIEW / SAMPLE - indicates incomplete document
Watermark Placement Strategy
- Center, diagonal - most visible, hardest to crop out
- Center, horizontal - clear but easier to remove
- Repeated tile pattern - covers entire page, very hard to remove
Opacity Best Practice
10-25% opacity makes the watermark visible but doesn't obscure the content. Too high (50%+) ruins readability. SnapSum defaults to 15% opacity for a professional look.
Free PDF Watermark Tool
Use SnapSum PDF Watermark - upload PDF, type watermark text, adjust opacity/size/position/rotation, apply to all pages or a range. Download the watermarked PDF. 100% browser-based.