Watermark PDF files with text or a logo

How to watermark a PDF

1. 1Add your PDF.
2. 2Type your text or pick a logo, then set the position, size, angle and opacity. Leave Pages empty to mark every page.
3. 3Press Start and download the watermarked file.

Watermark PDF copies of an ID before you send them

Landlords, employers, banks and hotels often ask for a copy of your passport, ID card or payslip. A watermark that says who the copy is for, why, and when makes it far less useful to anyone who gets hold of it later. For example: "For Smith Lettings, flat application only, 3 Nov 2026". Choose Repeat across the page, keep the opacity around 30 to 40%, and check that your photo and ID number are still readable, or the copy may be refused. If you only have a photo of the document, use Watermark image instead. Rivmu works on your device, so the ID itself never goes to a server.

Text or logo

Text works for DRAFT, COPY or CONFIDENTIAL stamps, or the recipient's name on documents you share. It can be up to 80 characters, in Sans, Serif or Typewriter, in any color. A logo makes sense on company papers. PNG, JPG, WEBP and SVG all work, and a PNG with a transparent background keeps its transparency.

Make it hard to remove

A mark in one corner can be cropped off in seconds. Repeat across the page covers the whole sheet, so it can't be cut away without losing the content. The watermark is added as separate text or an image on top of each page, though, so someone with a PDF editor could delete it. For sensitive files, run the result through Flatten PDF in Everything mode, which turns each page into an image with the mark baked in. The text can't be selected after that.

Other free options

Adobe Acrobat Pro can put a watermark behind the content, which Rivmu can't do yet. So can iLovePDF's free online tool (checked in November 2026), but your file is uploaded to its servers first. If the mark has to sit under the text, use one of those.

Mistakes to avoid

A plain COPY says nothing about who the copy was meant for, so write the recipient and the purpose. Don't let the mark cover your photo or ID number. Keep the opacity low enough that every line can still be read. Remember to flatten a sensitive file. Keep the clean original too: this tool can't take a watermark off again.

Formats and limits

It takes one PDF up to 300 MB, or 100 MB on a phone. Leave Pages empty to mark every page, or list only some, such as 1-3. Arabic text is set right to left. Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters are left out, and you'll see a note. Password-protected files need the password removed first.

Questions people ask