Watermark and number PDF pages
Stamp faint text across every page and add automatic page numbers to a PDF.
Drop a PDF here, or click to choose one
Processed right in your browser, never uploaded to any server
What is Watermark and number PDF pages?
A watermark marks the status of a document on the page itself: draft, confidential, copy. It stops nobody from copying the file, but it does stop a recipient from mistaking a draft for the final version, and it makes a leaked copy easier to trace.
Three sliders control size, opacity and angle. Opacity is the one worth care: around twenty percent the mark is clearly visible while the text beneath stays readable. Heavier obscures the content, lighter is almost invisible once printed. Forty-five degrees is the common convention because it crosses the whole page and is hard to crop away.
Page numbering works independently and can be turned on without any watermark text. It is particularly useful right after merging several documents, when the numbers printed on the original pages no longer line up.
One limitation to state up front: the standard fonts built into the PDF format contain no accented characters. The tool detects this and offers a one-click strip, rather than failing with a cryptic error midway through.
How to use
- Choose the PDF you want to stamp.
- Type the text, for example DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL. If it contains accents, press the strip button.
- Adjust the size, opacity and angle sliders until it looks right.
- Turn on page numbering if you want it, and pick plain numbers or number of total.
- Press stamp and the new file downloads. Your original is untouched.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I not type accented characters?
Because the standard PDF fonts use WinAnsi encoding, which has no room for them. Supporting accents would mean embedding a Unicode font of several hundred kilobytes into your file, which is not worth it for one faint line. Press the strip button instead.
Can the watermark be removed?
Yes, by anyone with proper PDF editing software. A watermark is a marking and deterrent, not protection. Do not rely on it to keep anything genuinely secret.
Can I stamp a logo or image instead of text?
Not yet, this tool only stamps text. As a workaround you could build a page containing your logo with the image-to-PDF tool and merge it in, though that does not give the faint overlay on every page.
Where does page numbering start?
Always at 1, following the real page order in the file. Skipping an unnumbered cover is not supported yet, so stamp first and then attach the cover afterwards using the merge tool.