Stop a draft being treated as final
A document marked DRAFT on every page does not get forwarded as the agreed version by mistake — the most common cause of arguing about the wrong file.
Always free. No signup. No watermark.
Do the quick job here. Register only when you want history, saved files, repeat workflows, or a dashboard trail.
Watermark PDF
Add a watermark to PDF online for free.
Stamp any text — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, DO NOT COPY — diagonally across every page of your PDF. Adjust opacity. Instant download, no watermark from us.
Common use: CONFIDENTIAL for NDA drafts, DRAFT for review copies, SAMPLE for demos.
Watermark is a semi-transparent text layer — the original content is fully preserved underneath.
Drop your PDF here
PDF only · up to 20 MB
Tip: Need to also edit or annotate the PDF before watermarking? Edit first →
Custom watermark text
Type any text — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, SAMPLE, your company name, or any label. Up to 80 characters.
Adjustable opacity
Choose how visible the watermark is — from a barely-visible 5% ghost to a bold 40% stamp.
Every page
The watermark is applied diagonally across the center of every page — no manual per-page work.
Instant download
Processing takes seconds. Your watermarked PDF starts downloading automatically.
No BrieflyGo branding
Only your watermark text appears — no logos, no ads, no attribution from us.
Private & not stored
Your file is processed server-side and discarded immediately. Never stored or shared.
Practical guide
What is Watermark PDF, and when should you use it?
Watermark PDF draws your text diagonally across the centre of every page — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, SAMPLE, a client name — at an opacity you choose, so the label is unmistakable without making the document unreadable.
It is best for marking drafts, labelling confidential copies, and discouraging casual reuse of shared documents. Quick use does not require an account, although the current anonymous daily allowance may apply.
- Output
- The same PDF with your text drawn diagonally in grey across every page at the opacity you set
- What it preserves
- All page content — the watermark is drawn over it, and nothing is flattened or re-rendered
- Best for
- Drafts sent for comment, confidential copies, sample documents, and files shared outside the organisation
Common ways to use Watermark PDF
Label a confidential copy
Marking a file CONFIDENTIAL before it leaves makes the expectation explicit on every page, including any page printed or screenshotted on its own.
Watermark a sample or a per-recipient copy
Put SAMPLE on a template you are showing, or the recipient name on their copy, so a leaked page points at where it came from.
How to use Watermark PDF
Type the watermark text
Up to 80 Latin characters — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, SAMPLE, a client name, or anything else you need on the page.
Set the opacity
Around 15 percent keeps the document readable; higher makes the label dominant. The range is 5 to 90 percent.
Upload and download
Drop in the PDF, up to 20 MB, and the watermarked file comes straight back.
Limits and checks before you use the result
- Text only, up to 80 characters. There is no image or logo watermark, and no per-page or tiled placement.
- The standard PDF font used here covers Latin characters. Cyrillic, Greek, and CJK text will not stamp correctly — use Latin wording.
- Position and colour are fixed: grey text at 45 degrees through the centre of the page, sized to the page width. Only the wording and opacity are yours to set.
- A watermark is a deterrent, not protection. It can be removed by anyone determined enough, and it does not stop copying, printing or extracting the text. Files up to 20 MB.
Watermark PDF FAQ
How do I add a watermark to a PDF?
Type the text you want, set the opacity, and upload the PDF. The text is drawn diagonally across the centre of every page in grey and the file downloads straight back.
What opacity should I use?
Low, around 15 percent, for a document that still has to be read comfortably — the default. Higher, up to 90 percent, when the label matters more than legibility, such as a SAMPLE or VOID copy you do not want used.
Can I use a logo or image as the watermark?
Not here — this stamps text only. For a logo or a shaped mark, generate it as a transparent PNG with the stamp generator and place it in the editor instead.
Does BrieflyGo add its own watermark?
No. The only text on your pages is the text you typed. There is no branding, no trial mark and no account requirement.
Can the watermark be removed?
By someone who wants to, yes. It becomes part of the page content, so it survives ordinary copying and forwarding, but it is a deterrent and a label rather than a security control. It does not prevent printing, copying or text extraction.
Can I watermark only some pages?
Not in one pass — every page gets the text. To mark a section only, extract those pages, watermark them, and merge the document back together.
Why did my watermark come out blank or wrong?
Almost always non-Latin characters. The standard font used for stamping does not carry Cyrillic, Greek or CJK glyphs, so use Latin wording — or place text in the editor, where fonts are embedded.
Is my PDF uploaded, or does this run in my browser?
The file is uploaded. This tool processes the PDF on a BrieflyGo server over an encrypted connection and sends the result back to your browser, which is what lets it handle large files and scanned documents that a browser-only tool would struggle with. Nothing is added to an account unless you are signed in and choose to save it. See the security page and privacy policy for how storage and retention are handled.
Is it really free, and is there a catch?
It is free with no daily cap, no signup and no watermark added to your document. An account is optional and only buys persistence — saved files, history, and sending a document out for signature. Nothing here is time-limited or card-gated.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Everything happens through the browser on desktop or mobile — no extension, no desktop app, and no Acrobat licence. That also means it works the same on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
Understand the agreement before you sign it.
Review risky clauses in plain English, fix the document, and keep it moving toward signature.