Add a Watermark to a PDF
Mark a document as DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or with your name across every page. Add a text watermark with the position and transparency you choose — free, no software needed.
How to watermark a PDF
- Upload your PDF (drag & drop or browse).
- Choose Add Watermark, type your text, and set the position and opacity.
- Download the watermarked PDF. Your upload is deleted from our server automatically.
Why use File Forge?
- Every page covered: the watermark is applied across the whole document in one pass.
- Adjustable look: diagonal or straight, faint or bold — you control position and opacity.
- Free & verifiably private: deleted after download, open source, no signup.
How File Forge keeps your Watermark PDF files private
When you use the Watermark PDF tool, your file is uploaded over an encrypted HTTPS connection and processed on the server, then handed straight back to you. File Forge is built privacy-first, and — because the entire codebase is open source — every claim on this page is something you can verify line by line or run yourself, rather than a marketing promise you have to take on trust.
Your file is deleted the moment you are done
The file you upload is removed from our server as soon as the Watermark PDF operation finishes, and the processed result is deleted the instant you download it. As a safety net, a background sweeper runs continuously and purges anything older than one hour, so nothing of yours lingers on disk. We never build a library of your documents, never resell them, and never train anything on them. There is no hidden retention and no analytics tied to your file contents.
Open source you can audit — or self-host
Most “free” online file tools ask you to trust a closed black box. File Forge is different: the complete source code is public on GitHub, so a developer can read exactly how the Watermark PDF tool handles uploads, confirm the deletion logic, and even run a private copy on their own machine or server. Verifiable privacy beats a privacy policy you simply have to believe.
No account, no watermark, no upsell
There is no signup, no email wall, and no credit card. File Forge never stamps a watermark on your output and never caps you at “one free file” before demanding payment. The Watermark PDF tool is genuinely free to use as often as you need, on any device with a web browser — no software to install and no extensions to add.
Frequently asked questions
Can I control how strong the watermark looks?
Yes — set the opacity so it's a faint background mark or a bold overlay, and choose diagonal, top, center, or bottom placement.
Will the watermark cover my content?
A low-opacity diagonal watermark stays readable over your text. Pick the opacity that balances visibility with legibility.
Can I watermark images too?
Yes — use the free Add Watermark to Image tool for JPG, PNG and WebP files.
More free tools
Protect PDF · Sign PDF · Add Page Numbers · Compress PDF · Watermark Image