The Draft watermark appears because Word marks documents as drafts by default

When you open a new document in Microsoft Word, the word "DRAFT" appears diagonally across the page in light gray text. This watermark is Word's way of signaling that a document is not final. You can remove it in about 30 seconds through the Design tab, and the document will look the same to everyone who opens it afterward — the watermark removal is permanent, not just hidden on your screen.

The watermark sits behind your text in the page background, so it prints if you print the document and shows up in PDFs created from the file. Removing it does not change any of your actual writing or formatting, only this visual indicator.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Design tab at the top of Word, then click Watermark and select "Remove Watermark" from the dropdown menu.
  • The Draft watermark is stored in the document itself, so removing it saves permanently when you save the file.
  • If you want to add a different watermark later (like your company name), you use the same Design tab and Watermark button.
  • The watermark removal works the same way in Word for Windows, Word for Mac, and Word Online.

Steps to remove the Draft watermark in Word for Windows

Start with the document open in Word. Look at the top of the screen where you see tabs labeled Home, Insert, Design, and others. Click the Design tab.

Once you are on the Design tab, look for the Watermark button in the toolbar. It usually sits in the middle-right area of the Design ribbon. Click it, and a dropdown menu will appear with watermark options. At the very top of that menu, you will see "Remove Watermark" — click that option. The Draft watermark disappears when ready from your document.

Save your document using Ctrl+S or File > Save. The watermark removal is now permanent in that file.

Steps to remove the Draft watermark in Word for Mac

Open your document and click the Design tab at the top of the screen. On a Mac, the Design tab is in the same location as on Windows.

Click the Watermark button, which appears in the toolbar. A dropdown menu opens. Select "Remove Watermark" from the top of the list. The Draft text disappears from your page when ready.

Press Command+S to save, or go to File > Save. Your change is now saved to the document.

Removing the watermark in Word Online

If you are using Word Online (the browser version you access through Office.com or OneDrive), the process is slightly different because the ribbon is simplified. Open your document and look for the Design tab in the top menu.

Click Design, then find and click Watermark. Select "Remove Watermark" from the dropdown. The watermark disappears from the page. Word Online saves automatically, so you do not need to manually save — the change is already stored.

What happens if you cannot find the Design tab

If you are looking at your document and do not see a Design tab, you may be in a different view. Check whether you are in Read Mode or Editing Mode. The Design tab only appears in Editing Mode. If you see a button that says "Edit Document" at the top, click it to switch to Editing Mode, and the Design tab will appear.

Another possibility is that you are using an older version of Word (2007 or earlier) where the tab is labeled differently. In those versions, go to Format > Page > Watermark instead, and you will see the same removal option.

Adding a custom watermark instead of removing it

If you want to replace the Draft watermark with something else — like your company name, a confidentiality notice, or a date — you use the same Watermark button. Click Design > Watermark, but this time select "Custom Watermark" instead of "Remove Watermark." A dialog box opens where you can type your own text, choose the angle and transparency, and explore it to the document.

Custom watermarks work the same way as the Draft watermark: they sit behind your text, print with the document, and save permanently when you save the file.

Why the watermark reappears after you remove it

If you remove the Draft watermark and it comes back the next time you open the document, the most common cause is that you did not save the file after removing it. Always press Ctrl+S (or Command+S on Mac) when ready after removing the watermark to make sure the change is saved.

A less common cause is that the document is a template file (.dotx) rather than a regular document (.docx). Templates sometimes regenerate watermarks automatically. If this happens, save the file as a regular document instead: go to File > Save As, and change the file type from "Word Template" to "Word Document."

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing the watermark change anything else in the document?

No. Removing the watermark only removes that visual element. Your text, formatting, page layout, and all other content stay exactly the same. The watermark is purely a background graphic that does not affect the document's content or structure.

Will the watermark come back if someone else opens the document?

No. Once you remove the watermark and save the file, it is gone for everyone who opens that document. The watermark removal is saved as part of the document file itself, so other people will see the document without the Draft watermark.

Can I remove the watermark from multiple documents at once?

Word does not have a batch removal feature, so you need to open each document and remove the watermark individually. However, if you are creating many new documents, you can create a template without the Draft watermark and use that as your starting point for future files.

What if I want the watermark back later?

You can add it back anytime by going to Design > Watermark and selecting "Draft" from the dropdown menu. You can also add a custom watermark with different text whenever you need one.

Does the watermark show up in a PDF made from the Word document?

Yes, if the watermark is present when you convert the document to PDF, it will appear in the PDF as well. If you remove the watermark before converting to PDF, the watermark will not appear in the PDF.