How to Add a Watermark in Word

Adding a watermark takes three clicks in Word

A watermark is text or an image that appears behind your document's content — usually faded so it does not block reading. Word lets you add one through the Design tab without opening any dialog boxes or learning special steps. The watermark stays on every page automatically.

Open your document in Word. Click the Design tab at the top of the screen. Click Watermark in the middle of the ribbon. Choose a preset watermark from the dropdown menu — "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", and "DO NOT COPY" are the most common — or click Custom Watermark at the bottom to type your own text or insert an image.

Once you choose or create a watermark, it appears on every page of your document when ready. You do not need to save or explore anything else. If you want to remove it later, go back to Design > Watermark and click Remove Watermark at the top of the menu.

Key Takeaways

Watermarks appear behind text on every page and are built into Word's Design tab, not hidden in a menu.
You can use a preset watermark like "DRAFT" or create a custom one with your own text in seconds.
The watermark applies to the whole document automatically — you do not need to add it to each page separately.
Removing a watermark is as fast as adding one: Design > Watermark > Remove Watermark.
Watermarks do not print smaller or larger depending on your printer; they stay the same size on the page.

Using a preset watermark

Word comes with several watermarks already built in. These are the fastest option if one of them matches what you need. Click Design, then Watermark, and you will see options like "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", "ASAP", and "DO NOT COPY". Click whichever one you want, and it appears on your document right away.

Preset watermarks are always centered, always faded the same way, and always use the same font. If you need to change the angle, size, or color, you will need to create a custom watermark instead. But if the preset looks right, there is no reason to go further — it takes one click and does the job.

Creating a custom watermark with text

Click Design, then Watermark, then scroll to the bottom and click Custom Watermark. A dialog box opens with two options: Text and Picture. Make sure Text is selected.

Type the text you want in the box labeled Text. You can type anything — your company name, a project code, a date, or a warning. Below that, you can change the Font, Size, and Color using the dropdown menus. The preview on the right shows you what it will look like. When it looks right, click OK.

Your custom watermark now appears on every page. If you want to change it later, go back to Design > Watermark > Custom Watermark and adjust the text, font, size, or color. Click OK again, and the change takes effect across the whole document.

Using an image as a watermark

You can use a logo, photo, or other image as a watermark instead of text. Click Design, then Watermark, then Custom Watermark. Select the Picture radio button.

Click Select Picture and choose an image file from your computer. The image appears in the preview. You can adjust the Scale — how large the image is — using the dropdown menu. The Washout checkbox makes the image more faded so it does not block your text as much. When it looks right, click OK.

Image watermarks work best with straightforward logos or graphics. Photographs and detailed images often become hard to see when faded enough not to interfere with reading. If your image watermark is too faint or too dark, go back to Custom Watermark and adjust the Scale or Washout setting.

Watermarks in headers and why they matter

When you add a watermark in Word, it actually goes into your document's header — the space at the top of every page that usually stays the same across all pages. This is why the watermark appears on every page without you having to add it manually to each one.

If you have different headers on different pages — for example, different headers in different sections of your document — the watermark will appear in all of them. If you delete the header on one page, the watermark disappears from that page too. For most documents, this does not matter. But if you are working with a complex document that has multiple sections with different headers, be aware that removing or editing a header will affect the watermark.

Removing or changing a watermark

To remove a watermark, click Design, then Watermark, then click Remove Watermark at the top of the menu. The watermark disappears from every page when ready.

To change an existing watermark, click Design, then Watermark, then Custom Watermark. Edit the text, font, size, color, or image as needed, and click OK. The new watermark replaces the old one across the whole document. You do not need to remove the old one first.

What watermarks do not do

Watermarks are visual only — they do not protect your document or prevent copying. Someone can still copy the text, take a screenshot, or print the document. If you need actual security, use Word's password protection or encryption features instead.

Watermarks also do not change based on the document's content. You cannot create a watermark that shows the current date, the page number, or the document's filename. If you need dynamic information that updates automatically, use headers and footers instead, which support fields like date and page number.

Finally, watermarks may not print exactly as they appear on screen, depending on your printer and printer settings. Some printers fade watermarks more or less than others. If the printed watermark looks wrong, check your printer settings for an option to print backgrounds or watermarks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have different watermarks on different pages?

Not directly — Word applies one watermark to the entire document. If you need different watermarks on different pages, you would need to split the document into separate files, add a different watermark to each, and then combine them. For most purposes, one watermark across all pages is what you want.

Why does my watermark look different when I print it?

Printers handle watermarks differently depending on their settings and capabilities. Check your printer settings for an option like "Print Background" or "Print Watermarks" and make sure it is turned on. Some printers also have a darkness or intensity setting that affects how faded the watermark appears.

Can I make the watermark text vertical instead of diagonal?

The preset watermarks and custom text watermarks in Word are always diagonal. If you need vertical or horizontal text, create a custom watermark with an image instead — design the text in an image editor, save it as a picture, and insert it as a picture watermark.

Does the watermark show up in PDF if I convert the document?

Yes. When you save or export a Word document as a PDF, the watermark is included in the PDF file. The watermark will appear the same way in the PDF as it does in Word, though some PDF viewers may display it slightly differently depending on their settings.

Can I password-protect just the watermark so people cannot remove it?

No. Word does not have a way to lock the watermark separately. If someone has edit access to your document, they can remove the watermark by going to Design > Watermark > Remove Watermark. If you need to prevent removal, you would need to restrict editing of the entire document using Word's protection features.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.