How to Add a Watermark to Your Word Document

The quickest way to add a watermark in Word

Open your document in Microsoft Word. Go to the Design tab (or Page Layout if you're using an older version). Click Watermark in the ribbon. Word shows you preset options like "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", or "DO NOT COPY" — pick one and it appears behind your text immediately.

If none of the presets match what you need, click Custom Watermark at the bottom of that menu. You can type your own text, change the font, adjust the angle, or make it lighter or darker. Click OK and Word adds it to every page of your document.

The watermark stays in place even if you edit the document later. If you share the file with someone else, they'll see the watermark too — it's part of the document itself, not just your view of it.

Key Takeaways

• Preset watermarks like "DRAFT" or "CONFIDENTIAL" are one click away in the Design tab, and they apply to all pages at once.
• Custom watermarks let you type your own text and control the font, size, angle, and transparency to match what you need.
• Watermarks appear behind your text on every page and remain visible when you print or share the document.
• You can remove a watermark by going back to Design > Watermark and selecting "Remove Watermark".

Using a preset watermark

Word comes with built-in watermark options that cover the most common uses. Click Design > Watermark and you'll see options like "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", "URGENT", and several others. Each one appears in large, light gray letters behind your document text.

Choosing a preset is the fastest route if one of them fits your purpose. The watermark applies to your entire document right away — you don't have to do anything else. If you change your mind, you can pick a different preset or remove it entirely.

Creating a custom watermark with your own text

Click Design > Watermark > Custom Watermark at the bottom of the menu. A dialog box opens with options to type whatever text you want. You might use your company name, a project code, a date, or anything else that needs to appear on every page.

In that same dialog, you can change the Font (Arial, Times New Roman, and others), the Size (measured in points), and the Color (though light gray is standard so it doesn't interfere with reading). You can also adjust the Layout — choose between diagonal (the text runs corner to corner) or horizontal (the text runs straight across the middle).

The Transparency slider controls how faded the watermark appears. Move it left to make it darker and more visible, or right to make it lighter and less distracting. Click OK when you're done, and Word adds your custom watermark to every page.

Adjusting watermark transparency and appearance

If your watermark is too dark and makes the document hard to read, increase the transparency. In the Custom Watermark dialog, drag the Transparency slider to the right. The watermark will fade into the background while still remaining visible.

If you want the watermark to stand out more — for example, if you're printing a draft and need "DRAFT" to be obvious — move the slider left to darken it. You can also change the font to something bolder or larger to make it more prominent. Keep in mind that very dark watermarks can make your document harder to read on screen and use more ink when printing.

Removing or changing a watermark

To remove a watermark entirely, go to Design > Watermark and click Remove Watermark at the bottom of the menu. Word deletes it from all pages immediately.

To change an existing watermark, go back to Design > Watermark > Custom Watermark. The dialog shows your current settings. Edit the text, font, size, or transparency as needed and click OK. Word updates the watermark on every page.

Watermarks in different Word versions

In Microsoft Word 2016 and earlier, the watermark option is under Page Layout instead of Design. The steps are otherwise the same — click Page Layout > Watermark > choose a preset or Custom Watermark.

In Word Online (the browser version), watermark options are limited. You can't add a custom watermark through the web interface, but you can still see and print watermarks that were added in the desktop version. If you need to add or edit a watermark in Word Online, download the document, make the changes in the desktop app, and upload it again.

What happens to watermarks when you print or share

Watermarks print exactly as they appear on screen. If you print your document, the watermark will show up on the printed pages. This is useful for marking drafts, confidential documents, or anything else that needs a visible label.

When you share the document with someone else — by email, cloud storage, or any other method — the watermark travels with it. The person who opens the file will see the same watermark on every page. They can't remove it unless they have edit access to the document and choose to do so themselves.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add different watermarks to different pages?

No. Word applies the same watermark to every page in your document. If you need different watermarks on different pages, you would need to split the document into separate files, add the appropriate watermark to each one, and then combine them again if needed.

Will the watermark show up if I convert the document to PDF?

Yes. When you save or export your Word document as a PDF, the watermark is included. It will appear on every page of the PDF just as it does in Word.

Can I use an image as a watermark instead of text?

Word's built-in watermark feature only works with text. If you want to use a logo or image as a watermark, you would need to insert the image into the header or footer of your document and adjust its transparency manually using the image formatting options.

Does the watermark take up space or affect my document layout?

No. Watermarks sit behind your text and don't change margins, spacing, or how your content flows. They're purely visual and won't affect the layout of your document.

What if I want the watermark to appear only on the first page?

Word's watermark feature applies to all pages. To have a watermark on only the first page, you would need to add it through the header instead — insert an image or text box in the header, position it where you want it, and then remove it from subsequent pages using the "Different First Page" option in the header settings.