Watermarks are rarely needed on one document. Drafts go out for review as a set, proofs go to a client as a set, a portfolio of sample work goes to a prospect as a set — and each one should say DRAFT, PROOF or SAMPLE before it leaves your hands. Stamping them one by one is slow and error-prone: the file you forget is the one that gets passed around as final.
The watermark tool stamps a whole batch with identical settings in one run. The watermark is placed for each page's own size and orientation, so a mixed folder of Letter, A4 and landscape documents comes out consistently, and nothing is uploaded.
How to watermark many PDFs at once
- Open ihatepdf.cv/add-watermark.
- Select or drop all the PDFs together. With more than one file the tool switches to batch mode.
- Type the watermark, or pick a preset: CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, COPY or a copyright line.
- Choose a pattern — Single, Diagonal or Grid — then the angle, opacity, colour and size.
- Press "Watermark N files".
- Download all as a ZIP. Each file is saved as
watermarked_name.pdf.
Tip: drop a single file first to see the live preview on a real page and adjust until it looks right. Then remove that file and drop the whole set — the settings you chose stay in place.
The settings, and what each is for
- Pattern. Single places one watermark in the centre of each page — clean and readable, right for DRAFT and status labels. Diagonal tiles the text across the whole page at an angle, and Grid tiles it in straight rows; both are much harder to crop out, which is what you want for proofs and samples.
- Angle. 45° is the classic diagonal; 0° reads horizontally; −45° and 90° suit landscape pages and vertical margins.
- Opacity from 3% to 100%. Around 15–20% is visible without getting in the way of reading; 30–50% is a deterrent for proofs.
- Colour and size. Grey is the safe default on documents; red reads as urgent; a large size with low opacity looks deliberate rather than shouty.
- Tile spacing controls how dense Diagonal and Grid patterns are.
Mixed page sizes and rotated pages
A batch is rarely uniform. One file is A4, another US Letter, a third has landscape pages and a scanned contract has pages stored rotated. Naive watermarking places text from the corner of the page as it is stored in the file, which pushes a "centred" watermark off-centre on landscape pages, or upside down on rotated ones.
Here every page is laid out as the reader sees it: inside its visible area, after its rotation, with the text turned around its own centre. A centred DRAFT is centred on every page of every file, whatever its size or orientation, and tiled patterns fill each page edge to edge.
Matching the watermark to the purpose
- Internal drafts: DRAFT, Single, 45°, grey at 15–20%. Readable and unmistakable.
- Confidential documents: CONFIDENTIAL, Diagonal, red or grey at 20–25%, so it appears in any screenshot of any part of the page.
- Client proofs and portfolio samples: your name or "SAMPLE", Diagonal or Grid, 30% or more, so the work cannot be cropped clean and used without paying.
- Copies: COPY or "Not an original", Single, so the document still reads normally.
Text watermarks, and logos
This tool stamps text, set in a bold sans-serif. Text covers almost every batch need — status labels, a company or client name, a copyright line, a reference number — and it stays razor sharp at any zoom because it is drawn as type rather than placed as a picture. If your watermark must be a graphic logo, a short line of text such as "© Your Company 2026" in the brand colour at low opacity is the closest equivalent and usually reads as more professional on documents anyway.
Check two files before you send the batch
A batch makes it easy to stamp fifty files in seconds, and just as easy to send fifty files with a typo in the watermark. Before you send anything, open two results: one portrait file and one landscape or unusual-size file if the batch has them. Check the spelling, that the watermark does not cover a signature or a figure people need to read, and that the opacity looks the same printed as on screen — printers often render light grey lighter than monitors do.
One watermark per recipient
A batch applies the same text to every file. If each recipient should get copies carrying their own name — a strong deterrent against forwarding — run a small batch per recipient with their name as the watermark. For tracing a leaked copy back to its source, pair that with a fingerprint record of exactly which file went to whom.
Making the watermark hard to remove
A text watermark is added to the page's content, so it survives printing, screenshots and every PDF reader. Someone determined, with a full PDF editor, could still select and delete it. Two follow-up steps, both of which also work in batches, raise the bar:
- Flatten in Full Flatten mode renders each page — watermark included — into a single image, so there is no separate text object to delete.
- Encrypt the batch so the files cannot be opened, and therefore not edited, without the password.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add a watermark to multiple PDFs at once?
Yes. On ihatepdf.cv/add-watermark, select or drop several PDFs, set the watermark once and press Watermark. Every page of every file is stamped, and you download them all as a ZIP.
Will the watermark be centred on pages of different sizes?
Yes. Each page is handled using its own size and rotation, so a centred watermark is centred on A4, Letter, landscape and rotated pages alike.
Can each file get a different watermark?
Not in one batch. Run one batch per recipient, each with its own text.
What opacity should I use?
15–20% for drafts and confidential labels that should not interfere with reading, 30% or more for proofs and samples that should not be reused.
Can someone remove the watermark?
Not with a normal PDF reader. To stop editors removing it, flatten the files in Full Flatten mode or encrypt them afterwards.
Are my documents uploaded?
No. Watermarking runs in your browser and the files never leave your device.