A watermark is a faint word or phrase across each page. It is the quickest way to mark a document as a draft, a review copy or something confidential.
Step 1: Choose the wording
Common choices are DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, SAMPLE and FOR REVIEW ONLY. Keep it short so it reads clearly across the page.
Step 2: Set the look
Open Watermark PDF. A grey stamp at around 25 per cent opacity is subtle and still readable. Red stands out more for drafts. The angle is set to 45 degrees by default, which is the classic look.
Step 3: Choose on top or behind
On top of the content is the most visible. Behind the content keeps the text easy to read, which suits documents people need to work from.
Good practice
- Use a watermark for marking, not as the only protection. Anyone can copy the text from a PDF.
- Watermark a copy, not the original, so you can still send a clean version later.