Add Watermark to Image — Free Online
Add a custom text watermark to any photo. Choose position, opacity, size, and color — preview updates live. 100% browser-based.
Drop image here or click to upload
JPG, PNG, WebP, HEIC — max 20MB
You can also paste an image (Ctrl+V)
What Is a Photo Watermark?
A watermark is visible text or a logo overlaid on an image to identify its creator or owner. The term comes from the paper-making industry, where thin designs were embedded into paper during manufacturing — visible when held up to light. Digital watermarks serve the same purpose: making an image traceable back to its source, even when shared or reposted without attribution.
Text watermarks are the simplest form — a name, website URL, copyright symbol, or brand phrase overlaid at a chosen position with controlled opacity. They range from barely visible branding marks at 20–30% opacity to prominent protection marks at 70–100% opacity that make unauthorized use impractical.
Why Watermark Your Photos?
Copyright protection
A visible watermark signals that an image is owned and protected. While it does not legally prevent use, it makes unauthorized use obviously wrong — and makes the source clear to anyone who sees the image shared elsewhere.
Brand building
Every time a watermarked photo is shared, the creator's name or website travels with it. For photographers, content creators, and brands, this turns every share into passive promotion — especially valuable for viral or widely-reposted content.
Client proofing
Photographers delivering digital proofs to clients add watermarks so clients can review composition and quality before final payment — without having a usable final image without paying.
Attribution on social media
Images shared on social platforms are frequently downloaded and re-shared with the original poster's credit stripped. A watermark ensures your name travels with the image regardless of who shares it next.
Watermark Position Guide — Which to Use When
| Position | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom right | Photography, portfolio shots | Most common — visible but not intrusive |
| Bottom left | Documentary, news photography | Less common — harder to crop without cropping subject |
| Bottom center | Landscape, wide-format photos | Works well when corners are busy with content |
| Center | Client proofs, stock photo previews | Maximum protection — difficult to crop out |
| Top right | Social media posts, product photos | Good if subject is bottom-heavy |
Opacity — Choosing the Right Level
Watermark opacity controls the balance between visibility and intrusiveness. There is no single right answer — it depends on your goal:
20–40%
Subtle branding
Barely visible — for professional portfolios where you want attribution without distracting from the image. Shows ownership but does not dominate the photo.
50–70%
Standard protection
Clearly visible — for social media content and stock previews. Readable at a glance, but the underlying image is still viewable. The most common choice for working photographers.
80–100%
Maximum protection
Opaque — for client proofing, proof-of-concept previews, or images shared in contexts where unauthorized use is a real concern. Maximally visible; intentionally intrusive.
How the Watermark Is Applied
This tool draws the watermark using the browser Canvas API. When you upload an image, it is rendered onto a canvas element at its original pixel resolution. The watermark text is drawn on top using ctx.fillText() with the chosen font size (as a percentage of image width), color, and opacity set via RGBA. The font size scales relative to the image width so the watermark looks proportionally consistent across photos of different dimensions.
The canvas is then exported as JPEG at quality 92 — visually lossless for the underlying photo. Only the pixels covered by the watermark text are changed from the original. The rest of the image is pixel-perfect. No server is involved at any step.
Your Photos Never Leave Your Device
All watermark processing runs entirely in your browser. Your photos are never uploaded to any server — not even for a moment. This makes the tool safe for watermarking sensitive client work, unpublished photographs, or personal images. Free with no limits, no account required.