A watermark tells viewers who made a photo and makes it harder to reuse without credit. This free tool to add a watermark to an image puts your text or logo on a JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or BMP file, with a live preview so you can fine-tune it before saving. Size is relative to the image width, so the stamp looks the same on a phone photo and on a large camera file. Need the picture smaller first? Use Resize Image, then come back.
Why use this tool
- Your image is not uploaded. Everything is drawn on a canvas in your browser.
- Live preview. You see the watermark change as you move each slider.
- Text or logo. Type a line of text, or use a transparent PNG logo.
- Tile mode. Repeat the mark across the whole image when one corner stamp is too easy to crop out.
- Full-size export. The saved file keeps your original pixel dimensions, up to a 48-megapixel cap.
- No signup and no added branding.
Step-by-step guide to watermarking an image
Add a text watermark
Leave Text selected and type your line, such as a name, a website or a copyright notice. Choose a color. White with the soft shadow switched on is readable on most photos. Dark text works on light backgrounds like snow or paper.
Add a logo watermark
Switch to Logo image and choose a file. A PNG or WebP with a transparent background looks best. A logo with a white box around it will show that box. If yours has one, Background Remover can clear it first.
Set size, opacity and rotation
Size is a percentage of the image width. Opacity runs from 5% to 100%, and 30 to 50% is a good range for a mark that's visible but doesn't fight the photo. Rotation from -90 to 90 degrees helps with diagonal stamps.
Choose a position
Pick center, a corner, or the top or bottom middle. Corner marks keep the subject clean. Center and Tile across image are harder to remove.
Save the file
Choose PNG for lossless output, JPG for smaller photos, or WebP for small files on the web. Click Add Watermark & Download. The preview is a scaled copy, and the saved file is made at full size.
Supported formats, specs and limits
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Input formats | JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF (first frame), BMP |
| Maximum input size | 50 MB |
| Output formats | PNG, JPG, WebP |
| Output size | Same as the original, scaled down only above 48 megapixels |
| Watermark types | One line of text (up to 80 characters), or one logo image |
| Controls | Size 3-60%, opacity 5-100%, rotation -90 to 90 degrees |
| Positions | Center, four corners, top or bottom center, tiled |
| Not supported | HEIC files, animated GIF output, multi-line text |
| Processing | In your browser; no upload |
Use cases
- Photographers add a credit before posting previews to clients.
- Online sellers mark product photos so competitors can't pass them off as their own.
- Artists and illustrators sign artwork they share on social media.
- Real estate agents brand listing photos with an agency name.
- Bloggers stamp a site address on original images.
- Teachers and students label draft images as "Sample" or "Draft".
Key features and benefits
- Text or logo watermarks
- Live preview with instant slider feedback
- Size set as a share of image width, so it scales with the photo
- Opacity, rotation, color and shadow controls
- Eight position options, including tiling
- PNG, JPG and WebP export with a quality slider
- Respects the photo's rotation data from the camera
- Light and dark themes, large tap targets, full keyboard use
Expert tips and common mistakes
- Don't make it too faint. If it's barely visible on your phone, it's useless.
- Don't make it too loud. A watermark that ruins the picture gets the photo ignored.
- Put the mark over detail, not plain sky. Smooth areas are easy to retouch out.
- Use tile mode for valuable shots. A single corner stamp can be cropped off.
- Keep the clean original. You can't remove a watermark from the saved copy.
- Compress after stamping. A saved PNG can be big, so run it through Compress Image File before sharing.
A watermark discourages casual copying, but it doesn't stop a determined person, and it isn't a copyright registration. It's a visible credit.
Privacy and security
Your files are processed in your browser and are never uploaded. The image and logo are read into memory, drawn onto a canvas on your device, and saved from there. The page makes no network requests while you work. Closing the tab or clicking Reset clears them.
The saved file is a newly drawn image, so it won't carry over the original's hidden camera data such as GPS location.
This tool vs alternatives
| This browser tool | Desktop photo editors | Server-based online tools | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Install needed | No | Yes | No |
| Image leaves your device | No | No | Usually yes, it's uploaded |
| Signup | No | Depends on the app | Varies |
| Batch stamping | One image at a time | Often yes | Varies by service |
| Advanced layers and fonts | Basic | Extensive | Varies by service |
If you need to watermark hundreds of photos with custom fonts, desktop software is better. For a quick, private stamp on a single photo, this page is faster.
Troubleshooting
- "That file is not a supported image." Use JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or BMP.
- HEIC photo won't open. Convert it first with HEIC to JPG Converter.
- Nothing shows on the preview. Type some text or choose a logo, and check that opacity isn't at the minimum.
- White text vanishes on a bright photo. Switch the color to a dark one or leave the shadow on.
- The logo has a white box. Use a PNG with a transparent background.
- The saved file is huge. Choose JPG or WebP, or lower the quality slider.
- The tab is slow on a big photo. Close other tabs, or resize the image first.
Glossary
- Opacity
- How solid the watermark is. 100% is solid, and lower values show more of the photo.
- Tiling
- Repeating the watermark in a pattern across the whole image.
- Alpha channel
- The part of a PNG that stores transparency.
- Canvas
- The browser feature used to draw the image and the watermark.
- EXIF
- Hidden camera data in a photo, such as date, device and orientation.
Frequently asked questions
Is this tool to add a watermark to an image really free?
Yes. You can watermark as many images as you like with no payment, account or daily quota, and the tool adds no branding of its own to your files. The only limits are technical: images up to 50 MB, with exports scaled down only above 48 megapixels.
Is it safe to watermark my photos online here?
Your image is processed in your browser and is never uploaded. The page draws your photo and watermark on a canvas on your own device and makes no network requests while you work. That suits unreleased work and client photos, though you should avoid shared computers.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. Open the page, drop in an image, add your text or logo and download the result. There's no signup, no email prompt and no software to install. It works in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on desktop and mobile.
Can I use my own logo as a watermark?
Yes. Switch the type to Logo image and choose a file. A PNG or WebP with a transparent background looks best, because a logo with a solid white box will show that box on your photo. You can also set its size, opacity, rotation and position.
What's the best opacity for a watermark?
Between 30% and 50% works for most photos. The mark stays readable without covering the picture. Go higher on busy, detailed images where a faint mark disappears, and lower when you want a subtle credit on a clean background. Check the live preview before you save.
How do I stop someone cropping out my watermark?
Use Tile across image, which repeats the mark over the whole picture, or place it over the subject instead of a corner. A watermark discourages casual reuse, but it can't stop a determined person from editing it out. Keep your clean original.
Will adding a watermark reduce my image quality?
PNG output is lossless, so the photo itself isn't degraded. JPG and WebP are lossy, and the quality slider controls how much. The saved file keeps your original pixel dimensions unless it's above 48 megapixels, when it's scaled down to fit browser limits.
Can I watermark several images at once?
Not in this version. The tool handles one image at a time, so you'd repeat the steps for each file. Your text, logo and settings stay in place while you use Change image, which makes a series of similar photos quicker.
Can I add a watermark to a photo on my phone?
Yes. Tap the drop area, choose a photo from your gallery or files, and use the same sliders as on desktop. The preview updates as you drag. If a large photo is slow on an older phone, resize it first, then add your watermark.
Does it work offline?
Yes, once the page has finished loading. The tool needs no network connection while you work, so you can switch to airplane mode and still watermark a photo you already have. If you closed the tab, reload the page when you're back online.
Conclusion
Protecting your photos shouldn't mean sending them to someone else's server. Drop your image in, type your text or pick your logo, tune it with the live preview, and download the finished file in seconds. Try this free tool to add a watermark to an image on your next post, then resize, crop or compress it with the related tools below.