What a good watermark does
A watermark is a visible name, logo or message on top of a photo. It tells everyone who made the image and makes it less tempting to reuse without asking. Photographers mark proofs before a client pays, online sellers mark product shots so competitors cannot copy them, and estate agents mark property listings. Many people also mark photos of ID cards with a line such as “Copy for XYZ Bank only, 28 Oct 2026”, so a leaked copy is useless anywhere else.
The best watermark balances two things: it should be hard to remove but not ruin the picture. This tool gives you the controls to find that balance, and shows the result live on your own photo before anything is saved.
Three common styles
| Style | Settings | Good for | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corner signature | Bottom right, 4% size, 70% opacity | Portfolios, social posts | Easy to crop out |
| Big centre | Centre, 12% size, −30°, 35% opacity | Client proofs, previews | Covers the subject |
| Tiled pattern | Repeated, −30°, 25% opacity | Stock previews, ID copies, product shots | Busy; best kept faint |
Each one is a Quick style button. Click it, then fine-tune any slider. Your text and style are remembered in this browser for next time (the photos are not).
How sizes are calculated
Sizes are relative, not fixed pixels, so the same settings work on a batch of mixed photos:
On a 6000 × 4000 camera photo, 4% text is 160 pixels tall. On a 1200 × 800 web image it is 32 pixels. Both look the same when you view them full screen. Logos work the same way, measured as a percentage of the image width, and the logo keeps its own shape. The margin from the edge is a percentage of the shorter side too.
For tiled marks, Space between marks is a multiple of the mark’s own size. At 1× the gaps are as big as the marks; at 0.5× the pattern is dense. Every second row is shifted by half a step, like bricks, so the pattern covers the image evenly even when rotated.
Worked example: watermarking a client gallery
A wedding photographer wants to send 120 preview photos to a couple before the final edit.
- Drop all 120 JPGs onto the box (a mix of 6000 × 4000 and 4000 × 6000).
- Type
PREVIEW · Studio Name, choose Big centre, and lower opacity to 30%. - Click two or three thumbnails to check the preview on a dark photo and a light one. Outline keeps white text readable on bright skies.
- Set Save as to JPG at quality 85 to keep the files light for email, then download the ZIP.
Because the work happens on your computer, there is no upload queue: speed depends only on your device, and nothing about the client’s photos ever reaches a server.
Text or logo?
- Text is quick and always sharp. Add the © symbol, your name or website, and the year. On Windows, type © with Alt+0169; on a Mac, Option+G.
- Logo looks more professional for businesses. Export your logo as a PNG with a transparent background, at least as wide as the largest size you will stamp (for 20% of a 6000-pixel photo, that is 1200 pixels). An SVG logo can be converted first with SVG to PNG.
Tips for watermarks that work
- Use opacity, not size, to stay subtle. A large mark at 20–30% opacity is harder to remove than a tiny solid one.
- Cross the subject. Removal tools fill in plain backgrounds easily; a mark over detailed areas (hair, fabric, text) is much harder to erase cleanly.
- Watermark the version you share, not your master. Keep untouched originals in a safe place.
- Shrink before sharing. Posting a 6000-pixel image invites misuse even with a mark. Resize to 1600–2048 pixels with Resize Image, then Compress Image.
- Remove hidden data too. Photos can carry GPS coordinates. Run them through EXIF Remover before posting.
- Hiding faces or plates is a different job. Use Blur Face to blur or pixelate them before you share.
- Documents: to mark a PDF instead of images, use Watermark PDF.
Privacy
Photos are decoded, stamped and re-saved by your own browser in a background worker. There is no upload, no account and no limit on the number of images. Close the tab and everything is gone.