How to Add, Remove or Change a Watermark In Microsoft Word

A watermark is text or an image that's placed over a document page and lightened so that the document text can be read over the watermark. A watermark provides information about a document. For example, a confidential watermark indicates that the information in the document shouldn't be shared. With text watermarks, choose the size, transparency, color, and angle. With image watermarks (such as a company logo), Word automatically lightens and places the image.

Instructions in this article apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, and Word 2010.

Insert a Text Watermark in MS Word

Word includes several default text watermarks. Follow these steps to use one of the built-in formats or to create your own watermark.

In Word, open the document to which you want to add a watermark.
Go to the View tab and select Print Layout.
Go to the Design tab and, in the Page Background group, select Watermark. (Depending on the version of Word, the path may be Page Layout > Page Background > Watermark.)
To design a watermark, select Custom Watermark.

To quickly create a watermark, use one of the built-in styles. Select a watermark style in the gallery.
In the Printed Watermark dialog box, select Text watermark.
In the Text text box, enter the text you want to appear as a watermark.

You can customize the watermark font, size, color, and layout. By default, the watermark is semi-transparent. To make the watermark easier to see, clear the Semitransparent check box.
To apply the watermark to all pages of the document, select OK.
The watermark text appears on the document.

The watermark only appears in the document in Print Layout view. If you don't see the text watermark, go to the View tab and select Print Layout.

Insert an Image Watermark in MS Word

Follow these steps to add an image watermark to a document.

In Word, open the document to which you want to add a watermark.
Go to the View tab and select Print Layout.
Go to the Design tab and, in the Page Background group, select Watermark. (Depending on the version of Word, the path may be Page Layout > Page Background > Watermark.)
Select Custom Watermark.
In the Printed Watermark dialog box, select Picture watermark.
Choose Select Picture.
In the Insert Pictures dialog box, select the location of the image you want to use.
Choose the picture you want to use as the watermark, then select Insert.
In the Printed Watermark dialog box, select OK to apply the watermark to all pages in the Word document.
The picture watermark appears in the document.

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