Free Watermark Maker
Add a text or logo watermark to any image. Set the position, size, angle, opacity and tiling, then download. Everything happens in your browser.
Position
How to Use It
- Drop in the photo you want to protect.
- Type your text, or switch to Logo and pick a transparent PNG.
- Use the nine position squares to place it, or tick Tile to repeat it across the whole frame.
- Pull the opacity down until it is readable but not shouting. Somewhere near 35 percent usually works.
- Download. JPG keeps the file small, PNG keeps it lossless.
Where to Put It
| Placement | Looks like | How easily removed |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom right corner | Discreet, professional | Cropped off in two seconds |
| Centre, low opacity | Obvious but not ruinous | Needs real cloning work |
| Tiled across the frame | Clearly a preview or proof | Genuinely difficult |
| Across the subject | Spoils the image on purpose | Very difficult |
Pick based on what you are protecting against. A corner mark is a signature, not a lock. A tiled mark on a client proof is a lock.
What a Watermark Actually Does
It is worth being clear about this. A watermark does not stop anyone taking your image. What it does is:
- Attributes it. When the image travels, your name travels with it.
- Raises the effort. Most casual reuse stops when removing the mark takes real work.
- Signals intent. A visible mark makes "I did not know it was yours" a much weaker excuse.
What it does not do is survive a determined person with an hour and a cloning tool. Treat it as a deterrent and a credit line, not a security measure. For proofs and previews, a low resolution export with a tiled mark is far more effective than a corner logo on a full size file.
Doing It in GIMP
- Open the photo. Open your logo with File > Open as Layers, or add a text layer with the Text tool.
- Scale and position the watermark layer with the Move tool.
- Drop the layer Opacity slider in the Layers panel to somewhere between 25 and 45.
- Try setting the layer mode to Overlay or Soft Light, which makes a white mark sit into the image instead of on top of it.
- Export as JPG or PNG. Keep the layered XCF so you can move the mark later.
For a whole folder at once, the Script-Fu generator has a ready made "stamp a logo on every photo" recipe.
Common Questions
Can I watermark several photos at once?
Not in this tool, since each one is previewed live. Use the batch recipe linked above for a folder.
My logo has a white box around it
Your logo is a JPG, which has no transparency. Run it through the background remover first and save it as a PNG.
What opacity should I use?
Start at 35 percent. Look at the image at the size people will actually see it. If the mark disappears at thumbnail size, raise it. If it is the first thing you notice, lower it.
Should I watermark before or after resizing?
After. Watermark the final export size, otherwise the mark scales down with everything else and becomes unreadable.