Runs in your browser. Your files and text never leave your device - nothing is uploaded.
Add a Watermark to a Photo Online
The Tools Kit’s free Image Watermark Tool puts a text watermark on a photo in a few seconds. Type a copyright line, your name, a website address, or a word like SAMPLE, choose where it goes, and set how solid and how large it looks. The watermark is drawn in bold white letters with a thin dark outline, so it stays readable over bright skies and dark shadows alike.
Everything happens in your browser on an HTML canvas: the photo is not uploaded, there is no signup, and you can watermark as many images as you like. The result keeps the original pixel dimensions and downloads as a PNG.
How to Watermark an Image
- 1
Upload your photo
Click the upload area or drag a JPG, PNG, or WebP image onto it. The photo stays in your browser.
- 2
Type the watermark text
Replace the default "© Your Name" with your name, brand, website, or a word such as SAMPLE or PROOF.
- 3
Set position, opacity, and size
Pick center or one of the four corners, set opacity from 10% to 100%, and set the font size from 12px to 80px.
- 4
Add the watermark and download
Click Add Watermark to render it on the preview, then click Download to save the watermarked image as a PNG.
Not happy with the result? Change any setting and click Add Watermark again. The tool redraws from your original photo each time, so watermarks never pile up on top of each other.
Choosing Watermark Position and Opacity
The five position presets cover the placements photographers use most. Bottom right is the classic signature spot and the least distracting; the top corners suit images whose subject sits low in the frame. Corner watermarks are placed 24 pixels in from the edges. A centered watermark is the strongest protection, because it cannot be cropped away without cutting out the subject, which makes it the usual choice for client proofs and stock-style previews.
Opacity runs from 10% to 100% in 5% steps. The white text uses the opacity you set, and its dark outline is drawn at 60% of that value: at the default 60%, the fill is 60% opaque and the outline 36%. Around 40-60% suits a signature in a corner; a centered proof mark can go lower, around 20-30%, so the image is still easy to judge.
Getting the Watermark Size Right
The font size slider runs from 12px to 80px and is measured in the image’s own pixels, not scaled to the photo. That means the same setting looks very different on different images: 80px text is roughly 7% of the height of a 1080px-tall social media image, but under 3% of a 3000px-tall camera photo. A phone or camera original can make even the largest setting look like a small caption.
If you need a bigger watermark on a high-resolution photo, shrink the photo first with the image resizer to the size you actually plan to post, then watermark that copy. It also keeps the text in proportion to how the image will be viewed online.
Output Format, File Size, and Privacy
Whatever you upload, the watermarked image is exported from the canvas as a PNG. PNG is lossless, so the photo is not recompressed, but a JPG photo saved as PNG is usually a larger file. To shrink it before posting or emailing, convert it with the PNG to JPG converter or run it through the image compressor.
Because the canvas writes a brand-new file, camera metadata such as GPS location and capture date from your original is not carried into the download. If you want to check what a photo reveals before you share the original, the EXIF remover lists its tags and strips them.
Common uses
- Adding a copyright line or photographer credit before posting photos on social media
- Marking client proofs with SAMPLE or PROOF before final payment
- Putting a shop name or website address on product photos
- Labeling screenshots or design previews before sharing them publicly
- Stamping property or rental listing photos with an agency name
Need colored text or a caption placed anywhere on the image rather than a corner preset? Use add text to image, which lets you pick the color and position. For documents rather than photos, add a watermark to a PDF instead. More photo editors are collected in the image tools hub.
Image watermark terms explained
| Term | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Watermark | Visible text placed over a photo to show who owns it or to mark it as a sample or proof |
| Opacity | How solid the watermark looks: 100% is fully opaque, lower values let more of the photo show through |
| Outline (stroke) | The thin dark edge drawn around the white letters so the text stays readable on light areas |
| Position preset | One of five fixed placements: center, bottom right, bottom left, top right, or top left |
| Pixel dimensions | The width and height of the image in pixels; the watermarked copy keeps the original dimensions |
| PNG | A lossless image format; every watermarked image from this tool is saved as PNG |
Frequently Asked Questions
Upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP photo, type your watermark text, choose a position, opacity, and font size, then click Add Watermark and Download. The tool is free, needs no signup, and adds the watermark in your browser.
No. The photo is drawn onto an HTML canvas in your browser and the watermark text is painted on top of it there. The finished file is generated locally and downloaded straight from the page.
No. This tool adds text watermarks only. You can type a brand name, website address, or copyright line, but it cannot place a logo image on the photo.
There are five position presets: center, bottom right, bottom left, top right, and top left. Corner placements sit 24 pixels in from the edges of the image. Free drag-and-drop placement is not available.
Between about 40% and 60% is a common balance: visible enough to identify the owner but faint enough not to distract from the photo. The slider runs from 10% to 100% in 5% steps and starts at 60%.
The font size is set in the image’s own pixels, from 12px to 80px, and is not scaled to the photo. An 80px watermark is about 7% of the height of a 1080px-tall image but under 3% of a 3000px-tall camera photo. Resize the photo first if you need the text to look larger.
Always PNG, whatever format you upload. The watermark is rendered on a canvas and exported as PNG, which is lossless but can be larger than the original JPG. Convert it to JPG afterwards if you need a smaller file.
The image keeps its original pixel dimensions, and PNG export is lossless, so the photo is not downscaled or recompressed. The file size often grows when a JPG photo is saved as PNG.
Yes. Edit the text, position, opacity, or size and click Add Watermark again. The tool always redraws from your original upload, so a second watermark is never stacked on top of the first.
The text is baked into the image pixels rather than kept as a separate layer, so it cannot simply be switched off. A determined editor can still crop or retouch it, which is why a centered watermark is harder to remove than a small corner one.
No. Exporting from the canvas writes a fresh PNG, so camera metadata such as GPS location, camera model, and capture date from the original file is not carried over.
Reviewed by Raja Jahangir · Last reviewed: October 2, 2026
How do you add a text watermark to an image?
To add a text watermark, upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP, type the watermark text such as a copyright line, then choose a position (center, or any corner), an opacity from 10% to 100%, and a font size from 12px to 80px. The watermarked image downloads as a PNG, and everything runs in the browser.
What opacity should a watermark be?
A watermark opacity between 40% and 60% is usually the best balance: visible enough to identify the owner but faint enough not to distract from the photo. Bottom-right at around 50% opacity is the most common placement, while a centered watermark at lower opacity is harder to crop out.