A watermark is faint text or a picture behind the content, such as CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT or your logo. In Word, go to Design › Watermark.
TypesText or picture
MenuDesign › Watermark
Works inWord 2013 and later, Microsoft 365
Add a text watermark
- Go to Design › Watermark.
- Pick a ready-made one such as CONFIDENTIAL 1 or DRAFT 1, or choose Custom Watermark.
- In Custom Watermark, select Text watermark, type your text, set the font, colour and layout, keep Semitransparent ticked, and click OK.
Add a logo or picture
- Go to Design › Watermark › Custom Watermark.
- Select Picture watermark and click Select Picture.
- Keep Washout ticked so text stays readable, set the scale, and click OK.
Watermark on one page only
Watermarks live in the header, so they repeat on every page of a section. For one page, put that page in its own section (Layout › Breaks › Next Page before and after it), open its header, turn off Link to Previous, and add the watermark there.
Remove a watermark
Go to Design › Watermark › Remove Watermark. If it stays, double-click the header, click the watermark text or picture, and press Delete.
FAQ
Is the watermark in the PDF?
Yes. It is saved and printed with the document.
Can people remove it?
Yes, in Word. To stop casual changes, save as PDF, or protect the PDF with a password: see password-protected PDF.