How to add a for client review watermark to a pdf
- Step 1Finish the draft deliverable and export to PDF — Produce the PDF from your design, writing, or analysis tool as usual. Keep this source file — the final clean version comes from it, not from un-marking the review copy.
- Step 2Open the watermark tool and load the deliverable — Drop the PDF into pdf-watermark. One file per run.
- Step 3Set the review text — Replace the default
CONFIDENTIALwithFOR REVIEW,FOR APPROVAL, or a client-specific label likeFOR REVIEW — Acme Ltd. Longer labels auto-scale to fit the page. - Step 4Choose a readable opacity — Use 0.15–0.20 so the marking is clear but the client can still read and comment comfortably. The field accepts 0.05–1.0 in 0.05 steps; the default is 0.15.
- Step 5Apply to the whole deliverable — Run the tool — the review marking is drawn diagonally and centred on every page, with no page left unmarked.
- Step 6Send the marked copy; deliver the clean final on approval — Send the client the watermarked PDF. On sign-off, export a fresh clean PDF from your archived source — that's the final, with no review marking. To lock the final against edits before delivery, run it through pdf-flatten.
Review-stage labelling for client work
The watermark text is free-form, so it can carry the review stage. These are conventions, not built-in presets.
| Stage | Suggested text | Opacity |
|---|---|---|
| Initial concept for feedback | FOR REVIEW | 0.15 |
| Awaiting client sign-off | FOR APPROVAL | 0.18 |
| Print/design proof | PROOF — NOT FOR PRINT | 0.20 |
| Client-specific review copy | FOR REVIEW — Acme Ltd | 0.16 |
| Pre-final legal opinion | DRAFT FOR REVIEW | 0.18 |
The three available controls
Exactly three inputs; colour, angle, font, and page coverage are fixed. Real values from the UI and engine.
| Property | Control | Range / value |
|---|---|---|
| Text | Text input | Any string (default CONFIDENTIAL) |
| Opacity | Number input | 0.05 – 1.0, step 0.05 (default 0.15) |
| Font size | Number input | 12 – 200 pt (default 60) |
| Colour | Fixed | Mid-grey (no picker) |
| Angle | Fixed | -45° diagonal, centred |
| Pages | Fixed | All pages |
Input limits by tier
One deliverable per run. Limits on input size and pages. Real tier values.
| Tier | Max file size | Max pages |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2 MB | 50 |
| Pro | 50 MB | 500 |
| Pro + Media | 500 MB | 2,000 |
| Developer | 2 GB | 10,000 |
| Enterprise | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Cookbook
Client-review setups for agencies and consultants. Each lists the three inputs and the resulting marking.
Standard FOR REVIEW on a proposal
Send a proposal for feedback clearly flagged as not-yet-final.
text: FOR REVIEW opacity: 0.15 fontSize: 60 → grey diagonal 'FOR REVIEW' on every page; the client can read and comment comfortably.
Client-personalised review copy
Put the client's name in the marking so a forwarded copy is attributable to who it was sent to.
text: FOR REVIEW — Acme Ltd opacity: 0.16 fontSize: 54 → longer text auto-scales; the marking ties this copy to the specific client.
Design proof that must not go to print
For creative deliverables, a stronger marking discourages the client sending a proof straight to a printer.
text: PROOF — NOT FOR PRINT opacity: 0.20 fontSize: 54 → prominent warning across every page of the proof PDF.
Awaiting sign-off
Switch the wording to FOR APPROVAL when the deliverable is final pending only the client's yes.
text: FOR APPROVAL opacity: 0.18 fontSize: 60 → signals the document is ready and only needs sign-off, not further drafting.
Deliver the clean final on approval
The final has no watermark — and it comes from your source, not from editing the review copy.
Approved? → export a fresh PDF from your ORIGINAL source file (optionally flatten it with pdf-flatten before sending) → clean, final deliverable. Never try to strip the watermark out of the review copy.
Edge cases and what actually happens
You want to 'turn off' the watermark for the final
Not removableThe watermark is drawn into the page content, so there's no un-watermark step. The correct workflow is to keep your original un-marked source and export a fresh clean PDF from it on approval. Treat the watermarked file as a review-only copy.
You want the review marking in a brand colour
Grey onlyThe watermark colour is fixed mid-grey — no colour picker. For a coloured FOR REVIEW marking, create a coloured single-page graphic and overlay it with pdf-stamp instead.
Only the body pages should be marked, not the cover
Not supportedThere's no page-range control — every page is marked. To leave a cover clean, extract the body pages with pdf-extract-pages, watermark only those, and reassemble with pdf-merge.
Client needs to add comments and fill form fields
PreservedThe watermark is drawn on top of each page and doesn't remove form fields, annotations, or selectable text, so the client can still comment and complete forms. If you want to lock the final after approval, flatten it with pdf-flatten.
Long label like 'FOR REVIEW — SUBJECT TO CHANGE'
PreservedLong text auto-scales: the font shrinks (to a 16 pt floor) so the whole label fits about 72% of the page diagonal and stays centred on each page.
You re-watermark to change FOR REVIEW to FOR APPROVAL
StacksRe-running on the already-marked file stacks a second marking over the first. Watermark the clean source again with the new text rather than re-marking the previously-watermarked copy.
Free-tier deliverable over 2 MB or 50 pages
RejectedFree tier caps input at 2 MB and 50 pages. Image-heavy design deliverables often exceed this — upgrade to Pro (50 MB / 500 pages) or compress images first with pdf-compress-lossy.
The deliverable PDF is restricted/encrypted
SupportedThe tool opens PDFs with encryption ignored, so it can usually watermark a restricted file. The output is un-encrypted; re-apply any protection afterwards with pdf-permission-setter.
Mixed page sizes across a multi-section deliverable
ExpectedEach page is measured and the marking scaled to it, so a deliverable mixing A4 text pages and A3 design boards gets a correctly-sized, centred review marking on every page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add the client's name to the watermark?
Yes — the text field is free-form, so FOR REVIEW — Acme Ltd works. There's no automated per-client merge, so run the tool once per client with their name in the text if you want each review copy personalised. A named copy also makes a forwarded file traceable to the client it was sent to.
How do I deliver the final clean version?
Keep your original un-watermarked source file. On client approval, export a fresh clean PDF from that source — that's the final, with no review marking. You don't (and can't cleanly) strip the watermark out of the review copy, so the discipline is to watermark a copy and archive the source.
Can I watermark just the first few pages instead of all pages?
Not directly — the marking applies to every page and there's no page-range option. To mark a subset, split with pdf-extract-pages, watermark that part, and reassemble with pdf-merge. For a review copy, marking all pages is usually the safer default.
Can the review watermark match my agency's brand colour?
No — the colour is fixed mid-grey, with no picker. For a coloured FOR REVIEW marking, build a coloured single-page graphic and overlay it on every page with pdf-stamp. This tool is built for a clean grey text marking.
Will the watermark stop the client from editing or commenting?
No. The watermark is drawn on top of each page and doesn't remove form fields, annotations, or selectable text, so the client can comment, highlight, and fill forms normally. If you want the final version locked against edits before you deliver it, flatten it with pdf-flatten.
What opacity should a review marking use?
0.15–0.20. That keeps the FOR REVIEW status obvious while leaving the deliverable comfortable for the client to read and mark up. The field accepts 0.05–1.0 in 0.05 steps; the default is 0.15. Push toward 0.20 for proofs you really don't want sent to print.
Can I change the wording per review stage?
Yes — the text is free-form, so use FOR REVIEW, FOR APPROVAL, PROOF, or DRAFT FOR REVIEW to signal where the deliverable is. Re-watermark the clean source with the new wording for each stage rather than re-marking the previously-watermarked copy, which would stack the text.
Can I watermark several client deliverables at once?
The tool processes one PDF per run — it isn't a batch tool. Run each deliverable individually. Since processing is local and fast, marking a few files in sequence is quick.
Is the deliverable uploaded anywhere?
No. Watermarking runs entirely in your browser — the PDF is loaded, marked, and saved locally and never reaches a server. That keeps pre-approval client work product (proposals, designs, opinions) on your own machine.
Will a long review label fit on the page?
Yes. The tool measures the text and shrinks the font (to a 16 pt minimum) so a longer label spans about 72% of the page diagonal and stays centred. Long labels render smaller rather than overflowing the page.
Is the watermark diagonal or horizontal?
Always diagonal at -45°, centred, in bold Helvetica. Those are fixed — only the text, opacity, and font size are adjustable. The fixed diagonal gives every review copy a consistent, recognisable look.
How large a deliverable can I watermark on the free tier?
Free tier allows up to 2 MB and 50 pages. Pro raises it to 50 MB / 500 pages, Pro + Media to 500 MB / 2,000 pages, and Developer to 2 GB / 10,000 pages, with Enterprise unlimited. Compress image-heavy design deliverables with pdf-compress-lossy if they exceed the limit.
Privacy first
All PDF processing runs locally in your browser using PDF-lib and pdf.js. No file is ever uploaded — only metadata counters are saved for signed-in dashboard stats.