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Remove a watermark from a PDF

Remove watermarks such as DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL or a stamp from documents you own or are allowed to change. The PDF is analysed in your browser; watermarks that are separate objects are found and rated, or you choose objects on the page yourself. Only those objects are taken out, and you compare every page before and after before you download.

Processed on your device. Your files are not uploaded.

Use this only for documents you own or are allowed to change, for example to remove your own DRAFT mark. Do not remove copyright notices or ownership marks without permission. Removal is not guaranteed to be perfect: in scanned pages a watermark is part of the image, and what lies under it can only be estimated.

or drop a PDF file here.

How to use Remove watermark

  1. Select a PDF file or drag it into the box. Enter the password if it is protected.
  2. Check the watermarks that were found (with their confidence), or switch to choosing objects on the page yourself.
  3. Choose the pages, confirm that you may remove the watermarks, and select "Remove and review".
  4. Compare each page before and after, read the notes on pages to check, then download the processed PDF. Your original file is not changed.

Good to know: limitations

  • Scanned pages: only marks lighter than the text are cleaned (the background is estimated, traces can remain next to letters); dark or coloured marks and 1-bit or CMYK scans are left as they are.
  • Drawn watermarks are found when they repeat on several pages and are see-through or light; a drawing that appears on only one page is not proposed (choose it on the page yourself).
  • Password-protected PDFs are saved without the password.
  • Digitally signed PDFs: removing anything makes the existing signature invalid.

Frequently asked questions

Which watermarks can be removed?

Watermarks that are separate objects in the PDF: text, images or drawings placed over or under the page, watermarks the PDF marks as such (for example from Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word), stamps drawn with vector shapes and background images repeated on every page. In scanned pages, light marks that repeat on several pages can be cleaned by changing pixels: the background under them is estimated, text is never painted over, and such pages are rated low confidence. Dark watermarks and marks under text cannot be removed reliably.

Is the rest of the document changed?

No. Only the chosen objects are taken out of the page; nothing is re-rendered, so text stays selectable, images keep their quality and links still work. Each page is checked afterwards, and you compare before and after.

What do the confidence ratings mean?

They estimate how reliably a watermark was recognised and removed: high when it was clearly a separate watermark object, medium when it was probably one or something on the page should be checked. They are not a guarantee of how the page looks; the before/after comparison is.

May I remove any watermark?

Only from documents you own or are allowed to change. Removing copyright notices or ownership marks from other people's documents may be unlawful. Copyright notices are pointed out and never selected automatically.

Is my PDF uploaded?

No. The file is analysed and changed by your browser on your device.

Is it free?

Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit. The site is financed by advertising.