In any Google document, you can add an image watermark or text watermark quite easily. Here’s how to do it in simple steps.
Besides Microsoft Word, Google Docs is one of the most popular word processors, especially when you want to work directly in your browser. A few of the main reasons for the popularity of Google Docs are that it integrates with Google & Gmail, has an easy-to-use interface, supports several Word-specific features, and offers beginner-friendly options.
For a long time now, one missing feature in Google Docs has been the ability to watermark your document. However, that feature is now fully available via the native options. You no longer need to use a third-party add-on. That is, you can add both image and text watermarks in Google Docs. Watermarking a document is especially useful to mark your documents as your own and to prevent unauthorized copying or redistribution.
So, without delay, let me show you how to create and insert a watermark in Google Docs. Let’s get started.
Quick navigation links:
- Add or insert a watermark in Google Docs watermark
- Remove a watermark from a Google Doc
- Create a reusable watermark image using Google Docs
- Troubleshooting
1. Add a Watermark in Google Docs
To insert a watermark in Google Docs, we will use the new Watermark option. You can add either a text or an image watermark. I will show both, follow the one you like.
Add a Text Watermark in Google Docs
- Open the Google Doc for which you want to add a text watermark.
- Click the “Insert” option on the top nav menu.
- Select the “Page elements” > “Watermark” option.
- Go to the “Text” tab in the “Watermark” panel.
- Type the watermark text in the first “Insert text” field.
- Adjust the font formatting using the “Formatting” options.
- Select the watermark placement under the “Placement” section.
- Click the “Done” button.
- With that, you’ve added a text watermark in Google Docs.
Add an Image Watermark in Google Docs
Before proceeding, make sure you have an image, like a logo, that you can set as a watermark.
First, open the Google Doc in which you want to insert the image watermark. After opening the document, click the “Insert” option in the top bar, select “Page elements“, then “Watermark“.
As soon as you click the option, Google Docs will open the Watermark panel to the right of the document. In the panel, ensure you are in the “Image” tab and click the “Select Image” field. This is the field where you can select an image to use as a watermark.
Google Docs provides several different ways to add a watermark image. If the watermark image is already in Google Drive or Google Photos, you can select it from the appropriate tab.
Alternatively, you can search for images directly from the “Google Image Search” tab. While adding an image from Google Search, make sure you have the proper license. If possible, always use images with a Creative Commons license. When required, provide appropriate attribution to the image creator.
To add your image, go to the “Upload” tab. Here, drag and drop the watermark image into the available field. Alternatively, click the “Browse” button, select the image, and click “Open“.
As soon as you do that, the image is applied as a watermark in Google Docs. You can instantly see the watermark preview in the document. By default, Google Docs sets the image scale to 100%. In the vast majority of cases, this is fine. If needed, you can adjust the image size using the “Scale” dropdown menu.
Rather than choosing a predefined scaling option, you can also manually set any value between 1% & 100%. For instance, I put the image scale to 78%.
Just as with image scale, Google Docs automatically enables the “Fade” option. This option will make the watermark less opaque. As you can guess, the Fade option is helpful when using solid images with no transparency. If you are already using a transparent image, it is better to uncheck the “Fade” checkbox.
Finally, click the “Done” button to insert a watermark in Google Docs. It is automatically placed at the center of the document, behind the content.
If you ever want to change the watermark, open the Watermark panel (Insert > Watermark), click the image, and select a new one. That is all. It is that simple to add an image watermark in Google Docs.
2. Remove Watermark in Google Docs
After adding the watermark, you can also remove it from Google Docs. For example, when delivering a document in its final stage, you might no longer need a watermark and thus remove it. Here is how to do it.
Important note: You can only remove a watermark that is added via the Google Docs Watermark feature. Also, the document should be in Google Docs format. i.e., it should not be in other formats such as PDF or DOCX.
First, open the document containing the watermark. After that, click the “Insert” option in the top bar and select the “Page elements” > “Watermark” option.
The above action will open the watermark panel. Here, click on the “Remove Watermark” button appearing at the bottom of the panel.
As soon as you click the button, Google Docs will remove the watermark from all the pages.
Remember, if Google Docs cannot recognize the watermark, or if the Remove Watermark option is disabled or greyed out, it means the watermark is merged with the document, the document is not supported by Google Docs, or the watermark was not added by Google Docs.
That is it. It is that simple to remove the watermark in Google Docs.
3. Create a Reusable Watermark in Google Docs
If you don’t have a watermark image, you can create one directly in Google Docs using the Drawing feature. After creating it, you can download and insert it as a watermark. Here is how to use the Drawing option to create a new watermark in Google Docs.
First, open a Google Doc or create a new one. After that, place the mouse cursor in the document. Now, select “Insert” and then “Drawing” > “New“.
This action will open the Drawing panel. Here, you can add text, images, and other effects to create your drawing. In my case, I selected the Text tool and added text. In the case of text, you can use the text formatting options like Bold, Italic, Text Color, etc., to modify it. Of course, try other options and make your image.
Once you are satisfied with the drawing, click on the “Actions” button. Next, select the “Download” option and then choose “PNG Image (.png)“. As soon as you do that, the drawing will be downloaded as a PNG file. Since it is a PNG file, the image’s background will be transparent. For watermarks, it is perfect.
After downloading the image, follow the above “Insert watermark in Google Docs” section to add a watermark to the document.
That is all. It is that simple to create a watermark in Google Docs.
Troubleshooting: I Cannot Add a Watermark in Google Docs
If you cannot add a watermark in Google Docs, watch for a few things.
First, make sure you are using a supported web browser, such as Chrome or Edge. For whatever reason, some features and options won’t work on all browsers. This is especially true for new features like Watermark.
Second, make sure you place the cursor inside the document. Otherwise, you might not see the Watermark option, or it will be greyed out.
Third, ensure the document is fully loaded. Sometimes the document might stop loading in the middle, and not all options might load. In that case, you must click the reload button.
Fourth, as of this writing, the Watermark feature is only available in the web editor. If you are using a mobile app, you might not find the option.
Is the Watermark Feature Available in Google Sheets?
No. As of this writing, the Watermark feature or option is only available in Google Docs. There is no option called Watermark in Google Sheets.
That is all. It is that simple to add a text or image watermark in Google Docs. If you have any questions or need help, comment below. I’ll be happy to assist.
