If you want to remove a watermark from a PDF for personal, educational, or internal use, you can use a desktop editor, an online editor, Microsoft Word, or recreate the document without a watermark. If you are short on time and want a quicker fix, you can consider hiding it with an element or redacting it.
A watermark is a faint image, text, or logo placed over a PDF, usually in the background, to indicate ownership or status. Businesses and creators typically use them to prevent unauthorized sharing or show that a file is still in progress.
In this article, we will explain the main reasons for removing watermarks, show you four safe methods to do so, and share alternative approaches to hiding or minimizing them. Additionally, we will touch on when watermark removal is not appropriate.
Key Takeaways
- You should know how to remove a watermark from a PDF when updating old files for meetings with clients or colleagues, or when studying, if it makes the document hard to read, annotate, or highlight.
- However, you shouldn’t try to remove and edit a PDF watermark online or offline if the document is copyrighted, confidential, or licensed, or if you are doing so with the intention to redistribute.
- You can remove a watermark from a PDF using desktop PDF editors, online PDF editors, Microsoft Word, or by recreating the PDF without a watermark.
- Alternative approaches to removing watermarks from PDFs include hiding them with overlays, shapes, or annotations and redacting them.
Reasons for Removing a Watermark From a PDF
There are several reasons for removing a watermark from a PDF.
- Updating documents for meetings. If you are updating documents for a meeting with clients or colleagues, you may want to remove watermarks that clash with your new layout.
- Studying or taking notes. Watermarks can make it hard to read, annotate, or highlight sections, so knowing how to remove them can be helpful.
- Changing or removing branding. If your PDFs include watermarks as branding, or if your branding has changed, you may want to remove them before sharing your document.
However, PDF watermark removal is not always appropriate. For example, you shouldn't remove watermarks from copyrighted, confidential, or licensed documents, especially if you intend to redistribute them. With these types of materials, watermarks serve as a protection for intellectual property, so tampering with them might mean violating copyright laws.
Having this in mind, check the usage rights or obtain permission from the creators of the PDFs before making any modifications, unless you are removing watermarks for personal, educational, or internal use.
How to Remove a Watermark from a PDF: 3 Easy Methods
You can remove a watermark from a PDF using desktop PDF editors, online PDF editors, Microsoft Word, or recreate the PDF without a watermark. Let’s take a closer look at each method below.
#1. Desktop PDF Editors
Popular editors you can use to remove a watermark from a PDF include Adobe Acrobat, Foxit PDF Editor, and Nitro PDF. The removal steps will vary from editor to editor; it usually goes similarly to this:
- Install the editor.
- Open your PDF in the editor.
- Go to the Tools menu and select Edit PDF.
- Click Watermark > Remove.
- Save the document and download it in PDF format.
Depending on the desktop PDF editor you choose, you may have to pay for a plan, which is usually subscription-based and requires a monthly/annual commitment. If you just need to do a one-off edit, all three options above offer free trials you can take advantage of.
Using desktop PDF editors is the preferred method if your PDF contains sensitive information or if you want an offline solution that preserves your formatting, fonts, and graphics.
#2. Microsoft Word
Another way to remove a watermark is by using Microsoft Word. It is best for text-based PDFs or documents without complex formatting. Here is how to do it:
1. Convert the PDF to a Microsoft Word document using PDF.net’s PDF-to-Word tool.
2. Open the converted document and find the Design tab.
3. Select Watermark > Remove Watermark.
4. Review the document to make sure you are happy with the formatting.
5. Click File > Save As and choose PDF to save the document as a PDF.
You should go with this method of removing a PDF watermark if you are more comfortable with using Microsoft Word. However, it can be a bit more time-consuming since you will have to convert the document first.
#3. Recreate the PDF Without a Watermark
If you would prefer not to use a PDF watermark remover tool, you can recreate the PDF. It is the best method for designers and document creators who still have access to the original document; you simply remove the watermark before re-exporting.
If you no longer have the original document, you can recreate it using PDF.net. Transfer the content over, extract images as needed, and then download the document in PDF format. This will take a bit more time, but it will yield the cleanest results.
Alternative Approaches to Removing Watermarks From PDFs
Here are two alternative approaches to removing watermarks from PDFs:
#1. Hiding a Watermark
You can hide the watermark with overlays, shapes, or annotations. The easiest way to do this is to add another element, change its color to match your PDF's background, and then reposition it over the watermark. You can do this with both desktop and online PDF editors.
Another option is to draw over the watermark and use the same color as the background of your PDF. PDF.net allows you to do this easily:
1. Select Draw in the toolbar at the top of the page.
2. Choose between a Marker and a Highlighter.
3. Customize the stroke thickness using the slider.
4. Pick an appropriate color.
Hiding the watermark won't allow you to remove the watermark entirely, but it is a fast and non-destructive fix. It works well for personal use, such as cleaning up PDFs for studying, printing, or internal presentations.
#2. Cropping or Redacting
If the watermark appears only on the edges or corners of a page, cropping or redacting the affected area can also work. Most PDF editors have a Crop tool that you can use to get this done. For more targeted adjustments, a Redact tool can be used to black out sections that contain the watermark.
Cropping or redacting is most handy for certificates, forms, or scanned PDFs, where the watermark does not overlap any text. However, they won’t work if your watermark is large or appears underneath your PDF’s content.
Why Choose an Online Tool Like PDF.net?
You should choose an online tool like PDF.net because when you delete a watermark online, you need to use a secure platform.
Many free PDF editors can expose your documents to privacy risks, such as unauthorized access. PDF.net prioritizes your security and privacy with HTTPS-encrypted connections, ensuring your files are protected during upload and download.
You can also apply AES 128-bit password protection in just a few clicks. After your processing is complete, all documents are automatically deleted shortly after. You can rest assured that your information doesn't stay online longer than needed.
Final Thoughts
Removing a watermark from a PDF is easy when you choose the right method based on the watermark you are trying to remove and the tool you have handy. However, the key is to edit responsibly. Removing watermarks is fine for personal, educational, or internal use, but should be avoided with copyrighted, licensed, or confidential PDFs.
If you want to delete a watermark online safely, PDF.net offers a secure, privacy-focused solution. With an encrypted connection, password protection, and automatic file deletion, it keeps your data protected while letting you edit PDFs easily and efficiently.
How to Remove a Watermark from a PDF FAQs
#1. Can I remove a watermark from any PDF file?
You can remove a watermark from PDF files for personal, educational, or internal use. However, you should not edit a watermarked PDF that is copyrighted, confidential, or licensed, especially with the intent to redistribute the PDF.
#2. Can I remove a watermark without Adobe Acrobat?
Yes, you can remove a watermark without Adobe Acrobat. There are many Adobe Acrobat alternatives that you can use to remove a background watermark, including software options and browser-based options like PDF.net.
#3. Is it safe to use online tools to remove watermarks?
It is safe to use online tools to remove watermarks if you choose the right one. That means opting for a reliable editor with the highest-level encryption, such as PDF.net, which protects your privacy with HTTPS-encrypted connections.
#4. Is it difficult to remove a watermark?
It might be both easy and difficult to remove a watermark. If it’s an overlay and you have editing rights, some tools or free editors can remove it quickly. Still, if it’s flattened or protected, the process might be complex and require recreating pages. Therefore, it’s recommended to always check copyright and permissions and find a reliable tool, such as PDF.net.
#5. Is removing a PDF watermark legal?
Removing a PDF watermark is legal when you own the content, have explicit permission, or the watermark is your own. However, if it violates copyright, licensing terms, or ownership rights (like in paid e-books, online courses, or proprietary documents), it’s illegal, so you need to get consent first.
#6. Is it possible to edit a watermarked PDF?
Yes, it’s usually possible to edit a watermarked PDF if it isn’t password-protected or restricted; in such cases, editors or PDF tools allow you to change text and images, though the visible watermark will stay in your file unless you remove it. Still, if the watermark is flattened or the file is secured, editing becomes much harder and may require OCR or rebuilding pages.