NORTH AMERICA:  
800 707 4492
UK & EUROPE:  
+44 (0) 1292 430290
sales@locklizard.com
Locklizard
  • Products
    • Our DRM software
      • Product Overview
        • Restrict PDF use
        • Watermark PDF
        • Expire PDF
        • Revoke PDF
        • Disable Print
        • Track PDF
      • Safeguard PDF Security
      • Safeguard Enterprise
    • Secure PDF Viewers
      • Viewer Overview
      • Viewer Demo
      • Web Viewer
      • USB Viewer
    • Add-ons
      • All Add-ons
      • Web Publisher
      • Safeguard Portable USB
      • Ecommerce API
      • Command Line
      • Own Branding
      • Custom Email
    • Purchase
    • Book a Demo
  • Solutions
    • Industry sectors
      • All Industries
      • Auctions
      • Engineering
      • Government
      • Healthcare
      • Libraries
      • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Publishing Ebooks
      • Publishing Media
      • Publishing Standards
      • Membership Associations
      • Reports & Analysis
      • Tax Advisors
      • Training & Education
    • Vertical sectors
      • All Sectors
      • Board Documents
      • Internal Company Use
      • Large Publishers
      • Small Publishers
    • Business processes
      • Processes Overview
      • Secure Document Sharing
      • Sell Documents Securely
      • Document Retention
      • Prevent Document Leakage
      • Internal Document Control
      • Regulatory Compliance
      • Secure PDF Forms
      • Secure Data Rooms
      • Data Room Security
      • Application Integration
    • Business benefits
    • Regulatory compliance
      • Compliance Overview
      • NIST & DFAR Compliance
  • Downloads
    • Free 15 day trial
    • Viewers
      • Windows Viewer
      • Mac Viewer
      • iOS Viewer
      • Android Viewer
    • Writers
    • Manuals
  • Support
    • Support
    • FAQs
    • Guides
    • Videos
    • White papers
  • About Us
    • Contact us
    • Our customers
      • Customer Overiew
      • Case Studies
      • Testimonials
    • Our technology
    • Blog
    • Why Locklizard?
      • Competitors
      • PDF DRM protection
      • Password protect PDF
      • Product Awards
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

How to Add a non removable Watermark in Word

in Blog, Document Security, DRM, PDF Security

How Word Watermarks are easily removed & how to make them non-removable

This blog will cover how to add a watermark in Word and how users can easily remove them.  We then show you how to add non-removable watermarks to your documents.

   What’s wrong with Microsoft Word watermarks?


Microsoft Word has a dedicated watermark feature that allows you to effortlessly slap “Confidential” and “Do not copy” text across your pages.  However, though convenient, watermarks in Word are only useful in very specific circumstances.

It comes down to this: it’s far too easy to remove a watermark in Word for them to be useful for any kind of digital distribution.  As we’ve covered previously, Microsoft Word has no real editing protection, which means that anybody reading the document can easily remove the watermark using its in-built tools.

Generally, watermarks are used for one of three purposes:

  1. To identify genuine copies of something (think a banknote with a hidden image)
  2. To remind trusted users of their obligations or convey information (i.e. “No external sharing, Confidential, Draft”)
  3. To actively deter sharing (via watermarks that identify the user)

Use case one is pretty much irrelevant, as your standard printer won’t be able to produce watermarks that can’t be replicated by creating a scanned copy.  Word is acceptable for usage case two, where you already trust the user (though adding a note in the header or footer of the document will do just as much).

When it comes to actively deterring sharing, Microsoft Word watermarks are useless.  Anybody who wants to share the document can just remove the watermark and share it as normal.  At best, it costs them a few seconds, yet it would take you hours to add identifying information to each copy of the document for each user.  This time investment required by the publisher also makes its use very limited even if you personally print out and distribute physical copies.

Just like Google Docs and Adobe Acrobat, Word watermarks are a tacked-on feature that makes no real attempt at security.

   How to add a watermark in Word

If you’re happy for watermarks to be removed or want to add a watermark just to see how easy it is to get rid of, follow along below.  It only takes a few seconds to insert a watermark in Word.

  1. Open the “Design” tab.
  2. Click “Watermark” on the right-hand side and choose a watermark and page layout option from the list.  Alternatively, create your own custom watermark via the “Custom Watermark…” option.

  Add an image watermark in Word

Word also allows you to add an image watermark to your document.  If done properly, these will be harder to remove when screenshot or printed and scanned back in.  However, they still have the same issues as text watermarks: you can remove them in two clicks and customizing them for reach user is unfeasible.

This is how you add an image watermark in Word:

  1. Open the design tab and click “Watermark > Custom watermark”.
  2. Select “Picture watermark” and browse for a suitable image.

    Ideally, you should create a custom watermark that incorporates your organization’s branding, clearly states your expectations, and covers the entire page.  This will make it more effective, but one that states the user’s name is better still.
  3. Adjust the scale until it looks correct and press “Apply > OK”.

    You’ll notice the watermark displayed as a page background, behind your text.

  How to Remove a Watermark in Word

Removing a watermark is Word is just as easy as adding one in the first place.  If the document has editing restrictions applied, remove them in a few seconds using this guide.  Then, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Design tab of your ribbon and press “Watermark” on the right-hand side.
  2. Press the remove watermark option at the bottom of the watermark flyout.

That’s it.  The watermark will disappear.  The user can share the document with little fear of repercussion and without the recipient even being aware of its origin.

As it is so trivial for anybody that can open your document to remove a watermark in Word, you should really consider using a different file format entirely.

Why converting to PDF can provide watermark & document protection


The truth is that any document that allows text editing is going to struggle to prevent watermarks from being removed. We can see this with Word, but also other Microsoft Office programs, Google Docs, secure data rooms, etc.  Perhaps the most convenient format, however, is PDF, a format designed to be shareable and which documents can be exported to from any application that can print.

In its default form, the PDF is no more secure than Microsoft Word.  It uses a similar open password/edit password system and watermarks can be easily removed.  It is only once you build on Adobe’s default PDF protection with a PDF DRM solution that it becomes a powerful way to prevent unauthorized sharing and distribution.

Locklizard Safeguard encrypts your PDF files and outputs them as a new, encrypted .pdc format.  Users can only open these files in a dedicated viewer application that does not allow editing, unauthorized printing, or screen grabbing.  It also does away with passwords entirely, securely and transparently transmitting decryption keys from a licensing server only to users with a valid license.  The license is single use (unless you choose otherwise) and keys cannot be successfully transferred to other devices, leaving users with no easy route to share documents with others or remove watermarks.

This grants the distributor the ability to work with trusted collaborators during the creation of the document draft, then distribute the draft to others as a watermarked PDF where they cannot directly edit it but can still add comments and highlights.

Watermarking a Microsoft Word document with Safeguard PDF Security


Locklizard Safeguard offers significantly enhanced watermarking functionality over Microsoft Word.  Aside from their irremovable nature, the largest improvement comes from dynamic watermarking.  Dynamic watermarks allow the Publisher to protect a document once, yet add personalized watermarks for each reader.  On document open, dynamic variables such as %username% and %company% will be replaced with the user’s information, and a date/time stamp added if required.

This makes watermarking with Locklizard Safeguard feasible both for actively discouraging sharing and as a way to remind users of their obligations.

Additionally, unlike Word, Locklizard has separate print and display watermarks, granting you the flexibility to choose the best location and font formatting for each medium or apply an image watermark to one and a text watermark to another.  You can insert watermark text and images and select multiple font, transparency, and layout options.

How to add a non removable watermark to a Word document

You can add a watermark with Safeguard PDF Writer by following these steps:

  1. Open your Word document and press “File > Export > Create XPF/PDF document”.

    Creating a PDF

  2. Right-click your PDF in Windows File Explorer and select the option “Make Secure PDF”.

    Creating a protected PDF

  3. Open the View Watermarks or Print Watermarks tab, depending on where you want to add it.  You can add both view and print watermarks with different text and images.

    Adding a text watermark

  4. Tick “Add Text Watermark” and enter “Confidential do not distribute, Draft, Copyright protected” (or any other text that you want).

    Adding a dynamic watermark

    To add dynamic variables to your document, press the icon and select the ones you want to add.  When the document is viewed, these will be replaced with actual data.

  5. Press the icon to change font formatting options such as text color and size.

    Changing watermark font size, style, and color of the text

  6. Choose the watermark position via the dropdown and adjust the opacity slider to alter the transparency.

    Changing the watermark position and opacity.

  7. Optional: Add a watermark image in the “Image Watermark” tab such as a confidential stamp or logo.

    Adding an image watermark to a document

  8. Press “Publish” to encrypt your document and apply the permanent watermark.

    Example of a dynamic confidential watermark added to a document

   The verdict


Microsoft Word’s in-built watermarks have a very limited range of use cases when compared to a fully fledged DRM solution.  As well as providing dynamic, non removable watermarks, Locklizard Safeguard PDF allows you to:

  1. Prevent editing, copying, sharing, screenshots.
  2. Lock documents to devices so they cannot be shared, IP addresses, and countries.
  3. Set expiry and self-destruct timers: disable document or user access on a fixed date, a number of days since first open, a number of prints, or a number of opens.
  4. Stop printing entirely or control the number of prints. Limit printing to black and white or grayscale.
  5. Instantly terminate access to specific documents or users regardless of where the document is located.
  6. Track document opens and prints, with the ability to see when they are opened and from where.

Together, these features make Locklizard Safeguard the best way to watermark and securely distribute your Microsoft Word document to users both inside and outside of your organization.

Sign up for a 15-day free trial to start protecting your sensitive and confidential business documents with non removable watermarks today.

Tags: confidential image watermark, confidential watermark, document watermarking, document watermarks, dynamic watermark, how to add a watermark in word, image watermark, microsoft word, microsoft word security, pdf watermarks, remove word watermark, text watermark, watermark in word, word watermark
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://www.locklizard.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/add-watermark-in-Word.png 288 479 Ryan Maskell /wp-content/uploads/2015/02/logo.png Ryan Maskell2022-12-30 17:50:052023-01-27 09:26:24How to Add a non removable Watermark in Word

Free Trial

“Fantastic product… outstanding support.”

“We would recommend Locklizard to others”

“The clear leader for PDF DRM protection”

“Our ebook sales have gone through the roof”

“Simple & secure – protects IPR from theft”

Trusted by:

Protect IPR

See why thousands of companies use Locklizard to safeguard their documents and increase revenue streams.

  • Our Customers
  • Customer Testimonials
  • Customer Case Studies
  • Locklizard vs Competitors

Latest Posts

  • How to password protect a Google DocJanuary 20, 2023 - 8:26 pm
  • Azure Rights Management: How good is its protection?January 10, 2023 - 7:21 pm
  • How to Add a non removable Watermark in WordDecember 30, 2022 - 5:50 pm
  • How to make a PDF non editable without passwordsDecember 20, 2022 - 7:10 pm
  • How to create a stamped PDF that cannot be removedDecember 9, 2022 - 4:17 pm
PDF DRM Features
  • Protect PDF files
  • Stop PDF sharing
  • Stop PDF copying
  • Restrict PDF editing
  • Add PDF watermarks
  • Disable PDF printing
  • Stop screenshots
  • Expire PDF files
  • Revoke PDF files
  • Lock PDF to devices
  • Lock PDF to IP
  • Track PDF opens

How To Guides

Password protect Google Doc
Add a watermark in Word
Make a PDF non editable
How to create a stamped PDF
How to prevent ebook piracy
Password protect a Word doc
How to protect a PDF securely
How to revoke document access
Change PDF security settings
How to disable printing of PDFs
Sell online courses securely
How to add security to a PDF
Encrypt a PDF without Acrobat
Share documents securely
How to prevent PDF sharing
Protect confidential documents
How to publish ebooks securely
How to restrict PDF editing
How to password protect a PDF
How to protect ebooks
How to sell Reports securely
How to make a PDF read only
How to send a PDF securely
How to watermark a PDF
How to lock a PDF from editing
How to encrypt a PDF
How to make a PDF expire
How to password protect a PDF
How to protect online courses
How to email a PDF securely

Try Safeguard today

Start protecting your PDF files and documents from sharing & piracy

PRODUCTS

Product Overview
Safeguard
Safeguard Enterprise

Add-ons

  • eCommerce API
  • Command Line
  • USB Protect
  • Web Publisher
  • Own Branding
  • Custom Email

Secure PDF Viewers

  • Web Viewer
  • USB Viewer

SECURITY FEATURES

Stop copying, editing, saving
Disable PDF Prints
Block Screenshots
Disable Copy Paste
Dynamic Watermarks
Expiry & Self Destruct
Revoke Documents
Device Locking
Location Locking
Track PDF Use

PRICING

Purchase & Pricing
Instant Quote

RESOURCES

FAQs
Locklizard Blog
Knowledgebase
Security Guides
White Papers
Viewer Demo
Videos

DOWNLOADS

Secure Viewers

  • Windows
  • Mac OS X
  • iOS
  • Android

Writers
Product Manuals
FREE Trial

DOCUMENT SECURITY

Share Documents Securely
Protect Online Courses
Stop Ebook Piracy
Document Encryption
Secure PDF Distribution
Protect Confidential Documents
Ebook DRM

Protect PDF Files

  • PDF Copy Protection
  • Lock PDF files
  • Encrypt PDF
  • Secure PDF
  • PDF DRM

INDUSTRY SECTORS

Training & Elearning
Publishing Ebooks
Publishing Standards
Online Libraries
Membership Associations
Engineering
Government
Healthcare
Mergers & Acquisitions
Secure Reports From Theft

  ABOUT US

About Us
Our DRM Technology

Customers

  • Case Studies
  • Testimonials

Locklizard vs Competitors

  • Secure Data Rooms

Company Brochure

  CONTACT

sales@locklizard.com
support@locklizard.com

Business Hours:
Mon – Fri: 8AM to 5PM EST
Tel (US): +1 800 707 4492
Tel (UK): +44 (0)1292 430290

© Copyright 2004-2022 Locklizard Limited. All rights reserved.Privacy Policy|GDPR Policy|Cookie Policy|SITE MAP

Scroll to top