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File OrganizationIntermediate

PDF Watermark Tool

Add watermarks, page numbers, headers, and footers to PDFs

10 minutes
By communitySource
#pdf#watermark#security#branding

You need to mark 20 PDF reports as 'CONFIDENTIAL' before distributing them, add page numbers to a merged document, or stamp 'DRAFT' across a proposal. Adobe Acrobat Pro costs $240/year for something you do once a month.

Who it's for: legal teams watermarking confidential documents before distribution, marketing departments branding PDF collateral with logos, compliance officers marking documents with classification levels, publishers adding page numbers and headers to manuscript PDFs, businesses protecting intellectual property in shared documents

Example

"Add 'CONFIDENTIAL' watermark and page numbers to these 15 PDFs" → All 15 PDFs watermarked with semi-transparent diagonal text, sequential page numbers added to footers, company logo in header, and original files preserved as backups

CLAUDE.md Template

New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.

# PDF Watermark & Page Elements

Add watermarks, page numbers, headers, footers, and other overlay elements to PDF documents.

## Overview

This workflow helps you:
- Add text or image watermarks
- Insert page numbers
- Create headers and footers
- Apply stamps and labels
- Batch process multiple documents

## How to Use

### Watermarks
```
"Add 'CONFIDENTIAL' watermark to this PDF"
"Apply a diagonal 'DRAFT' watermark"
"Add our company logo as a watermark"
```

### Page Numbers
```
"Add page numbers to this PDF"
"Number pages starting from page 3"
"Add 'Page X of Y' at the bottom center"
```

### Headers/Footers
```
"Add a header with the document title"
"Create a footer with date and page number"
"Add company name to every page header"
```

## Watermark Options

### Text Watermarks
```markdown
## Text Watermark Configuration

### Content
- **Text**: CONFIDENTIAL
- **Font**: Arial Bold
- **Size**: 72 pt
- **Color**: #FF0000 (Red)
- **Opacity**: 30%

### Position
- **Placement**: Center
- **Rotation**: 45° diagonal
- **Offset X**: 0
- **Offset Y**: 0

### Pages
- **Apply to**: All pages / First only / Custom range
- **Skip pages**: [None]

### Preview
```
    ╔════════════════════════╗
    ║                        ║
    ║    C O N F I D E N     ║
    ║      T I A L           ║
    ║                        ║
    ╚════════════════════════╝
```
```

### Image Watermarks
```markdown
## Image Watermark Configuration

### Image
- **File**: logo.png
- **Size**: 200 x 100 px
- **Opacity**: 20%
- **Maintain aspect ratio**: Yes

### Position
| Preset | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Center | Middle of page |
| Top-right | Corner logo |
| Bottom-center | Footer area |
| Tile | Repeated pattern |

### Current Setting
- **Position**: Bottom-right corner
- **Margin**: 20px from edges
- **Behind text**: Yes (background)
```

### Watermark Presets
| Preset | Text | Style | Use Case |
|--------|------|-------|----------|
| **Draft** | DRAFT | Gray, diagonal, 50% | Work in progress |
| **Confidential** | CONFIDENTIAL | Red, diagonal, 30% | Sensitive docs |
| **Copy** | COPY | Blue, horizontal, 25% | Duplicates |
| **Approved** | APPROVED | Green, stamp style | Sign-off |
| **Sample** | SAMPLE | Gray, tiled | Demo documents |
| **Do Not Copy** | DO NOT COPY | Red, diagonal, 40% | Restricted |

## Page Numbers

### Configuration Options
```markdown
## Page Numbering Configuration

### Format
| Style | Example |
|-------|---------|
| Simple | 1, 2, 3 |
| Page X | Page 1 |
| X of Y | 1 of 25 |
| Section | 1-1, 1-2 |
| Roman | i, ii, iii |
| Letter | A, B, C |

### Position
| Location | Alignment |
|----------|-----------|
| Header | Left / Center / Right |
| Footer | Left / Center / Right |

### Current Setting
- **Format**: Page {n} of {total}
- **Position**: Footer, Center
- **Font**: Arial, 10pt
- **Start from**: Page 1
- **Skip pages**: Cover (page 1)
```

### Advanced Numbering
```markdown
## Advanced Page Number Scheme

### Section-Based Numbering
| Pages | Format | Example |
|-------|--------|---------|
| 1 (Cover) | None | - |
| 2-5 (Front matter) | Roman | i, ii, iii, iv |
| 6-100 (Body) | Arabic | 1, 2, 3... |
| 101-110 (Appendix) | Letter | A-1, A-2 |

### Prefix/Suffix
- **Prefix**: "Page "
- **Suffix**: " - Company Name"
- **Result**: "Page 5 - Company Name"
```

## Headers and Footers

### Header Configuration
```markdown
## Header Setup

### Layout (3-column)
| Left | Center | Right |
|------|--------|-------|
| [Logo] | Document Title | [Date] |

### Styling
- **Font**: Arial, 10pt
- **Color**: #333333
- **Line below**: Yes, 0.5pt gray

### Dynamic Fields
| Field | Code | Output |
|-------|------|--------|
| Page number | {page} | 5 |
| Total pages | {pages} | 25 |
| Date | {date} | Jan 29, 2026 |
| Time | {time} | 14:30 |
| Filename | {filename} | report.pdf |
| Title | {title} | Q4 Report |
```

### Footer Configuration
```markdown
## Footer Setup

### Layout
| Left | Center | Right |
|------|--------|-------|
| © 2026 Company | Confidential | Page {page} of {pages} |

### Styling
- **Font**: Arial, 9pt
- **Color**: #666666
- **Line above**: Yes, 0.5pt gray
- **Margin from bottom**: 0.5 inch
```

## Stamps and Labels

### Stamp Options
```markdown
## Document Stamps

### Preset Stamps
| Stamp | Style | Color |
|-------|-------|-------|
| APPROVED | ✓ Checkmark | Green |
| REJECTED | ✗ X mark | Red |
| REVIEWED | ○ Circle | Blue |
| PENDING | △ Triangle | Yellow |
| FINAL | ▢ Box | Black |

### Custom Stamp
- **Text**: SIGNED
- **Date**: Include date below
- **Name**: Include name line
- **Style**: Official stamp look
```

### Bates Numbering
```markdown
## Bates Numbering (Legal)

### Configuration
- **Prefix**: ABC-
- **Start**: 000001
- **Suffix**: -2026
- **Position**: Bottom right

### Example
ABC-000001-2026
ABC-000002-2026
ABC-000003-2026
...

### Across Multiple Documents
| Document | Start | End |
|----------|-------|-----|
| doc1.pdf (50 pages) | ABC-000001 | ABC-000050 |
| doc2.pdf (30 pages) | ABC-000051 | ABC-000080 |
| doc3.pdf (25 pages) | ABC-000081 | ABC-000105 |
```

## Batch Processing

### Batch Watermark Job
```markdown
## Batch Watermark Application

### Input
- **Folder**: /documents/contracts/
- **Files**: 25 PDFs
- **Total Pages**: 450

### Watermark Settings
- **Type**: Text
- **Text**: CONFIDENTIAL
- **Style**: Diagonal, 30% opacity, red

### Progress
| File | Pages | Status |
|------|-------|--------|
| contract_001.pdf | 15 | ✅ Complete |
| contract_002.pdf | 22 | ✅ Complete |
| contract_003.pdf | 18 | ⏳ Processing |
| ... | ... | ... |

### Results
- Processed: 25/25 files
- Total pages watermarked: 450
- Output folder: /documents/contracts_watermarked/
```

## Output Example

### Watermark Report
```markdown
## Watermark Application Report

### Document
- **Input**: quarterly_report.pdf
- **Output**: quarterly_report_watermarked.pdf
- **Pages**: 45

### Applied Elements
| Element | Details | Pages |
|---------|---------|-------|
| Watermark | "CONFIDENTIAL" diagonal | All |
| Logo | Company logo, bottom-right | All |
| Page numbers | "Page X of Y", footer center | 2-45 |
| Header | Title + Date | All |
| Footer | Copyright notice | All |

### Verification
- [ ] Watermark visible but not obscuring content
- [ ] Page numbers sequential and correct
- [ ] Headers/footers properly positioned
- [ ] No content overlap issues
```

## Tool Recommendations

### Online Tools
- **SmallPDF**: Easy watermarking
- **ILovePDF**: Good page numbers
- **PDF24**: Free, configurable
- **Sejda**: Many options

### Desktop Software
- **Adobe Acrobat Pro**: Full control
- **Foxit PDF Editor**: Good features
- **PDF-XChange**: Many options
- **Preview (Mac)**: Basic only

### Programmatic
- **pdf-lib** (JavaScript): Full control
- **PyPDF2** (Python): Basic watermarks
- **iText** (Java/.NET): Professional
- **PDFBox** (Java): Good options

## Limitations

- Cannot perform actual watermarking (provides guidance)
- Image watermarks need proper resolution
- Some secured PDFs prevent modifications
- Complex watermarks may increase file size
- Position may vary with different page sizes
- Font availability affects text watermarks
README.md

What This Does

Add watermarks, page numbers, headers, footers, and other overlay elements to PDF documents.


Quick Start

Step 1: Create a Project Folder

mkdir -p ~/Documents/PdfWatermark

Step 2: Download the Template

Click Download above, then:

mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md ~/Documents/PdfWatermark/

Step 3: Start Working

cd ~/Documents/PdfWatermark
claude

How to Use

Watermarks

Page Numbers

Headers/Footers

Examples

Watermark Report

Limitations

  • Cannot perform actual watermarking (provides guidance)
  • Image watermarks need proper resolution
  • Some secured PDFs prevent modifications
  • Complex watermarks may increase file size
  • Position may vary with different page sizes
  • Font availability affects text watermarks

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