Adding a watermark to a document is a great way to very visibly share a message about the contents of that document. Microsoft Word makes it pretty easy to do it yourself and leverage the associated benefits. Below, we explain how.
Why They Work
Watermarks are effective for a lot of the same reasons that a billboard often is: a concise and clear message, printed in a very in-your-face way. The big difference is that sometimes, a watermarked document can almost literally be in someone’s face. This works to your advantage.
A watermark is really difficult not to see, so if you need someone to know that a document is confidential, having it display how CONFIDENTIAL it is will likely catch their eye and encourage the need for discretion. Oftentimes, legal requirements or security obligations make the addition of a watermark on certain documents a necessity.
In short, a watermark is a quick and easy way to share the nature of the information in a document, whether it is just a DRAFT or if it happens to be an INVOICE that requires immediate attention. Essentially any message you need to convey can be incorporated into a watermark.
Creating a Watermark in Microsoft Word
Microsoft has made it fairly easy to set a watermark into your documents. The steps below apply to Microsoft 365 and recent versions of Word (2019, 2021, and later). For additional detail, refer to Microsoft’s official watermark documentation.
- Open the document that you need to add the watermark to, whether it is completed or still needs to be edited.
- Access the Design tab and select Watermark.
- You now have the option to either select from Word’s built-in collection or add a custom piece of text or image to use. If using one of Word’s presets, simply make your selection from the menu.
- If adding a custom watermark, select Custom Watermark instead.
- Choose either Picture or Text, then insert the text or the image file that you want to use. Word allows you to tweak font, size, color, and orientation from there as well.
Whatever your purpose, whether it’s sharing a message or customizing your official company materials, a watermark does the trick. What other tips would you like us to go over? Leave your suggestions in the comments!
Make Microsoft 365 Work Harder for Your Business
Features like watermarks are a small part of what Microsoft Word and the broader Microsoft 365 suite can do for your team’s productivity and document security. When your tools are properly configured and supported, your business runs more smoothly and your data stays better protected.
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