How To Add Watermark In Excel Worksheet

Tuesday, August 26th 2025. | Excel Templates

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Adding Watermarks in Excel

Adding Watermarks to Your Excel Worksheets

Watermarks in Excel worksheets are a useful way to indicate the document’s status (e.g., “Draft,” “Confidential”), ownership, or branding. While Excel doesn’t have a dedicated “watermark” feature like Word, there are several effective workarounds to achieve a similar effect. This guide explores various methods to add watermarks to your Excel sheets, allowing you to choose the technique that best suits your needs and preferences.

Method 1: Using the Header or Footer

This is the most common and arguably easiest method. Watermarks added through headers or footers appear on every printed page and when the document is viewed in “Print Layout” view.

Steps:

  1. Switch to Page Layout View: Click on the “View” tab on the Excel ribbon. In the “Workbook Views” group, select “Page Layout.” This view displays your worksheet as it will appear when printed, including headers and footers.
  2. Access the Header or Footer Area: In Page Layout View, you’ll see three boxes at the top (header) and bottom (footer) of each page: a left section, a center section, and a right section. Click inside one of these boxes to activate the header or footer area.
  3. Insert the Watermark Text or Image: Once the header or footer is active, the “Header & Footer Tools Design” tab appears on the ribbon. Within this tab, you have several options:
    • Text Watermark: Type your desired text directly into the header or footer box. For example, type “DRAFT,” “CONFIDENTIAL,” or your company name.
      Formatting Text: Select the text you typed. Use the formatting options (font, size, color) available in the “Home” tab to customize the appearance of your watermark. Consider using a light gray color and a large font size to make it subtly visible without obscuring the data. You can also apply bolding or italics.
    • Image Watermark: To insert an image, in the “Header & Footer Elements” group on the “Header & Footer Tools Design” tab, click “Picture.” Browse to and select the image you want to use as a watermark.
      Formatting Images: Images added through this method will often appear too large or distorted. To adjust the image, click “Format Picture” (also in the “Header & Footer Elements” group). In the “Format Picture” dialog box, you can control the following:
      • Size: Adjust the height and width to scale the image down to an appropriate size for a watermark. Lock the aspect ratio to prevent distortion.
      • Picture Tab (within Format Picture): Under “Image control” in the Picture tab, you can use the “Color” dropdown to select “Washout.” This lightens the image significantly, making it appear more like a traditional watermark and preventing it from overpowering the worksheet data. You can also adjust the brightness and contrast here.
  4. Positioning the Watermark: The position of the header or footer box you chose determines the general location of the watermark. You can use spaces or line breaks to further fine-tune the position. For example, adding several line breaks before your text or image will move it further down the page. You can also use the ampersand codes (e.g., &L for left alignment, &C for center alignment, &R for right alignment) within the header or footer area.
  5. Exit Header/Footer View: Click anywhere outside the header or footer area in the worksheet to return to the main worksheet view.

Limitations:

* Watermarks appear in the header/footer area, which might not be the ideal placement for all scenarios. * Adjusting the precise position can sometimes be finicky and require experimentation. * The washout effect can sometimes cause pixilation of the image depending on the quality of the source image.

Method 2: Inserting a WordArt or Text Box

This method provides more flexibility in terms of placement and customization, allowing you to position the watermark directly over the cells of your worksheet. However, it won’t automatically repeat on every page when printed; you’ll need to copy and paste it onto each page manually, or use VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) to automate the process.

Steps:

  1. Insert a WordArt or Text Box:
    • WordArt: Go to the “Insert” tab on the ribbon. In the “Text” group, click “WordArt.” Choose a WordArt style.
    • Text Box: Go to the “Insert” tab on the ribbon. In the “Text” group, click “Text Box.” Draw a text box on your worksheet.
  2. Enter Your Watermark Text: Type your desired text (e.g., “DRAFT,” “CONFIDENTIAL”) inside the WordArt or text box.
  3. Format the WordArt or Text Box: Select the WordArt or text box. The “Shape Format” tab will appear on the ribbon. Use the options within this tab to:
    • Change the Font: Adjust the font type, size, and color. A light gray color usually works well for watermarks.
    • Remove the Outline: In the “Shape Styles” group, click “Shape Outline” and select “No Outline.”
    • Fill Color: In the “Shape Styles” group, click “Shape Fill” and choose a light color or “No Fill” for a transparent background.
    • Text Effects: Experiment with text effects like shadows or glows to enhance the watermark’s visibility.
  4. Rotate the Watermark (Optional): You can rotate the WordArt or text box to create a diagonal watermark. Use the rotation handle (the small circle above the object) to rotate it to the desired angle.
  5. Adjust Transparency: Right-click on the WordArt or text box and select “Format Shape.” In the “Format Shape” pane, under the “Fill” or “Line” options, you can adjust the transparency. Increasing the transparency will make the watermark more subtle.
  6. Position the Watermark: Drag the WordArt or text box to the desired location on your worksheet. You may need to experiment with the placement to achieve the desired effect.
  7. Repeat for Each Page (If Needed): Since this method doesn’t automatically repeat the watermark on every page, you’ll need to copy and paste the WordArt or text box onto each page where you want it to appear. Consider grouping the object by selecting them and pressing Ctrl+G, or right clicking then Grouping -> Group, and then copying and pasting the grouped object to quickly replicate across pages.

Limitations:

* Requires manual duplication for multi-page worksheets (unless using VBA). * The watermark can potentially interfere with cell selection or editing if placed directly over data.

Method 3: Using VBA Code (Advanced)

For users comfortable with VBA, you can write code to automatically insert and position watermarks on all sheets of your workbook. This method offers the most control and automation.

Note: VBA code can pose security risks if you don’t understand the code’s purpose. Only use VBA code from trusted sources.

Example VBA Code:

 Sub AddWatermark()    Dim ws As Worksheet   Dim txtWatermark As Shape    For Each ws In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets     With ws       Set txtWatermark = .Shapes.AddTextbox(msoTextOrientationHorizontal, .PageSetup.LeftMargin + 50, .PageSetup.TopMargin + 50, 500, 50)       With txtWatermark         .TextFrame.Characters.Text = "CONFIDENTIAL"         .TextFrame.Characters.Font.Size = 48         .TextFrame.Characters.Font.Color = RGB(200, 200, 200) 'Light Gray         .Rotation = 45         .Fill.Visible = msoFalse 'No Fill         .Line.Visible = msoFalse 'No Outline         .ZOrder msoSendToBack 'Send to back, underneath the data       End With     End With   Next ws  End Sub 

How to Use the VBA Code:

  1. Open the VBA Editor: Press Alt + F11 to open the Visual Basic Editor (VBE).
  2. Insert a Module: In the VBE, go to Insert > Module.
  3. Paste the Code: Paste the VBA code into the module.
  4. Modify the Code:
    • Change the text “CONFIDENTIAL” to your desired watermark text.
    • Adjust the font size (.TextFrame.Characters.Font.Size) and color (.TextFrame.Characters.Font.Color).
    • Modify the rotation angle (.Rotation) to your preference.
    • Fine-tune the position by altering the arguments in the .Shapes.AddTextbox function (left, top, width, height). The .PageSetup.LeftMargin and .PageSetup.TopMargin properties help to position it relative to the page margins.
  5. Run the Code: Close the VBE and return to Excel. Go to the “Developer” tab (if you don’t see it, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon and check the “Developer” box). Click “Macros,” select “AddWatermark,” and click “Run.”

Limitations:

* Requires VBA knowledge. * The code needs to be adjusted to suit different worksheet layouts. * Macros might be disabled by default in some Excel installations, requiring users to enable them.

Choosing the Right Method

* Simple and quick watermarks: Use the header or footer method. * More control over placement and appearance: Use WordArt or a text box, but be prepared to duplicate it on each page. * Automated and consistent watermarks across all sheets: Use VBA, but ensure you understand the code and enable macros. No matter which method you choose, remember to save your work after adding the watermark! The chosen method should depend on the level of control required, the scale of the watermarking task, and the user’s comfort level with Excel features.

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