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How to Add a Stamp to a PDF

Updated July 13, 2026

Before a document is final, everyone reading it should know that at a glance — a DRAFT badge in the corner does that without touching the actual content.

Steps

  1. Open Add Stamps and drop your PDF.
  2. Pick a preset (DRAFT, APPROVED, and others) or type custom text, then choose a color and position.
  3. Click Stamp, then download your PDF.

Presets or your own words

Each preset comes with a sensible default color — red for DRAFT, green for APPROVED, blue for FINAL — but you can type anything and pick your own color instead. Size and opacity are adjustable too, so the stamp can be assertive or subtle depending on how much it should stand out.

Placed where you want it

The 3x3 position grid anchors the badge to a corner, edge, or the center of the page, so you can keep it out of the way of important content. It’s a bold, bordered box at one location — not spread across the page — which is the main thing that separates a stamp from a watermark.

Notes

The stamp is drawn locally in your browser, so a confidential document stays on your device throughout. If you want a translucent overlay across the whole page instead of a single badge, use Add Watermark; to also restrict what people can do with the file, pair it with Protect PDF.

Tools in this guide

Frequently asked questions

Where does the stamp go?
You choose — a 3x3 grid lets you anchor it to any corner, edge, or the center of the page. It's applied to every page.
Does my file get uploaded?
No. The stamp is drawn onto your PDF entirely in your browser — nothing leaves your device.
How is this different from a watermark?
A stamp is a compact bordered badge placed at one spot; a watermark is translucent text tiled or laid diagonally across the whole page. Use whichever fits.