How to Add Watermark in Excel (2 Easy Ways)

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A watermark is a logo, text, picture, or pattern. We usually superimpose it onto another image or dataset intentionally. The main purpose of a watermark is to make it more difficult to copy the main image or dataset without permission. Excel provides several methods to add watermarks. In this article, we will discuss two easy ways to add the watermark in Excel with the explanation.


How to Add Watermark in Excel: 2 Easy Ways

Here, I’ve used an Excel workbook with multiple worksheets that contain the same dataset. The dataset contains the Categories, Countries, Quantities, and Sales of different Products.


1. Add Watermark by Using Excel Ribbon

We can add a watermark in Excel by using Ribbon easily. Some examples of using Ribbon to add watermarks in Excel are given below.

1.1 Picture Watermark

Suppose we have a dataset (B4:E8) of an Excel worksheet like the screenshot below. Now, We have to add a picture watermark to it.

Picture Watermark

Steps:

  • First, go to the Insert tab and click on the Text option.
  • Secondly, click the Header & Footer option from the drop-down.

Picture Watermark

  • Now, a Header section will appear with a blinking cursor in the middle section of the sheet. We have to insert the picture here.

Picture Watermark

  • After that, click on the Picture to add the desired image from the Header & Footer option.

Picture Watermark

  • In turn, a window will appear which has three options of inserting a picture.
  • Here, we are choosing the From a File option to upload the picture that is already available on our computer. Whereas, we can also insert pictures online by using the other two options.

picture watermark

  • At this time, we will notice a &[Picture] entry inside the header cell similar to the image below.

Picture Watermark

  • After clicking on any portion of the document outside the header area, the watermark image becomes visible.

Picture Watermark


Recolor Watermark

We can recolor the watermark to get better visibility of the original image or dataset. Here, we want to gray out the watermark picture. The steps to recolor the watermark are given below:

Steps:

  • In the beginning, go to the Insert tab and select the Text option.
  • Next, click Header & Footer.

Picture Watermark

  • At this time, a Header and Footer tab will open in the Ribbon area.
  • Now, select Format picture.

Picture Watermark

  • In turn, a Format Picture window will appear. Now, select

Picture > Then Color > After that Washout > Finally OK

Picture Watermark

  • Eventually, we will see the washed-out watermark in the background.


Reposition Watermark

Now, we can see that our watermark picture is at the top of the dataset. If we want to reposition the watermark to the center we need to follow the steps below:

Steps:

  • In the first place, go to Insert > Text > Header & Footer.

  • Then, the Header section will open.
  • Now, if we want to push the picture downward, we need to add some blank lines before the code &[Picture]. To enter blank lines, we need to place the cursor at the beginning of the code and hit Enter.
  • Moreover, if you want to show the watermark at the center of the page, just enter enough line breaks to push it down to the center.

  • Lastly, we can see that our watermark picture is positioned in the center.


Resize Watermark

We can resize the watermark picture easily if we follow the steps below.

Steps:

  • Firstly, go to Insert.
  • Now Text drop-down.
  • Next Header & Footer.

  • After that, select Format Picture from the Header & Footer tab.

  • At this time, a Format Picture dialogue box will appear.
  • Then, go to Size. Here, we can change the height and width of the watermark.
  • After changing the size, click the OK button.

  • Here, we have increased the height and width of the watermark and finally clicked the OK button.

  • Finally, we can see the result below.

Read More: How to Fix Watermark in Excel


1.2 Text Watermark

Sometimes, we need to add text watermarks to a dataset. The steps to insert a text watermark in Excel are given below:

Steps:

  • Firstly, select Insert > Text > Header & Footer.

Text Watermark

  • Secondly, enter the watermark text where we can see the blinking cursor in the header section.

Text Watermark

  • Now, after entering the watermark text, we can increase its font size by selecting it.

Text Watermark

  • Next, we can see that the font size of the watermark text has increased.

Text Watermark

  • Also, we can change the color of the watermark text by selecting it.

  • Moreover, we can change the position of the watermark by keeping the cursor in front of the text & hitting the Enter button.

  • In the end, we can see the final look of the watermark in the picture below.


2. Insert Watermark in Excel with WordArt Feature

However, we can also insert text watermarks by using the WordArt feature in Excel. The steps for doing this are given below:

Steps:

  • In the beginning, go to the Insert tab and click on the Text

Insert Watermark in Excel with WordArt Feature

  • Secondly, click on WordArt and select a style.

Insert Watermark in Excel with WordArt Feature

  • After that, enter the watermark text into the Your text here.

Insert Watermark in Excel with WordArt Feature

  • Now, click on any cell outside the box to set the watermark.

  • Furthermore, we can format the text watermark by selecting it.
  • Finally, the formatted text watermark looks like the picture below.

Read More: How to Move Watermark in Excel


How to Remove Watermark in Excel

We can see a picture watermark on a dataset in Excel. Now, we need to remove this watermark. We can remove watermarks from our spreadsheet in Excel, whether they are texts or pictures. It is a very fast and easy procedure to remove a watermark from Excel. The steps are given below:

Steps:

  • Here, we can see a picture watermark on an Excel dataset. Now, we need to remove it.

How to Remove Watermark in Excel

  • First, click on the header area of the spreadsheet. This will make the watermark active.

How to Remove Watermark in Excel

  • After that, press the Delete or Backspace key on the keyboard. This will remove the watermark.

How to Remove Watermark in Excel

  • Lastly, we can see that there is no watermark in the dataset.


Read More: How to Remove Page 1 Watermark in Excel


Download Practice Workbook

Download the practice workbook from here.


Conclusion

I hope these two methods will be helpful for you to add the watermark in Excel. Download the practice workbook and give it a try. Let us know your feedback in the comment section.


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Sagufta Tarannum
Sagufta Tarannum

Sagufta Tarannum, holding a BSc in Naval Architecture & Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, contributes significantly as an Excel & VBA Content Developer at ExcelDemy. Fueled by a deep interest in research and innovation, she actively engages with Excel. In her role, Sagufta not only skillfully addresses challenging issues but also demonstrates enthusiasm and expertise in gracefully navigating intricate situations, underscoring her unwavering commitment to consistently delivering exceptional content. Her interests are Advanced... Read Full Bio

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