If you publish photos — products, portfolio work, real-estate shots, recipes — a watermark is the simplest way to keep your name attached when images get reposted. Here's how to add one in the browser, plus what actually makes a watermark effective.
Add a watermark in 4 steps
Open Add Watermark — free, no signup, and your photo is processed locally, never uploaded.
Upload a JPG, PNG, WebP, or GIF.
Choose Text (type your name or brand, pick font, size, color) or Image (upload your logo, ideally a transparent PNG).
Drag it into position, set opacity to 30–50%, and download.
Each watermark is a separate layer, so you can combine a logo with a text line and adjust them independently.
What makes a good watermark?
Visible but not loud. 30–50% opacity over a mid-contrast area. It should mark the photo, not ruin it.
Placed where cropping hurts. Corners are trivially cropped away. Slight overlap with your subject — or a small repeated pattern — survives reposting far better.
Consistent. Same mark, same corner, same opacity across your catalog builds recognition.
Readable at thumbnail size. Test at 300px wide; thin scripts vanish.
For serious theft-protection on high-value images, combine a visible watermark with keeping your originals (and their EXIF capture data) as proof of authorship.
Text vs logo watermarks
Text is faster and always sharp at any size — your name, brand, or URL in a clean font with a subtle shadow or outline for contrast. Logo builds brand recall — export your logo as transparent PNG at 2× the size you need, then scale down in the tool. Many creators use both: logo in one corner, URL along an edge.
Watermarking for specific platforms
Downscaling after watermarking can make marks illegible. Size the image for its destination first — see our social media image sizes guide — using Resize Image, then add the watermark at final resolution. Export, done.
Batch watermarking
The web tool currently processes one image at a time with full layer control. For folders, the NanoImage CLI roadmap includes watermark batching; today you can combine CLI resizing with per-image watermarking in the browser for final shots.
Should you watermark at all?
Honest answer: not always. Watermarks add friction for legitimate sharing and won't stop a determined thief with an AI remover. They work best as attribution (viewers learn who made it) and deterrence (casual reposters keep the credit). For client proofs and previews, they're essential; for personal archives, skip them.
FAQ
Does the watermark reduce photo quality?
No — the image is re-exported at the quality you choose; the watermark is composited losslessly before export.
Can I save my watermark settings?
Presets (corner positions) are built in; saved brand templates are on the roadmap.
PNG or JPG for the watermarked output?
JPG for photos going to social/web; PNG if the source had transparency or hard-edged graphics.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser — files never leave your device.
Protect photos before sharing
Watermarks work best alongside Remove EXIF Data and selective blur. See all image privacy & protection tools.