Choose readable watermark placement

Balance attribution, visibility, and the image subject when adding text.

A text watermark identifies a source inside an image. Good placement gives viewers a readable label while preserving the part of the image they came to see. It cannot guarantee protection against copying or editing.

Use a short, accurate label

A name or website address is often enough. Long sentences can dominate a photograph and become hard to read in smaller previews. Do not add someone else's name to imply ownership, and only edit images you have the right to use.

Choose placement deliberately

A lower corner often keeps the subject clear, but is easy to remove by cropping. A label closer to the center is harder to crop without losing image content, but can distract from faces or products. Inspect the subject first and choose an area with enough space for the text.

Make color and opacity work together

White text can disappear on pale backgrounds. Dark text can disappear in shadows. Try the opposite color before increasing the text size. The tool adds an outline to improve contrast, while opacity allows the photo to show through. A very low opacity can make a label almost invisible in a small social preview.

Work from the actual image size

The watermark tool scales the preview to fit the page, but text size is measured in the source image's pixels. For a 2000-pixel-wide photo, 60-pixel text is a reasonable starting point, not a universal rule. Inspect the download at both full size and the intended display size.

Position with touch or controls

  1. Select the image and enter your text.
  2. Adjust color, size, rotation, and opacity.
  3. Drag on the preview to set the center of the label.
  4. Use the horizontal and vertical sliders for keyboard access or fine changes.
  5. Check that rotated text stays inside the image before downloading.

Keep an unwatermarked original

The download is a new PNG, preserving the source dimensions. PNG can be larger than the original JPG. Keep your original so you can make a version with different attribution or a different placement later. For a smaller final JPG, convert the exported PNG and compare its appearance before publishing.

Questions or corrections? Contact RecipesTour Tools.