How to insert watermark in Excel?
As we know, we can add text watermark in Microsoft Word document to indicate additional information to the readers, such as the document is draft, copy right information or confidential and so on. There is no similar Watermark command in Microsoft Excel, nevertheless, we can mimic a text watermark for workbooks with following tricky methods.
- Insert watermark into all printed pages with Header & Footer feature (5 steps)
- Insert watermark into all printed pages with Kutools for Excel (2 steps)
Comparison of Methods for Inserting a Watermark in Excel
Excel does not provide a dedicated Watermark command like Microsoft Word. To add a text watermark to all printed pages, you can manually create a watermark with WordArt and insert it through Header & Footer, or use Kutools for Excel's Insert Watermark feature. The two methods differ significantly in setup and customization.
| Comparison | Excel WordArt + Header & Footer | Kutools Insert Watermark |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Create WordArt, enter and rotate the text, export it as an image, and then insert the image through Header & Footer | Open Insert Watermark, choose Text Watermark, select or enter the watermark text, format it, and apply |
| Text editing | The WordArt text is converted to an image before being inserted into the header | Work directly with text watermark settings without first converting the text to an image |
| Formatting | Format and rotate the WordArt before exporting it, then insert the finished image into the header | Specify the text watermark format directly in the Insert Watermark dialog |
| Apply to printed pages | Insert the exported watermark image into the header so it appears on each printed page | Adds the specified text watermark to all pages containing worksheet content at once |
Insert watermark into all printed pages with Header & Footer feature
The first way is to insert a word art to mimic a text watermark in current page in Excel.
1. Click Insert > WordArt, and select one of the WordArt style.
2. Put the cursor in working area, and remove the Your Text Here from the new added text box, and enter your words, such as Draft. And then rotate the word art as you need. See screenshot above:
Now you will get a tilted text watermark in current page as above screenshot shows:
3.Export the WordArt as an image.
4. Click the Insert> Header & Footer, and then put the cursor at center section of header, and click the Header & Footer Tools Design tab > Picture button.
5. In the Insert Picture dialog box, find out and select the image you created in the first step.
Then click anywhere in working area except the header, you will get the text watermark in each printed pages, as the following screen shot shows:
Note:
If you have inserted watermark for all printed pages in one worksheet with above method, you can copy this worksheet's page settings to other worksheets in the same workbook easily with Kutools for Excel's Copy Page Setup utility. Stay in the worksheet you have added watermark with above methods, and click Enterprise > Printing > Copy Page Setup, and then configure in the popping up Copy Page Setup dialog box:
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Insert watermark into all printed pages with Kutools for Excel
If you have Kutools for Excel installed, you can apply its Insert Watermark feature to quickly insert a text watermark into all printed pages at ease. Please do as follows:
1. Click Kutools > Insert > Insert Watermark.
2. In the opening Insert Watermark dialog box, please check the Text Watermark option, select a type of text watermark from the Text drop down list, specify format for the text watermark as you need, and click the Ok button. See screenshot:
And now the specified text watermark is added into all pages with contents at once.
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Conclusion
Excel's WordArt + Header & Footer method can create a text watermark without additional tools, but it requires several separate steps. You first create and format the watermark as WordArt, rotate it as needed, export it as an image, and then insert that image into the worksheet header. The watermark can then appear on every printed page.
Kutools for Excel's Insert Watermark provides a more direct approach. Instead of creating WordArt and converting it to an image, you can choose Text Watermark, select the required watermark text, specify its formatting, and apply it directly. The watermark is then added to all pages containing worksheet content, making this method especially convenient for frequently used labels such as DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or COPY.
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