A watermark is generally a superimposed image or textual identifier atop a document. It may serve to maintain control of a document’s security, track its usage, and/or reinforce brand identity.

Since macOS 13, there is a built-in ability to add a watermark via the Print dialog. It’s important to remember that printing may involve creating a physical document on paper or generating a digital PDF file.

Either way, to add a watermark, you must first select a printer that uses an AirPrint driver.

Client Notes

Last week, I helped Nicky troubleshoot an egregious storage issue caused by gargantuan Backblaze log files. I also validated Joni’s intention to buy a new Mac, erased the pair that came before Sammy’s recent acquisition, and planned a Mac upgrade with Rachelle.

Plus, I resolved a case of misidentification in Ben’s email, continued practicing 1Password skills with John, and coached Bruce to add a watermark to his book manuscript, inspiring today’s article.

Mac Enable Watermark with Custom Printer

Verify Watermark is Enabled

If you scroll down in the Print dialog and don’t see Watermark, you may create a virtual printer to enable the feature:

  1. Click the Printer popup menu at the top and choose Add Printer
  2. Select the Globe, which corresponds to adding a printer by Internet address
  3. Type localhost in the Address field and choose the Protocol: AirPrint
  4. Click Add

Mac Print Apply Watermark

Add a Watermark

In the Print dialog, open the Watermark section and type your desired mark in the big text field.

Using the buttons in the bottom right, you can choose where to place the watermark, whether along an edge or diagonally in the middle of the page. You’ll also find text alignment selectors in the bottom left.

Mac Print Watermark Font Color

Change Font & Color

To change the typeface, size, or style of the text, first select the text. Then, click Aa and make your selection from the Fonts panel that appears.

While it’s conventional for a watermark to be gray, you can pick any color you wish — as long as your printer supports color, too. To change color or opacity, click the menu and select Color.

Using the Colors panel, you can select a color and drag the Opacity slider to change the transparency of the mark.

How might you benefit from adding a watermark to your images and documents? Perhaps it’s a simple way to add a mark of copyright or to show a brand name as a content owner.

Notably, Apple provides a support article on adding a watermark in any application where you can print. However, as of this publication, it misses the step of selecting the text before changing font/color. I’ve sent feedback.