Adding watermarks to workbook

Excel 2016 2013 2010
A watermark is an image (or text) that appears on each printed page. Watermark can be used to add a company logo, an image, identifying marks, etc., to the printed pages. Excel doesn't have a command to add the text as a watermark, but it is possible to add a picture in the page header or footer:
Watermark in Excel 365

To add a watermark, follow the next steps:

   1.   On the View tab, in the Workbook Views group, click Page Layout:

Page Layout view in Excel 365

Note: You can add a header or footer from the Insert tab (see how to add headers and footers to the worksheet).

   2.   Click any section of the header or footer.

For example, the central section of the header:

Click to add header in Excel 365

Add an image as a watermark

   3.   On the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer Elements group, click Picture:

Picture for Header and Footer in Excel 365

   4.   In the Insert Pictures dialog box, choose the picture you want to become a watermark.

   5.   Click outside the header to see your watermark.

Notes:

  • To center the image in the middle of the page, click the center section of the header and add some carriage returns before the & [Picture] code.

    You'll need to experiment to determine the number of carriage returns required to push the image into the body of the worksheet.

  • If you need to adjust the image (for example, make it lighter), do the following:
    1. Click the with the image.
    2. On the Header & Footer tab, in the Header & Footer Elements group, click Format Picture:
      Format Picture for Header and Footer in Excel 365
    3. In the Format Picture dialog box, you can make additional changes:
      • for the image sizes:
        Format Picture Size in Excel 365
      • for the image characteristics such as brightness, contrast, etc.:
        Format Picture in Excel 365

Add a text as a watermark

   3.   Type a text you want to be displayed as a watermark:

Text for watermark in Excel 365

   4.   Format and position the text as you want:

Text for watermark example in Excel 365

Unfortunately, Excel offers only a few format options for the text in the headers or footers. So, it is more convenient to create an image and add it as a watermark.

See also this tip in French: Comment ajouter des filigranes au classeur.

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