In order to prevent theft and misuse of your Microsoft Word documents, you can make sure to apply and use easily identifiable watermarks on your documents before distributing them. Here’s how you can use watermarks on your Microsoft word documents in 5 easy steps:
- Text Watermark Insertion
Microsoft Word allows users to insert predesigned watermarks from the built in gallery of sample watermark text or to insert their own customised watermarks. To do so, you have to look for your page layout tab. Choose the page background group and click on Watermark. Select the predesigned watermark from the gallery or select custom watermark and choose text watermark to type whatever text you want. Make sure to view your watermark by using the Print Layout view.
- Convert images to watermark
Microsoft Word also allows for image/clip art/photo conversion into a watermark. Like the first step, access the watermark option and choose custom watermark. This time, choose picture watermark so that you will be prompted to select the pictures you want. You can then insert the picture and choose the scale percentage so that the picture are to your desired size. In order for the picture watermark to not make the text unreadable, choose the washout option so that it’s lightened and remains in the background instead of standing out.
- Watermark for selected pages only
In order to do this, you have to separate your documents into different sections. Using the home tab, access the paragraph group of options and select Show/Hide so you can see your document’s page breaks. Using draft view, replace your page breaks in the range which you want to add your watermark with section breaks by choosing the page layout tab and clicking breaks and choosing next page under section breaks. Now switch to print layout view and double click document header areas where you want the watermark to open the header and place it. Using the design tab, look for the navigation group and select Link to Previous- the headers will no longer be linked. Double click your document header where you don’t want watermarks to appear and repeat. Using the page layout tab, click on watermark and select the watermark.
- Changing Watermarks
To change your watermarks, go back to the page layout tab and select the page background group to click watermark. To change pictures, choose custom watermark and clear options before selecting again. To change text, choose custom watermark and choose a different built in watermark or retype your own phrase.
- Watermark removal
Remove ordinary page watermarks by choosing the page layout tab once more and accessing watermark. Then, simply remove the watermark you have inserted. However, if you intend to remove watermarks that have been inserted into headers, you have to doubleclick the header area of your documents and choose your watermark again when it is selected. Now you can simply click on the watermark and delete with your keyboard. Remember to close your header section to return to your files.
