Google Docs adds watermark support feature

Google Docs is my favorite application. It enables me to swiftly draft documents or make changes to existing ones on the fly, whether I’m on my smartphone or a computer – all you need is a browser and a keyboard.

However, Docs has always felt a little short in non-core capabilities, especially when compared to Microsoft Word. But, as of today, Google Docs is catching up to its competition in one important area: watermarks.

Google Docs users may now add watermarks to their papers in the form of images and text.

Furthermore, if you upload a Word document with one, it will be preserved; similarly, if you export a file from Docs to a local format, it will be preserved. To add a watermark to your document, go to the top bar, click “Insert,” and then scroll down until you see the “Watermark” option. The feature is not available on the mobile version of the app; instead, you must use a desktop browser to add one.

Watermarks appear on all pages and allow you to signal a document’s status to the reader: if it’s a non-final draft that you need to show someone to make changes on, or if it’s something confidential, you’ll want to add a watermark that says “Draft” or “Confidential.” You can also add picture watermarks if, for whatever reason, your company’s emblem needs to be emblazoned over the page.

The feature will begin rolling out today and may take up to 15 days to become available.