How to Watermark Images in Photoshop

  1. Launch Photoshop.

  2. From Finder or the File Explorer, drag and drop the photo to be watermarked into the window. Do not necessarily click “New” and set up a project if you are just adding a watermark to a pre-existing image.

  3. Again, launch Finder or the File Explorer and drag and drop your watermark on top of the newly-created project.

  4. Click the aspect ratio lock icon and begin resizing and placing your image. Press Enter to confirm placement.

  5. From the menu bar, click “Image” and navigate to “Adjustments.” Then, select “Black & White” from the list of adjustments.

  6. From the drop-down menu, select the “lighter” option. This is so the watermark will not be overpowering when viewing the image as a whole. Then, click okay.

  7. Click the “Opacity” box and change the value to something like 40%. The higher this value, the more prominent the watermark will be, while the lower it is the less prominent it will be. Press Enter to save this value.

  8. Your watermarked project is now ready to be exported. To perform any further edits with the original image, deselect the eye icon next to the watermark layer and select the base image layer.

How to Export

You can now export your project just as you would any other Photoshop project. Click “File” from the menu bar followed by “Export.” If you just need a quick image, select “Quick Export as PNG.” Need something better suited in size for web-sharing? Click the “Save for Web (Legacy)” option.

Tips for Watermarking

Simply placing a watermark on your image will not be enough to stop the theft of your hard work. Placement of the watermark is extremely important. For example, a watermark placed near the corner of your project could easily be cropped out. Likewise, placing one big and bold across your image, especially if the photo is for aesthetic and art purposes (such as a portrait or landscape), could take away from the overall artistic value that you are trying so hard to achieve. Alternatives to an overlaid watermark include “the hidden watermark,” also commonly known as the “digimark.” This watermark only appears once someone downloads your image and tries to use it. One downside with this, though, is that it is not 100% foolproof. To bypass this, one could simply take a screenshot of the image on a high-enough resolution monitor. Sure, the image will degrade in overall quality ever so slightly, but for most uses by a thief, it would suffice.

Conclusion

Watermarking to efficiently prevent theft certainly is not as straightforward as it should be, though logistically it is a step-by-step process. This article should give you a basis to protect yourself from intellectual property copyright infringement through Photoshop. What are your tips for watermarking? Also, if you have any questions about the process, leave a comment down below!