Whether you’re sharing your images online or with a client, adding a watermark might be a viable option to limit the unlicensed use of your creative work. With the help of Canva, you can turn your existing logo into a ready-to-use watermark that’s easily added to any of your Canva designs.
So to begin, let’s first cover how to easily add your existing logo as a watermark to your image, then get into creating a standard text-based watermark if you don’t yet have a logo!
How To Turn Your Logo Into A Watermark In Canva
To add a personal touch when watermarking your photo, you can add your own logo to your image. You first need your original logo to add to the image to do this. I share how to design your own logo here.
If you already have a logo you can use as your watermark, then skip to step 6 or start from step 1 to make a new logo in Canva.
Step 1: Search For A Logo Template On The Canva Homepage
You can create a logo from scratch, but using a pre-built logo template to start as your base is much easier.
On the Canva homepage, search for “logo” in the search bar.
You will be directed to over 60,000 logo templates that you can browse to find the perfect template for your logo. Click on the template that works best for your project.
Step 2: Click Customize This Template
Once you click the template you want to use, a preview box will pop up, letting you preview your chosen template better.
First, look out for the Pro symbol at the top of the window. If a pro symbol is visible, you can’t use the template unless you’re a Canva Pro user.
If your template has multiple pages, you’ll see a series of thumbnails showcasing each one at the bottom of the window.
When ready, click Customize This Template to open it in a separate tab.
Step 3: Remove Images From The Base Icon (Optional)
Some logo templates will come with images already incorporated inside the logo. It’s your choice if you want to keep the image as part of your logo, but there’s a good chance that the image won’t fit your needs or it won’t work well as a watermark.
To remove the image from the logo template, first select the image, then press Delete.
The logo template will likely look strange afterward, and you’ll have to move around the rest of your elements to make the logo look more cohesive. Doing this depends on the specific logo template you’ve chosen.
Step 4: Edit The Text Of Your Logo Template
Now you’re ready to start editing your logo template, and the first element to consider changing is the text.
To edit any line of text in your logo template, double-click the text block first, then type in your message.
Then, repeat this process for any other lines of text on your logo template.
Step 5: Change The Font And Color Of Your Text (Optional)
If you’re not pleased with the default font for one or more lines of text, then now is the best time to change it.
Select the text block you want to change, then click the Font Drop-Down Menu.
A list of all the available fonts in Canva will pop up in the Side Menu, where you can choose the best font for your project. You can also add more fonts to Canva if needed.
Another optional text customization for your watermark logo is color. Adjusting the color of your text depends on how much you want your watermark to be visible on your image. Text with a darker color will be more visible than text with a lighter color in the final watermark.
To change the color of your text, first select it, then click the Text Color Picker above the canvas.
Then, choose the best color for your desired effect in the Side Panel.
Also, remember to repeat this process for any other lines of text in your project. You can also use a similar process to change image and element colors in Canva.
Step 6: Export Your Logo To Your Computer
Now that your logo is complete, you can download it to your computer to add it to your image in a future step.
To start this process, click the Share button in the top right corner of the screen. Then, click Download in the submenu that pops up.
In the options that pop down, ensure PNG is selected in the File Type menu, and that Transparent Background is ticked on.
Some logo templates come with multiple pages, so under the Select Pages drop-down menu, select the page with your logo.
When ready, click Done.
Then, click Download.
Step 7: Upload Your Logo To Canva
To add your logo as a watermark to your photo, you must upload it back into Canva. To do so, click the Uploads tab, then click Upload Files at the top of the Side Panel.
After clicking Upload Files, you’ll be directed to find your logo file on your hard drive. Once you do, you’ll find your logo in the Uploads Panel under Images.
Step 8: Add Your Logo To Your Image
Now that your logo is uploaded to Canva, you can finally add it to the image that you have added to Canva.
You can add the logo to your image by dragging it from the Side Panel onto the canvas.
Once your logo is on the canvas, you can move it where you want your watermark.
Also, you can use one of the corner handles to shrink or expand the logo.
Step 9: Adjust The Transparency Of The Logo
To make your logo a watermark, you need to make sure it’s just barely visible. To do this, you need to adjust the Transparency of the logo.
First, click on the logo to select it, then click the Transparency button above the canvas. Adjust the Transparency Slider to the amount that works for your project.
You now have a logo added to your image. You can size it how you like and place it wherever you like.
How To Create A Text-Only Watermark In Canva
If you need a more general watermark to protect your work, you can make a simple text-based one. In the example below, the text for the watermark will simply read “watermark,” but you can replace this text with whatever you’d like.
Step 1: Add Some Text To A Blank Canvas
First, add a text block to a separate blank document. You can add this text block by selecting Text in the left-side menu bar, then clicking the size of your text block under Default Text Styles.
For a watermark, it may be best to have larger text that can be seen easily. This makes Add A Heading your best choice.
With your text block on the canvas, double-click inside the block, then type out your message.
Step 2: Change The Font For Your Watermark
If your text looks a little bland or not professional enough for a watermark, you can change the font of your text by first selecting it, then clicking the Font drop-down menu above the canvas.
Then, in the Side Panel, you can choose the best font for your watermark.
Step 3: Resize Your Watermark
Chances are, your watermark needs to be bigger or smaller. To fix this, first select your watermark, then drag the corner handles until your watermark is the correct size.
Step 4: Rotate Your Watermark (Optional)
There are many ways to present your watermark; a common practice is to rotate it so it fits diagonally across the entire image.
To rotate your watermark, select it, then use the Rotate Button until your text is tilted to your desired amount.
Step 5: Clone Your Watermark Multiple Times (Optional)
When you need to make it absolutely clear that your work is protected, you can fill your entire canvas with your phrase so it can’t be missed. This step is completely optional, and if you wish to only have one phrase for your watermark, you can skip this step and still follow along with the rest of the guide.
To start, duplicate your page by clicking the Duplicate Page button above the canvas. This will create an exact copy of what you have so far, so if you make a mistake and need to start over, you won’t have to start over from scratch.
Before cloning your watermark, you first need to shrink it down so you can fit more copies on the page. To do this, select the watermark, then drag the corner handles until your watermark is small enough to fit about ten or so copies on the page.
Once you’re satisfied with the size of your watermark, position it in one of the corners of the canvas. It’s perfectly normal if the text is cut off.
Once your first watermark is in place, you can make your first copy by selecting it, then clicking the Duplicate button in the Mini Options Bar. Then, position the copied watermark somewhere close to the original.
Repeat this process as many times as needed, filling out the entire page with copies of your watermark. Try to line each copy up to form a nice-looking presentation.
Step 6: Change The Color Of Your Watermark
Changing the color of your watermark will help determine how visible it is on your image. To change the color of your watermark, first, click it to select it. Or, if you have multiple watermarks on the page, drag your mouse over them all until each one is selected.
Then, click the Text Color Picker above the canvas. Choose a dark color in the Side Panel if you want your watermark to be prominent, or choose a lighter color if you want your watermark to be more subtle.
Step 7: Adjust The Transparency
Now, for the most important part of the process, adjust the transparency of your watermark.
To change your watermark’s transparency, click on your watermark to select it or drag your mouse over each copy. Then, click the Transparency button above the canvas.
You can now drag the Transparency Slider until you have the visibility you want for your watermark.
Step 8: Export Your Watermark To Your Computer
Your watermark is complete and needs to be downloaded to your hard drive so you can place it over your image.
To start, click the Share button in the top right corner of the screen. Then in the submenu that pops up, click Download.
In the next submenu, ensure that:
- PNG is selected under File Type.
- Transparent Background is ticked on.
- Your current page is selected under Select Pages.
When you’re ready, click Download.
The watermark you just created can be used for other projects outside the one you’re working on, so feel free to save it in a folder so you can easily access it later.
Step 9: Add The Watermark To Your Image
Before you can add your watermark to your image, you must first upload it to Canva. To do this, select Uploads, then click Upload Files at the top of the Side Panel.
You’ll be directed to search for the watermark file on your hard drive and then upload it to Canva.
Once your watermark is uploaded, drag it from the Side Panel to the canvas with your image on.
Step 10: Adjust The Size Of The Watermark
Finally, to fit your watermark to your photo, first line it up to one of the corners of the page, then drag the opposite side corner handle toward the other corner of the canvas.
No matter which option you choose, you can now just go to your Uploads folder in Canva to drag and drop your watermark templates whenever you need them in future projects.
Happy editing!
