Watermarking is the process of overlaying a visual marker onto an image or a displayed file, typically to identify ownership or copyright. When the image or file is displayed, the watermark is visible to the viewer and appears in any screen captures, photos, or video recordings made of it.

The watermark itself can be either an image, such as a company logo, or text, such as copyright verbiage or an owner name. Watermarks can be very visible or almost imperceptible, depending on how obvious you want them to be to the viewer.

Uses for Watermarks

Digital watermarking is used for copyright protection, source tracking (different recipients get differently watermarked content), fraud and tamper detection, and content management on social networks. Files.com automatically applies watermarks to images and PDF files when they are previewed using the Files.com web application.

Two types of watermarks are supported: image-based and text-based. An image-based watermark works for copyright protection, fraud and tamper detection, and content management by displaying your company logo to the viewer. A text-based watermark also works for source tracking by displaying unique information that identifies a specific recipient. If copies of the watermarked image or PDF file appear elsewhere online, the watermark information identifies which recipient was responsible for copying, capturing, or recording it.

Limitations of Watermarks

Watermarks can only be applied automatically to images and PDF files. For other file types, apply the watermark manually in the application used to create the file.

Automatic watermarks only appear when previewing the file on the Files.com web site. Downloaded, transmitted, or copied files do not contain the automatic watermark. The best practice is to prohibit downloading, transmission, and copying of these files so that access is limited to the Files.com web site in "preview only" mode.

Image Based Watermark

Upload an image file to use as the watermark. Files.com supports most common image file types, including PNG, GIF, JPG, and BMP.

Configure the watermark's alignment, opacity, and maximum size. Alignment specifies where the watermark sits within the preview, based on a 3x3 grid: NorthWest, North, NorthEast, West, Center, East, SouthWest, South, or SouthEast.

Opacity determines how visible the watermark is on the preview. Enter a value between 1 and 100 for the percentage opacity. A setting of 100 makes the watermark completely opaque (no transparency); a setting below 50 makes it mostly transparent.

Maximum Size sets the size of an image-based watermark as a percentage of the preview size. A setting of 50 makes the watermark's height and width 50% of the preview's height and width.

Text Based Watermark

A text-based watermark superimposes the supplied text on the preview. The text can include placeholder variables. For watermarks associated with Share Links, the {{name}}, {{company}}, and {{email}} placeholders contain information from the registration screen; if there is no matching field on the registration (or registration is not enabled for the Share Link), the placeholder is blank. Text-based watermarks associated with a folder's settings can use the {{user}} placeholder, which is populated with the Files.com user name of the logged-in user.

Configure the watermark's alignment and opacity along with the text. Alignment specifies where the watermark sits within the preview, based on a 3x3 grid: NorthWest, North, NorthEast, West, Center, East, SouthWest, South, or SouthEast.

Configuring Automatic Watermarks for Previews

Configure automatic watermarks for previews by logged-in users within the file listing, or for previews by web visitors to a Share Link. Both types can be configured through the Files.com web site or the Files.com API.

Automatic Preview Watermarks for Logged-In Users

A site administrator, or a user with admin rights to a folder, can manage the watermarks associated with a folder from the Folder Settings or from the Watermarks page. To open the Watermarks page, type "Watermarks" in the search box at the top of each page and choose the matching result. Configure either an image-based watermark or a text-based watermark.

Watermarks configured in a folder's settings apply to that folder and its subfolders. You can configure different watermarks for different folders. Configuring a watermark on the top-level root folder causes all folders to inherit it.

Site administrators can apply a preview watermark to all Share Links in Sharing Settings. Individual Share Links can also be configured with their own Watermark settings, which appear instead of any global watermark defined by site administrators.

Watermarks only appear during preview and are not included in downloaded files. For that reason, the best practice is to add watermarks only to Share Links that restrict visitors to preview.

Watermarks