How to add or insert watermark in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-04-14

In some cases, you may want to insert a watermark in your email messages to indicate that the message is a draft, confidential, or important. However, Microsoft Outlook does not support watermark functionality like Microsoft Word does. Instead, you can create a background image that mimics a watermark effect and apply it to your email. This guide will walk you through creating and inserting a watermark-like background in an Outlook email.

Add or insert watermark in Outlook emails

Add or insert watermark in Outlook emails

Since Outlook lacks a built-in watermark feature, we will first "create a watermark image in Microsoft Word", then "insert it as an email background in Outlook".

Step 1: Create a Watermark Image

1. Open "Microsoft Word" and go to "Design" > "Watermark" to insert a watermark into the document.

2. Take a screenshot of the watermark by pressing the "PrtScn" key on your keyboard.

3. Open "Paint" (or another image editor) and paste the screenshot using "Ctrl" + "V".

4. Crop the watermark area using the "Select" tool, then click "Crop" and save it as an image file (e.g., PNG or JPG).

the screenshot of adding watermark in outlook 1

Step 2: Apply the Watermark Image in an Email

5. In Outlook, go to "Home" > "New Email" to create a new message.

6. Click "Options" > "Page Color" > "Fill Effects" in the "Themes" group.

the screenshot of adding watermark in outlook 2

7. In the "Fill Effects" dialog box, go to the "Picture" tab and click "Select Picture".

the screenshot of adding watermark in outlook 3

8. In the "Select Picture" dialog box, locate and select the watermark image you saved earlier, then click "Insert".

the screenshot of adding watermark in outlook 4

😊 Save Time: Use an Email Template with a Watermark

To avoid repeating these steps each time you need a watermark, we recommend "saving the watermarked email as a template". This allows you to reuse the watermark without going through the entire process again.

👉 Click here to learn how to create and apply a custom Outlook email template.

🖨️ Print Emails Without Header and Retain Backgrounds!

Tired of Outlook automatically printing email headers, and usernames, or skipping background designs? With the "Advanced Print" feature of Kutools for Outlook, you can print only the email message body while preserving its background image and colors—no headers, no clutter!

✨ Quick Tip: Access this feature by clicking "Kutools Plus" > "Print" > "Advanced Print".