Ijharul Islam
To add a watermark to a video, place a small logo or text in a corner and export a new copy. For a text watermark (your handle or brand name), QuickVeed's free Add Text to Video tool burns it in from your browser. For an image logo, use an editor's image overlay or FFmpeg's overlay filter with a PNG that has a transparent background. On YouTube, Studio's branding watermark adds your logo to every video without re-uploading.
More on this topic: Video editing how-tos, every guide in one place.
Below are the steps for each, the size and position that protect the video without distracting from it, and how to keep the logo clear of platform buttons.
The short answer
Text watermark: open the video in a free add-text tool, type your handle, choose small, a corner position and an outline style, and save. Logo: in an editor, add the PNG on a track above the video, scale it to about 10% of the width, put it in a corner and lower its opacity to 60-80%. FFmpeg:
ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i logo.png -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-24:H-h-24" -c:a copy out.mp4. YouTube: Studio > Customization > Profile > video watermark.
Key takeaways
- Use a PNG logo with a transparent background, not a JPG with a white box.
- Small and semi-transparent: about 8-12% of the video's width, 60-80% opacity.
- On Reels, TikTok and Shorts, keep it away from the bottom and right edges where the app's buttons sit.
- YouTube's watermark needs a square image of at least 150×150 pixels under 1 MB and shows only on YouTube.
Disclosure: we make QuickVeed and show how to do this in it, along with other ways. Details about other products come from their public pages, checked in October 2026 and linked at the end.
How to add a text watermark in your browser
QuickVeed's Add Text to Video tool is free, runs in your browser, never uploads your file and adds no watermark. It burns text into the video, which makes a simple, effective watermark:
- Open the Add Text to Video tool and drop in your video (up to 500 MB and 10 minutes).
- Type your handle or brand, for example @yourbrand.
- Choose Small, a top or bottom position and the Outline style in white so it reads on any background.
- Leave the timing for the whole video, or show it only at the end.
- Click Add text and save, then download the new copy.
The tool adds text, not image logos, and has no opacity control. The browser plays the video once and records the new copy, so it takes about as long as the video. Keep the tab open and in front. The result is MP4 where your browser can record MP4 (Chrome, Edge and Safari can) and WebM otherwise. The full guide is how to add text to a video.
How to add a logo to a video in an editor
- Import the video and your logo PNG.
- Put the video on the main track and the logo on a track above it, stretched to the video's full length.
- Scale the logo to about 8-12% of the video's width and move it to a corner with a margin of 2-4%.
- Set the logo's opacity to 60-80%, so it's visible without stealing attention.
- Export as MP4 (H.264).
This works the same in iMovie, Clipchamp, CapCut, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve and most phone editors; the effect is usually called overlay, picture-in-picture or sticker.
How to add a logo with FFmpeg
| Goal | Command |
|---|---|
| Logo bottom-right, 24 px margin | ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i logo.png -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-24:H-h-24" -c:a copy out.mp4 |
| Scale logo to 160 px wide, top-left | ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i logo.png -filter_complex "[1:v]scale=160:-1[l];[0:v][l]overlay=24:24" -c:a copy out.mp4 |
| Logo at 70% opacity | ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i logo.png -filter_complex "[1:v]format=rgba,colorchannelmixer=aa=0.7[l];[0:v][l]overlay=W-w-24:H-h-24" -c:a copy out.mp4 |
| Logo only for the last 5 s of a 60 s video | ffmpeg -i in.mp4 -i logo.png -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-24:H-h-24:enable='gte(t,55)'" -c:a copy out.mp4 |
In overlay, W and H are the video's width and height and w and h the logo's, so W-w-24 means 24 pixels from the right edge. The video is re-encoded; the sound is copied unchanged.
How to add a watermark to all your YouTube videos
YouTube's help page describes a channel-wide branding watermark: in YouTube Studio, open Customization, then Profile, choose when the watermark shows (the last 15 seconds, from a custom start time, or the entire video), click Change to pick the image, resize it and click Done, then publish. The image must be square, at least 150×150 pixels and under 1 MB. YouTube notes watermarks don't appear on videos set as made for kids.
It only shows on YouTube. If the same video goes to TikTok or Instagram, burn the logo into the file with one of the methods above.
Where to put a watermark on vertical video
| Platform | Covered by the app | Safer watermark spot |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Top bar, bottom (caption, sound) and right side (buttons) | Left side, a little below the top bar |
| Instagram Reels | Top 14% and bottom 35% (Meta's ad safe zones), right-side buttons | Left side, just below the top 14% and at least 6% in from the edge |
| YouTube Shorts | Bottom and right side | Upper left, below the top edge |
| YouTube (16:9) | Bottom-right shows YouTube's own watermark if you set one | Top-right or bottom-left |
These are general layouts; app interfaces change, so preview the upload on a phone. Our Instagram Reels size guide has measured safe zones. If you're repurposing a horizontal video for vertical, resize it first (video resizer) so the logo isn't cropped off; see how to crop a video for the difference.
Watermark tips
- A watermark discourages casual reposting; it doesn't stop a determined copier, who can crop or blur it.
- A logo in the middle of the frame protects more but ruins the viewing; save it for previews you send to clients.
- Add the watermark last, after trimming and joining clips (how to merge videos), so it stays in the same place throughout.
- To hide someone else's details rather than add yours, see how to blur a face or object in a video.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a watermark to a video for free?
For text, use a free add-text tool such as QuickVeed's in your browser. For a logo, use a free editor's overlay or FFmpeg's overlay filter.
How do I put my logo on a video?
Add a transparent PNG on a track above the video, scale it to about 10% of the width, place it in a corner, lower its opacity and export.
How do I add a watermark to all my YouTube videos?
In YouTube Studio, go to Customization, then Profile, and set a video watermark image (square, at least 150×150 px, under 1 MB).
What size should a video watermark be?
About 8-12% of the video's width, with a margin from the edge. For YouTube's branding watermark, at least 150×150 px.
Where should I put a watermark on TikTok or Reels?
Usually on the left side, a little below the top bar, away from the caption and buttons at the bottom and right.
Can a watermark be removed?
It can be cropped or blurred, so it deters casual copying rather than preventing it.
Try it with your own video
Brand the video, then add captions in your brand colours' style so it works with the sound off. Upload the video, pick a caption style, and judge the result for yourself. QuickVeed plans start at $18/month, and new accounts get a 14-day trial with 250 credits, no card needed. Sign up or see pricing.
Sources
Competitor details in this post were checked against these public pages in October 2026. Products and prices change, so confirm with each vendor before you decide.
