What is a watermark?

As the importance of images continues to grow many creators use watermarks to protect their visual content as intellectual property.  In some cases website owners or publishers may misuse copyrighted images by removing watermarks which is both unethical and illegal.

It is illegal to use copyright-protected images without proper authorization and modifying them without permission or licensing is a violation of copyright laws. If you have added a watermark on your image and now find it frustrating or unnecessary and inconvenient for you, this blog will show you useful tools to remove it safely and easily.

You can remove watermarks from your own images with the help of various tools. The right watermark removal tool can help you quickly remove unwanted marks like company names, dates, logos, signatures and many more provided you have the right to modify the content.

I have compiled a list of popular watermark removal tools—explore them and choose the one that best fits your needs. Online tools offer a quick and user-friendly way to remove watermarks from images, especially for personal use, though results may vary depending on the tool. 

Among the listed tools, my favorites are Pixelbin and WaterRemover.io. Both are easy to use—just upload your image, and the tools handle most of the watermark removal process automatically.

AI-powered watermark removers can help achieve a clean result with minimal quality loss, though results may vary depending on the tool and complexity of the watermark. The blog will guide you about the meaning ot watermarks, the types of watermarks, their benefits, and a list of tools to remove the watermark from an image.

What is a watermark?

A watermark is a logo or signature superimposed on a photograph, document, or piece of text. Watermarks can be visible or invisible. Visible watermarks are typically semi-transparent logos or text placed on digital content, while invisible watermarks are covertly embedded into audio, video, or images to identify the source or copyright owner.

By preventing unauthorized use of the image or media without the owner's consent, watermarks aid in copyright protection. Whether you’re a photographer, designer, filmmaker, or software developer, watermarking gives a reliable means of protecting your intellectual property.

Selecting the proper type depends on your specific needs, whether for branding, security, or copyright protection. Now that you understand what a watermark is, let’s explore its types.

Types of Watermark 

Watermarks can be categorized into various types, each used for various purposes and offering varying levels of protection

1. Visible watermarks

The most common type of watermark is the visible ones, which are readily apparent on an image. To make it obvious who owns the content, they frequently overlay the image with a logo, text, or patterns.

Visible watermarks like text watermarks, logo watermarks, patterns, or full image overlays. It is good for businesses and professional photographers, social media and marketing content, online portfolios, and product images. 

 2. Invisible watermarks

Invisible watermarks are embedded within an image that is not visible to the human eye but can be identified using specialized software. They are not visible to the naked eye. Different techniques, like steganography or digital fingerprinting, allow these marks to be hidden within the image data. 

Invisible watermarks can be used to track ownership and movement of content across the internet. They are useful for copyright protection, digital forensics, stock photo agencies, media outlets, and high-security applications.

3. Public watermarks

Public watermarks use publicly known algorithms and ke, making them less secure as these can be understood and modified by anyone using certain algorithms. 

4. Forensic watermarks

In legal procedures, forensic watermarks serve as evidence and help identify the content's original source. They are usually not apparent to the naked eye and are embedded in the information itself. These watermarks, which can be used to monitor the flow of content on the internet, hide information like the identity of the creator or the creation date. 

Choosing the right watermark depends on your goals. Watermarking is a valuable tool for protecting digital assets. By understanding the various types of their applications, you can choose the right watermarking method to best suit your needs. 

Benefits of watermark

Watermarks provide various benefits, like being good for marketing, theft protection, branding and promotion, getting more sales, and more. For sensitive documents, watermarks can also enhance security and maintain data integrity. 

1. Good for marketing

Many photographers use watermarks as a marketing tool to increase brand visibility and build recognition. Every image in your portfolio has your watermark, which can help build your brand and profile, particularly if an image of yours gains popularity or goes viral. 

2. Theft protection

Watermarks help stop people from using your images without permission by showing that they belong to you. It’s a visual indication that you want to protect your rights, and while it’s not perfect, it usually works. Various AI tools have made it really easy to take watermarks out these days, not just through cropping or healing brushes as before. 

3. Branding and promotion

As images spread across the internet, embedding your logo or website URL in them helps promote your photography brand. This can drive more traffic to your site and build up brand recognition. A watermark also makes it easier for people to identify you as the creator of an image.

As images are shared and used on social media in today's digital world, they can spread quickly and lose their original creator's identity.  By keeping your name or brand attached to your work a watermark increases the chance that you will be given due credit.

4. Getting more sales

Watermarks encourage customers to purchase the image directly from you if they want high-quality, unmarked versions. While users may still download images, visible watermarks make them unsuitable for professional or commercial use without proper licensing. This practice not only protects your revenue but also maintains the value of your work.

5. Credits you for the work 

Some photographers consider watermarking equivalent to an artist's signature. However, it can symbolize that the photo is yours, you’re proud of it, and you want credit for the creativity.

How to remove a watermark from an image

There are various tools to remove a watermark from an image, but the one I liked most is WatermarkRemover.io. So let's see various steps to remove a watermark from an image. 

Step 1: Visit WatermarkRemover.io in your browser.

Step 2: Upload and drag and drop your file into the page, or click upload to select the image that you want to remove the watermark from. It supports various image formats like JPG, JPEG, PNG, WebP, or HEIC. Or paste the URL. Once you paste the image, click on the button.

Step 3: After uploading the image, you can find two versions of the same image. Image one is the original, and the other one is the result. 

Step 4: If you are satisfied with the result, you can download it. 

List various tools to remove watermarks from images

1. Pixelbin

Pixelbin allows you to remove watermarks, stamps, signatures, and logos from your images and files quickly and easily. It is compatible with JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, PDFs and WEBP formats.

It can remove logos, text, and even complex watermarks blended into images, often delivering clean and consistent results. The tool is good for real estate, e-commerce, and stock images, documents and graphics. As a web-based tool it needs no installation and aims to keep your files secure during processing.

I tested the image with a watermark and successfully removed the text after a few seconds delivering a clean result. Additionally, it provides various other features, like crop, adjust, AI apps, zoom in/out, compare, and much more. A manual editing option is also available for fine-tuning results. 

Key features:

• Easy to use
• High quality 
• User-friendly interface
• No installation needed
•  High-quality output 
• Fast processing 

2. WatermarkRemover.io

One of my favorite ones is WatermarkRemover.io powered by Pixelbin which is a specialist AI-driven tool built to remove watermarks from photographs with precision. It mainly supports images and certain raster-based PDFs, with strong AI accuracy.

It is an ideal way for erasing unwanted watermarks from images. Available AI-powered algorithms will scan, detect, and remove watermarks. It supports various formats like PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP partial support and HEIC depending on devcie.

You can use the tools on your mobile, computer, or laptop. The tools provided operate on a straightforward drag-and-drop mechanism, where the AI automatically detects and erases the watermark. In addition to images, the tool may also support PDFs.

I tested an image with a watermark; in a few seconds, I received a clean, watermark-free result. The tool offers toggle options to remove either text or logos specifically, allowing more control over what gets erased. Then it will remove text from your image. If you’re not fully satisfied with the result, manual editing tools are available to refine the image.

Key features:

• Easy to use
• Support all popular image formats
• Bulk processing 
• High-quality result
• Leaving no single blur
• No manual effort or editing skill needed

3. Dewatermark.AI

Dewatermark.AI tool uses AI algorithms to detect and remove watermarks without distorting your original content. Its AI is designed to detect watermark layers even if they are faintly embedded or placed over complex backgrounds.

Dewatermark offers a simple drag-and-drop interface that smoothly processes the uploading and editing of images. It aims to deliver clean, blur-free results while preserving original quality. The online watermark removal tool is compatible with tablets, smartphones, and PCs.

It has a maximum input resolution of 6000x6000 and supports a number of formats, including PNG, JPG, WEB,,P and AVIF. Watermarks can be removed with little loss of detail or image quality. You can remove watermarks with minimal loss of image quality or detail.

The tool provides a manual AI brush for you to remove watermarks even more thoroughly. I tested one image with a watermark and received a result. Another facility the tool provides is zooming in and out of the picture to highlight the marks precisely without any problem.

Key features:

• Easy to use
• No download or installation required
• Work on mobile, laptop, and desktop
• Retouch, resize, and download edited photos with minimal delay.
• Batch processing

4. Apowersoft

Apowersoft watermark remover offers a simple and effective way to remove watermarks from images. You can upload your images select the watermark area, and get a clean result within seconds, depending on the watermark’s complexity. While it isn’t exclusively focused on watermark removal like Dewatermark Apowersoft still performs effectively in many cases. 

It supports various formats like JPG, JPEG, BMP, and PNG according to your requirements. The tool provides not only the ability to remove the watermark, but you can also add a watermark in just a few minutes.

Unlike other tools that use brush tools for removal, Apowersoft allows you to draw boxes around the watermark to remove it.  It may be time-consuming due to the various selections and sizing.

Key features:

• Very easy to use
• Supports a wide range of formats
• No technical knowledge required
• Batch processing
• No installation needed

5. HitPaw watermark remover

HitPaw is an AI-assisted watermark removal tool for both images and videos. You can easily remove watermarks and simple objects from images in just a few seconds, depending on image complexity.

It is free and perfect for those using Windows and Macs to remove watermarks. HitPaw supports various formats like JPG, PNG, JPEG, and WEBP. When I tested the tool, I had to manually highlight the watermark area and choose a removal method, as the process isn’t fully automatic. 

The process may take more time and basic editing knowledge compared to fully automated tools. You can use a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, or Android. Hitpaw delivers strong results for image watermark removal, especially for users who prefer manual control.

Key features:

• Easy to use
• No installation needed
• Remove watermarks from the image, leaving no blur

6. GIMP

For precise jobs like watermark removal, GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free open-source editor for Windows, macOS, and Linux offers strong layer-based features.

The tool does not use AI but allows users to manually remove watermarks using selection tools and brushes. You’ll need to select and either delete the watermark or paint over it with a reconstructed version of the background.

Using several types of tools, such as the Clone Tool or Heal Tool, to manually paint over watermarks on the image's edge and then combining these selection tools with content-aware fill to reconstruct the background is known as watermark removal.  

Key features:

• Easy to use
• Works on Windows, Mac, and Linux 
• High-quality result 

7. Pixlr

Pixlr is an online photo editing tool that can be used to remove watermarks, along with a wide range of other editing tasks. While Pixlr isn’t designed specifically for watermark removal, it’s a powerful and versatile photo editor.

Pixlr is a strong competitor to many desktop photo editing tools. It supports various formats like JPEG, JPG, WEBP, GIF, and PSD. Available as both a web tool and a mobile app, Pixlr ensures you can perform basic cleaning tasks from almost any device.

Pixlr is ideal if you need a fast, browser  based with no installation required for simple watermark removal tasks. Pixlr has basic tools like the dodge tool, the color replace tool, smudge tool, etc.

Whether you’re looking to touch up a photo, create a graphic design, or add text and overlays, Pixlr has you covered. The tool can be used on desktops, smartphones, and tablets. 

Key features: 

• Easy to use
• Supports cloud
• Available on mobile apps
• No installation needed
• No technical knowledge needed

8. Photoroom

The online photo editing tool Photoroom was developed to allow complex editing with a few clicks and to make it simple to remove unwanted components from your images, like data stamps, watermarks, and others.

The tool uses advanced AI technology with user-friendly functionality to make object removal fast. It's Magic Retouch, which blends edited areas with the background, making the images look seamless and natural.

Photoroom is available on both mobile and desktop. Create professional, retouched visuals for e-commerce platforms like Amazon with minimal manual effort. It supports various formats like PNG, JPEG, or WEBP. 

Key features:

• Easy to use
• No technical knowledge needed
• Available on mobile and desktop
• High-quality result

9. Fotor

Fortor includes a watermark remover that allows you to clean up images efficiently.  The free online watermark remover from Fotor is both fast and efficient. The tool uses AI technology that removes the watermark automatically.

The process is simple: just upload your image, and the tool automatically removes the watermark. Fotor’s AI watermark remover detects and erases logos, text, and other objects from your images with less effort and time.

I tested the tool with an image containing a watermark. After selecting the area, the AI automatically removed it within a few seconds. If you’re looking for an all-in-one design and retouching platform that also handles watermark removal, Fotor is a solid choice.

Key features:

• Easy to use
• No technical knowledge required
• Support various formats
• No signup required

Use cases for watermark

You can use watermarks on any content that you want to protect from unauthorized use, like images, photos, videos, documents, and PDFs.

Watermarks can also be used to promote content like social media, blog articles, and website content, by reinforcing brand visibility. 

1. Documents and PDFs

Document watermarks help protect the copyright and ownership of your files, especially when sharing documents and PDFs. Important if you plan to share your documents and PDFs online.

2. Videos

Video watermarks help protect your content when sharing on platforms like YouTube by ensuring credit remains if your video is re-uploaded without permission.

3. Social media posts

Watermark helps you to promote your website on social media posts as well. If you’re producing great content and it gets shared from your account, people will still know where it came from. This way, you can reach new clients and expand your audience. 

4. Images

Watermarks can be an effective way to protect your copyright and ownership of your images and photos. If you are planning to share your images online, it's highly helpful to think about how you will prevent unauthorized use of your work.