How to Remove a Watermark in Excel

Have you ever opened an Excel spreadsheet only to find a distracting watermark sitting behind your data — maybe one that says Confidential, Draft, or even your company logo? It’s not only visually annoying but can also make your document look unprofessional when printing or sharing. Don’t worry — removing it isn’t as complicated as it looks!

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to remove a watermark in Excel, whether it was added through headers, background images, or third-party templates. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to get your worksheet clean and watermark-free — step by step.

1. What Is a Watermark in Excel?

A watermark in Excel is a faded image, text, or logo placed behind your data to mark the spreadsheet’s status, ownership, or confidentiality. It’s often used for internal tracking or branding.

Examples include:

• “Confidential” or “Draft” across the page

• A company logo behind cells

• A background picture for visual appeal

Unlike Word, Excel doesn’t have a built-in “Insert Watermark” button, so users typically add them manually through headers, backgrounds, or shapes.

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2. Why Would You Want to Remove a Watermark?

There are several reasons why you might want to remove a watermark from your Excel sheet:

• You’re finalizing a report and no longer need the “Draft” label.

• You received a shared file with someone else’s logo.

• You want to print a clean version for presentation.

• The watermark obscures your data and makes it hard to read.

Whatever your reason, removing it ensures your worksheet looks clean, professional, and print-ready.

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3. How to Identify the Type of Watermark in Excel

Before you start removing it, you need to identify how the watermark was added.
Here’s how to tell:

Once you identify it, use the correct removal method below.

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4. Method 1: Remove a Watermark Added via Header or Footer

This is one of the most common watermark types. Many users insert images through the Header or Footer in Page Layout mode.

Steps:

1. Open your Excel file.

2. Go to the View tab.

3. Click Page Layout.

4. Click inside the Header (top area) or Footer (bottom area).

5. You’ll see something like &[Picture] — that’s the watermark image.

6. Delete the text &[Picture] or remove the image.

7. Click anywhere outside the header/footer to apply changes.

✅ Tip: If you want to remove watermarks from all sheets, repeat this process for each worksheet.

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5. Method 2: Remove a Watermark Inserted as a Background Image

Background watermarks don’t show up when printing but are visible on-screen.

To remove a background watermark:

1. Go to the Page Layout tab.

2. In the Page Setup group, click Delete Background.

That’s it! The watermark instantly disappears.

If you see Set Background instead, it means there’s no active background watermark on the current sheet.

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6. Method 3: Remove a Watermark Created with WordArt or Shapes

Some Excel users add a watermark by inserting a text box, WordArt, or shape.

Here’s how to remove it:

1. Go to Normal View or Page Layout View.

2. Click directly on the watermark (text or shape).

3. Press the Delete key on your keyboard.

✅ Pro Tip:
If the watermark is behind other elements and hard to select:

• Go to Home → Find & Select → Selection Pane.

• Locate the shape or WordArt in the list.

• Click the eye icon to hide or delete it.

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7. Method 4: Remove Watermarks in Excel Templates

Many pre-designed Excel templates include built-in watermarks, such as company logos or confidentiality notices.

Steps:

1. Open the template file (.xltx or .xlt).

2. Switch to Page Layout View.

3. Check headers, footers, and backgrounds for watermarks.

4. Remove them using one of the methods above.

5. Save your version as a new file to keep the original intact.

This is especially useful if you download free templates online that come with branding.

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8. Method 5: Delete Watermarks Added by Third-Party Tools or Add-ins

Sometimes, third-party add-ins or PDF-to-Excel converters automatically insert watermarks.

To remove these:

1. Check if an add-in is active:

   • Go to File → Options → Add-ins.

   • At the bottom, click Excel Add-ins → Go.

2. Uncheck the add-ins you don’t recognize or don’t need.

3. Close and reopen Excel.

4. Manually delete any leftover watermark shapes or images.

If the watermark persists, open the file in another spreadsheet editor (like Google Sheets) — often, it’ll remove external formatting layers.

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9. How to Remove a “Confidential” or “Draft” Watermark in Excel

These are commonly added as WordArt text boxes or header images.

To delete them:

1. Switch to Page Layout View.

2. Click the watermark text (“Confidential,” “Draft,” etc.).

3. Press Delete.

4. If you can’t select it, use Selection Pane as explained earlier.

You now have a clean sheet ready for presentation or sharing.

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10. Troubleshooting: What If the Watermark Won’t Go Away?

If the watermark remains even after deleting, try these fixes:

Still stuck? Try copying your worksheet’s data into a new blank workbook — it removes hidden formatting and embedded objects.

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11. How to Prevent Watermarks in Future Excel Sheets

Once you’ve successfully removed the watermark, prevent it from reappearing in future files:

• Always start from a blank workbook instead of reusing old templates.

• Before sharing files, check Page Layout → Background and Header/Footer.

• Avoid using add-ins or converters that embed unwanted logos.

• Save clean versions of your important templates.

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12. How to Remove Watermark When Printing from Excel

Sometimes you can’t see the watermark in Normal View but it appears in Print Preview or on the printed page.

Fix it easily:

1. Click File → Print to open Print Preview.

2. Select Page Setup at the bottom.

3. Go to the Header/Footer tab.

4. Remove any references like &[Picture].

5. Click OK, then print again — watermark gone!

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13. Bonus Tip: How to Add Your Own Custom Watermark in Excel

Now that you know how to remove them, you might want to add your own professional watermark.

Steps:

1. Go to Insert → WordArt.

2. Choose a style and type your text (e.g., “Confidential” or “Approved”).

3. Rotate it diagonally and adjust transparency (Format → Shape Fill → Transparency).

4. Move it behind your data using Send to Back.

You can easily toggle visibility for internal vs. public reports.

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14. Common Mistakes When Deleting Watermarks

Avoid these pitfalls to save time:

• ❌ Deleting the wrong layer (e.g., shapes instead of background).

• ❌ Forgetting to switch to Page Layout view.

• ❌ Assuming “Delete Background” removes header images — it doesn’t.

• ❌ Ignoring the watermark in multiple worksheets.

Always double-check all sheets before finalizing your file.

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15. Final Thoughts

Removing a watermark in Excel might seem tricky at first, but as you’ve seen, it’s usually just a matter of identifying how it was added — then applying the right fix.

Whether it’s through headers, backgrounds, or WordArt, Excel gives you multiple ways to customize and clean your spreadsheets. Once you understand where the watermark lives, deleting it takes only seconds.

So next time you open a spreadsheet covered in “Confidential” text or a logo, you’ll know exactly what to do — and how to keep your data looking neat, clear, and professional.

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16. FAQs About Removing Watermarks in Excel

1. Why can’t I see the watermark in Excel?

It might be hidden in Normal View. Switch to Page Layout View to reveal header/footer watermarks.

2. Can I remove a watermark from all sheets at once?

Unfortunately, no. You need to delete it from each worksheet manually unless you use a macro.

3. Will deleting a background watermark affect my data?

No — removing a background or header image doesn’t change your data or formatting.

4. Can I remove watermarks in Excel Online?

Excel Online doesn’t currently support advanced header/footer editing, so you’ll need to open the file in the desktop app.

5. How can I tell if a watermark is from a template?

If it reappears after deleting or saving, it’s likely part of the original template design.

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17. Key Takeaways

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In Summary

Knowing how to remove a watermark in Excel saves you from printing or sharing unprofessional-looking spreadsheets. Whether it’s an embedded image, text box, or background, Excel offers simple ways to delete it.

Now it’s your turn — open your spreadsheet, follow these steps, and say goodbye to those unwanted watermarks for good!