How to Remove a Watermark in Excel (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Watermarks in Excel are commonly used to indicate the status of a document, like “Confidential” or “Draft.” While helpful for sharing information, there are times when you need to remove a watermark to make your spreadsheet cleaner or ready for presentation.

In this guide, we’ll show you all the methods to remove a watermark in Excel, whether it’s a text watermark, image watermark, or background watermark.

Why You Might Want to Remove a Watermark

  • Preparing a spreadsheet for printing.

  • Sharing a clean version with colleagues or clients.

  • Editing or reusing the content in another document.

Removing watermarks is simple once you know the right steps.

Method 1: Remove a Watermark Using the Header & Footer

Most watermarks in Excel are added through Header & Footer. Here’s how to remove them:

  1. Open your Excel file.

  2. Go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon.

  3. Click Header & Footer (found in the Text group).

  4. The Header area will appear. Click on the watermark (usually “Confidential” or an image).

  5. Press the Delete key.

  6. Click anywhere outside the header area to finish.

✅ Your watermark is now removed.

Method 2: Remove a Picture Watermark (Background Image)

Some Excel files have watermarks added as background images. To remove them:

  1. Go to the Page Layout tab.

  2. Click Delete Background (on the right side of the Ribbon).

  3. The background image watermark disappears immediately.

Note: The “Delete Background” button only works if the watermark was added as a background.

Method 3: Remove a Watermark in Older Excel Versions (Excel 2010/2013)

Older Excel versions do not have the background deletion feature. In this case:

  1. Go to the View tab.

  2. Click Page Layout.

  3. Select the watermark (it appears as an image in the header).

  4. Press Delete.

This removes both text and image watermarks.

Method 4: Remove a Watermark Using VBA (Advanced Option)

If you have multiple sheets or recurring watermarks, you can use VBA code:

  1. Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.

  2. Click Insert → Module.

  3. Paste the following code:

Sub RemoveWatermarks()
Dim ws As Worksheet
For Each ws In ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets
ws.Shapes.SelectAll
On Error Resume Next
Selection.Delete
On Error GoTo 0
Next ws
End Sub

  1. Press F5 to run the code.

  2. All shapes and watermarks across sheets will be removed.

⚠️ Be careful: This will remove all shapes, including charts or graphics.

Tips for Handling Watermarks in Excel

  • Always make a backup before removing watermarks.

  • Check Print Preview to ensure the watermark is gone.

  • If the watermark keeps reappearing, check if it’s inserted in multiple sheets.

FAQs About Watermarks in Excel

Q1: Why can’t I delete a watermark in Excel?
Most likely it’s part of the header or background image. Switch to Header & Footer or Page Layout view to remove it.

Q2: Will removing a watermark affect my data?
No, it only removes the visual watermark. Your spreadsheet data remains intact.

Q3: Can I remove only some watermarks but keep others?
Yes, just select the specific watermark shape or text in the header and delete it.

Conclusion

Removing a watermark in Excel is straightforward once you know where it’s placed—whether in the header/footer, as a background image, or as a shape.

Using the steps above, you can clean your spreadsheet for printing, sharing, or professional presentation.

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