GUIDE
What to write on an ID copy
Before sending an ID copy, ask whether it is needed, which details are required and whether a watermarked copy is accepted. A watermark gives a copy context; it does not control what happens after you send it.
Write the recipient, purpose and date
Name the organization receiving the copy, say what it is for, and add the date you prepare it. For example:
- For ABC Rentals · Apartment application for 12 Example Street · 2026-11-04
- For Example Bank · Account opening only · 2026-11-04
- For Example Exchange · Account identity verification only · 2026-11-04
Use the recipient’s actual name. “For verification” alone is easy to reuse in another context. “Only” records your intended use; it is not a technical restriction or a guarantee that the recipient will follow it. Avoid including account numbers or extra personal details.
Renting and landlords
Verify who manages the property before sending ID. Ask what is needed at this stage of the application and whether a less detailed copy or an in-person check would work. If a copy is needed, name the landlord or agency and the particular application. A watermark does not establish that a listing or request is legitimate.
Banks and exchanges
Use the institution’s verified website or app and check its document instructions first. Automated identity checks may reject modified images, including watermarks. Ask support through a verified channel if the instructions are unclear. Do not assume a watermarked copy will be accepted, or send an unmarked copy to an unverified address because someone says it is required.
Where to put the watermark
Place it across the document image rather than only in an empty margin that is easy to crop away. Keep the portrait, required text, document edges and machine-readable information legible. Check the exported file at a readable size before sending it. This tool repeats translucent text across the image; if it obscures required details, do not submit that copy.
What not to do
- Do not edit identity details or present an altered document as an original.
- Do not assume that covering a number is accepted. Ask which details may be omitted before masking anything.
- Do not overwrite your original. Keep the prepared copy as a separate file.
- Do not add passwords, recovery phrases or additional sensitive information to a watermark.
When a watermark is not enough
A recipient can still copy, crop or edit the image. A watermark does not prevent identity fraud, guarantee deletion or prove who leaked a copy. If a request seems excessive or suspicious, pause and verify it independently. Use the recipient’s verified submission channel and ask how long the copy will be retained.
The free tool works entirely in your browser with JPEG, PNG and WebP images or PDFs of up to six pages (a PDF is downloaded as one JPEG). No account is needed and your file is never uploaded.