Overlay PDF
Superimpose one PDF on top of another.
How to use Overlay PDF
- 01
Upload your content PDF
Add the document you want to overlay something onto — a report, a letter, a form.
- 02
Upload the overlay PDF
Add the template or background PDF — a letterhead, a watermark template, or a decorative border.
- 03
Download the combined result
The overlay is placed on top of every page of your content document. Download the merged result.
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About Overlay PDF
Place a header, watermark PDF, or letterhead template on top of every page of another document. Perfect for adding company letterhead, backgrounds, or combining layers from separate files.
Layering one PDF on top of another
Many professional documents need a consistent visual frame — a company letterhead, a decorative border, a legal header — applied to every page. Creating these elements directly in the document is impractical when the content comes from different sources or changes frequently. The easier approach is to keep the template as a separate PDF and overlay it onto the content when needed.
This tool places one PDF (the overlay) on top of another (the content) so both are visible on every page. The classic use case is letterhead: a designer creates a single-page PDF with the company logo, address, and border, and this tool applies that template to every page of a report, proposal, or letter. The result looks as though the document was printed on branded stationery.
How the overlay works
The tool reads both PDFs and draws the overlay page's content on top of each page of the content PDF. If the overlay has one page, it is repeated across all content pages. If the overlay has multiple pages, each overlay page is matched to the corresponding content page. The two layers are merged into a single page in the output.
Transparent areas in the overlay allow the content beneath to show through, which is essential for letterhead templates where the centre of the page must remain clear for text. Opaque regions in the overlay cover whatever is beneath them. The operation does not alter either PDF's content — it simply composites them together.
Common use cases and tips
Small businesses apply branded letterhead to invoices and proposals generated by accounting software. Law firms overlay firm headers onto plain-text filings. Schools apply decorative certificate borders to achievement documents. Marketing teams add 'CONFIDENTIAL' or 'DRAFT' watermark templates to documents before external review.
For best results, design the overlay PDF with the same page dimensions as the content document — if they differ, the overlay may not align correctly. Use transparent backgrounds in the overlay's content area so the underlying text is not hidden. And if you need the overlay behind the content rather than on top, swap the two inputs: upload what you want as the background as the 'content' and your actual content as the 'overlay'.
Questions
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Which PDF goes on top?
The overlay PDF is placed on top of the content PDF. Use this to add a letterhead template over a plain document, or a transparent stamp over every page.
What if the overlay has only one page but my document has many?
The single overlay page is repeated on every page of the content document. This is the typical use case — one letterhead template applied to all pages of a letter or report.
Will transparent areas show through?
Yes. If the overlay PDF has transparent areas (no background fill in those regions), the content document shows through. This is how letterhead overlays work — the template has a logo and border with a transparent centre, and your text shows through the middle.
Is the overlay applied locally?
Yes. The combining happens entirely in your browser. Neither PDF is uploaded to any server.