Watermarks

Adding watermarks (text, logos, or images) to videos is a common requirement for branding and copyright protection.

Image Watermark (Logo)

Top-Right Corner

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-10:10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Bottom-Right Corner

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-10:H-h-10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Bottom-Left Corner

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "overlay=10:H-h-10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Center

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "overlay=(W-w)/2:(H-h)/2" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Text Watermark

Simple Text

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "drawtext=text='Copyright 2024':fontsize=24:fontcolor=white:x=10:y=10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Text with Border (More Visible)

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "drawtext=text='Copyright 2024':fontsize=24:fontcolor=white:borderw=2:bordercolor=black:x=10:y=10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Text with Background

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "drawtext=text='Copyright 2024':fontsize=24:fontcolor=white:box=1:boxcolor=black@0.5:boxborderw=4:x=10:y=10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Text with Timestamp

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "drawtext=text='%{pts\\:hms}':fontsize=20:fontcolor=white:x=10:y=h-th-10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Dynamic Text (Changing Over Time)

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -vf "drawtext=text='Recording':fontsize=36:fontcolor=white:x=10:y=10:enable='between(t,0,10)'" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Watermark Size and Opacity

Resize Logo

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "[1:v]scale=100:100[wm];[0:v][wm]overlay=W-w-20:20" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Semi-Transparent Logo

# Create semi-transparent version first
ffmpeg -i logo.png -vf "format=rgba,colorchannelmixer=aa=0.5" logo_alpha.png

# Apply
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo_alpha.png \
  -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-20:20" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Position Formulas

Position	Formula
Top-Left	10:10
Top-Right	W-w-10:10
Bottom-Left	10:H-h-10
Bottom-Right	W-w-10:H-h-10
Center	(W-w)/2:(H-h)/2
Top-Center	(W-w)/2:10
Bottom-Center	(W-w)/2:H-h-10

Multiple Watermarks

# Logo + Text
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "[0:v]drawtext=text='Channel':fontsize=18:fontcolor=white:borderw=1:bordercolor=black:x=10:y=10[bg];[bg][1:v]overlay=W-w-10:10" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Animated Watermark (Moving)

# Logo moves from left to right
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "[1:v]scale=80:80[wm];[0:v][wm]overlay='x=mod(t*50,n*W)':y=20" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

# Fade-in watermark
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "[1:v]scale=80:80,fade=t=out:st=10:d=2:alpha=1[wm];[0:v][wm]overlay=W-w-20:20:enable='between(t,0,10)'" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Tile Watermark (Repeated Grid)

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -i logo.png \
  -filter_complex "[1:v]scale=50:50[tile];[tile][tile][tile][tile]hstack=4[tiles];[0:v][tiles]overlay='(W-w)/2:(H-h)/2'" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Semi-Transparent Video (Branding Overlay)

# Entire video with semi-transparent overlay
ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -f lavfi -i "color=black@0.3:s=1280x720" \
  -filter_complex "[0:v][1:v]blend=all_mode=overlay:all_opacity=0.1" \
  -c:a copy output.mp4

Batch Add Watermark

for f in *.mp4; do
  ffmpeg -i "$f" -i logo.png \
    -filter_complex "overlay=W-w-10:10" \
    -c:a copy "watermarked_${f}"
done