---
title: "Custom watermark | Guides | Map design"
description: "Add a custom watermark to protect or brand your maps."
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at [/llms.txt](https://docs.maptiler.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any URL.

# Custom watermark

Watermarks help protect your maps against misuse or serve as a means of brand promotion. You can include a custom watermark in a MapTiler map using **Map Designer**.

## Prepare custom watermark

When preparing your watermark image, keep these technical limitations in mind:

-   Your image must have **transparent** background.
-   Size is currently limited to max **256×256 px**.
-   **Format** can be PNG or SVG, but SVG must be converted to raster during upload.

Other requirements are the same as for standard icons. See 👉 [how to prepare custom icons](https://docs.maptiler.com/guides/map-design/icons/prepare-custom-icons/).

## Upload watermark image

Watermark is currently treated as a special type of **icon**. You’ll upload it via our [icon sets management](https://docs.maptiler.com/guides/map-design/icons/manage-icon-sets/):

1.  Open the [Map Designer](https://cloud.maptiler.com/maps/editor).
    
2.  Open the “hamburger” menu and click **Icon sets**.
    
    ![Open icon set management](../img/settings-icons.png)
    
3.  Click the plus button to create a new custom icon set. You can also add your watermark image to an existing _non-customizable (raster)_ set.
    
4.  Click **Add icons**. Upload your raster watermark image (PNG). For vector input, see special instructions below.
    

### Uploading SVG

If you’re uploading your file in vector format, you MUST convert it to raster during upload. Vector images are not usable due to the underlying format (SDF) in which we save them for map use.

To convert your image to raster, switch off the **Customizable icons (SDF sprite)** option in the upload dialog:

![Turn off customizability for vector icons](../img/customizable-vector-icons.png)

## Add watermark to map

Once uploaded, you can apply the watermark to your map:

1.  Go to menu **Layers** and duplicate the `Background` layer.
    
2.  Switch view from **Blocks** to **Verticality**. Both background layers are at the bottom.
    
3.  Drag the `Background copy` layer to the top and click on it. (You can also rename it to `Watermark`.)
    
4.  Go to section **Fill** and click on the **Pattern** field. Find the right set in the drop-down and select your watermark image.
    
5.  Adjust **Opacity** of the _layer_ (not the _fill_!) to make the watermark more subtle and translucent.
    

## Next steps

When you’re happy with your map, [save and publish it](https://docs.maptiler.com/guides/map-design/how-to-publish-a-map/).