Formatting Issues

How to Remove Ghost Text and Watermarks from a Word Document

Rana Garcia Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to remove unwanted background text, such as watermarks or ghost text, that appears on the screen and in printed Word documents.

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing a Word document where lingering background text or design elements need to be cleared before finalizing or printing.
Observed behavior: Unwanted text or a watermark persists in the document background and remains visible when printing.

Before you start

Before making changes, scroll through your document to check if the unwanted text appears on a single page or across the entire document, as this helps determine if it's a standard watermark or a header object.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove Background Text Using the Watermark Menu

Use the built-in Watermark tool to quickly clear standard background text that was applied as a document design element.

Open the Design tab

Navigate to the ribbon menu at the top of your Word document and click on the 'Design' tab.

Access the Watermark options

Locate the Page Background group on the right side of the ribbon and click the 'Watermark' button.

Remove the watermark

Select 'Remove Watermark' from the dropdown menu to instantly clear the standard ghost text from the document.

Remove Background Text Using the Watermark Menu

Check Multiple Sections: If your document contains multiple section breaks, you may need to repeat this process for each section.

Solution 2

Delete Unwanted Objects from the Header

If the text does not disappear using the standard removal tool, it is likely a text box or object anchored inside the document's header.

Powerful Word Alternative

Easily Manage Watermarks and Headers with WPS Office

WPS Office provides an intuitive Writer application that lets you quickly insert, modify, or remove watermarks and background elements with just a few clicks.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the unwanted ghost text.
2. Navigate to the Insert tab: Click on the 'Insert' tab located in the top ribbon menu.
3. Select Watermark options: Click the 'Watermark' button to open the background text menu.
4. Remove the text: Choose 'Remove Watermark' to instantly clear the background elements from your pages.

Free to download and use for essential document editingFully compatible with Microsoft Word formats (.doc, .docx)Intuitive and clean interface for managing page layouts and headersLightweight software with fast loading performance

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won't the watermark delete when I click 'Remove Watermark'?

If the text remains after using the Remove Watermark button, the text was likely inserted manually as a text box or WordArt anchored to the header. You will need to double-click the top of the page to open the header view, click on the text box itself, and press the Delete key.

Does removing a watermark delete it from all pages?

Yes, standard watermarks and header objects are applied to the entire section or document. Deleting it from one page will automatically update the rest of the pages in that section.

How do I remove a watermark or ghost text on a Mac?

The process is similar on macOS. Go to the Design tab, click Watermark, and choose 'No Watermark', or double-click the header area to manually select and delete the object.

Document & File Issues