How to display dynamic watermark in Excel Online?

Question

How to display dynamic watermark in Excel Online?

user04 0

I created a sensitive label with dynamic watermark in Purview. When I open an Excel file and apply this sensitive lable in Excel Online, there is no dynamic watermark shown. But Word file or PowerPoint did well.

So I want to know that how I can make Excel display dynamic watermark in Office Online.

2 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Tamara-Hu 6,355 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello @user04,

Good day! Thank you for posting your valuable question on Microsoft Q&A forum.

Before I can provide the most accurate solution, could you please confirm the following details:

Does this issue occur with specific Excel files or all files you open in Excel Online?
Where did you check for the Sensitivity label in Excel Online, on the Home tab or by clicking the file name in the title bar?
When you said “there is no dynamic watermark shown”, do you mean:
- The Sensitivity button appears, but there are no labels available to apply?
- Or there are labels, but not the one you need?
Is the file stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, or is it local?
Have you tried opening Excel Online in an Incognito/InPrivate browser window to see if the issue persists?
Did you try signing out and signing back in? Also, are you signed in with the correct account that has access to sensitivity labels?

Providing this information will help us better understand the situation and recommend the most appropriate solution.

In the meantime, please try the following quick steps:

Clear your browser cache: to remove any stored data that might interfere with Excel Online. If you're using Microsoft Edge:

Click the three dots (…) in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
Under Clear browsing data, click Choose what to clear.
Select Cached images and files (and optionally cookies).
Click Clear now.
Sign in Excel Online and check again.

Check the file type and location:

Ensure the file is in a supported format (e.g., .xlsx, .xlsm, .xlsb).
When a file type isn't supported for sensitivity labels, the Sensitivity button isn't available in the Office app.

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user04 0 Reputation points

2025-10-28T02:03:32.41+00:00
Hello Tamara-Hu,

Thank you for your replying.

Here is the answer about your question. And I post some campure in attachment to make you know more about the issur.

Does this issue occur with specific Excel files or all files you open in Excel Online? -> this issue occur with all Excel files in Office online

Where did you check for the Sensitivity label in Excel Online, on the Home tab or by clicking the file name in the title bar?

-> I check for the sensitivie lable both by the button at the right of filename area and Sensitivity Button.

When you said “there is no dynamic watermark shown”, do you mean: ->From Sensitivity Button, I can find the label what I need. But when I apply this label, the Excel file should filled with watermark, but it didn't.

Is the file stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, or is it local? -> It is stored in OneDrive.

Have you tried opening Excel Online in an Incognito/InPrivate browser window to see if the issue persists? -> Yes, even I open in the InPrivate browser window, it still occurs.

Did you try signing out and signing back in? Also, are you signed in with the correct account that has access to sensitivity labels? ->Both yes.

Please kindly provide some other advices.

And are there some limitations for excels？
Tamara-Hu 6,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-28T13:28:11.85+00:00

Hello @user04,

Thank you for your updates and cooperation during this process.

For this issue, I’ve taken time to research and gather information to support you. We appreciate your patience and understanding, as this is a complicated matter and we’re currently reviewing it again.

I will consult with my colleague and provide an update within the next few days, as configuring the sensitivity label in Purview requires additional time.

Thank you again for your patience!
Tamara-Hu 6,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-31T07:45:49.8533333+00:00
Hi @user04,

Thank you for patience throughout this process.

I've run multiple tests across different environments and Excel files, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to observe consistent behavior with dynamic watermarking in Excel Online. While the sensitivity label appears correctly, the watermark itself does not always render, even when the label is applied.

To help us investigate further, could you please provide the following:

Sensitivity Label Settings:

Screenshots or description of the label configuration, especially the content marking section where the watermark is defined. Navigate to your sensitivity label in Purview > Click on the three dots next to its name > Edit label.

Confirmation of whether the label is configured to apply watermarks in Excel specifically.

Label Publishing Options:

Details showing how the label is published (e.g., which users or groups it’s assigned to).

Any conditions or scopes that might affect Excel Online behavior.

These details will help us better understand the label behavior and determine whether the issue is related to configuration, publishing scope, or platform limitations.

Looking forward to your response. Thank you again for your continued collaboration on this issue.
Tamara-Hu 6,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-04T15:43:32.8+00:00

Hello @user04,

I hope you're having a nice day! I wanted to follow up to see if you need any additional help. I hope everything is going well on your part.

If you have any doubts, need clarification, or new questions have arisen, don't hesitate to get in touch. I am here to support you and happy to help.

Your satisfaction is important to me, and I want to make sure you feel safe and supported throughout the process. Just tell me how I can help you more.

I look forward to hearing from you!
Tamara-Hu 6,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-06T11:34:41.0766667+00:00

Hi @user04,

I hope you're doing well.

This is just a second follow-up to check in and ensure everything is running smoothly on your end. If you’re still facing any difficulties or have come across new challenges, feel free to share the details. I'm here and happy to help.

In the meantime, I’ll continue monitoring other customer inquiries on the forum to ensure everyone receives timely support. If you have any updates or further questions, feel free to tag me in your reply so I can assist you more directly.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Answer 2

Romain BERRY 0

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same issue with multiple customers.
I manage to display the dynamic watermark by clicking in Excel Online ribbon on "Page Layout" -> "Sheet Right-to-Left" button.
This action display watermark for the user who is clicking but not other viewers.
(It does not resolve the issue, but maybe it can help someone fixing this.)

I submitted a ticket to Microsoft and will let you know their return on this case.

user04 0 Reputation points

2025-10-31T03:07:21.0066667+00:00

Thank your for your answer.
But viewers do not have edit access (only view) at my project. So they can not click "Page Layout" to display watermarks.
Thanks all the same.
Tamara-Hu 6,355 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-10-31T07:52:54.8033333+00:00

Hi @Romain BERRY and user04,
Thank you for sharing all the details.

I’ll incorporate these steps to test this case and share them with users if they encounter the same issue.

I truly appreciate your effort and look forward to the outcome after you contact the support team.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

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How to display dynamic watermark in Excel Online?

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