Annotate PDF

Highlight, draw, add notes, shapes, ticks and sticky-note comments to a PDF in your browser, then download the marked-up copy.

Reviewed by Dany, RightSums team · Updated

Runs in your browser. Your files are not uploaded.

pdf-edit · PDF tool · UK & US

Choose Highlight and drag across a line to lay a translucent yellow box over it, or use the pen, arrows, lines, rectangles, ellipses, ticks and crosses to mark up a page. The Note tool places visible text on the page, while Comment adds a genuine PDF sticky note that opens in Acrobat, Preview and browser viewers. Colours, line widths, opacity and text size can be changed, and undo and redo are available. Apart from comments, your markings are drawn into the page itself rather than saved as separate annotation objects, so they look the same in every reader but cannot be edited or hidden there afterwards. Keep the original file if you may need a clean copy. Processing runs in your browser.

Accepted inputs

  • PDF

Outputs

  • PDF with markings and comments

How to use the Annotate PDF

  1. Drop your PDF into the box; the Highlight tool is selected and ready to use.
  2. Drag over text to highlight it, or switch to Pen, Note, Comment, shapes, ticks or crosses.
  3. Select any mark to move, resize, recolour or delete it, and switch pages from the page menu.
  4. Click Save annotated PDF and download the marked-up copy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I highlight text in a PDF for free?

Load the PDF, keep the Highlight tool selected and drag a box across the words. A translucent yellow band is laid over them. Repeat on any page, then click Save annotated PDF to download the file.

Will my annotations show in Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. Comments are saved as standard PDF sticky notes that Acrobat and Preview list as comments. Highlights, drawings, shapes and notes are drawn onto the page, so they are visible everywhere but are not editable as annotations.

Can I remove the highlights later?

Not in another PDF reader, because highlights and drawings become part of the page. Keep your original PDF and annotate a fresh copy if you need to change them. Comments can be deleted in any reader.

Can I underline or strike through text?

There is no dedicated underline or strikethrough button. Use the Line tool to draw a straight line under or through the words, and pick a colour and width to suit.

What is the difference between Annotate PDF and Edit PDF?

They share the same editor. Annotate PDF opens with review tools such as Highlight and Comment first, while Edit PDF adds images and White-out for changing a document's content.

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