Students annotate readings, managers mark up reports and editors leave feedback. Marking up a PDF is a lot faster than printing it and writing on the paper.

What Annotate PDF offers

Annotate PDF lets you add:

• Highlights in a colour you choose (yellow by default)
• Underlines
• Notes, shown as small sticky-note markers with your comment

In the current version, the marks are applied to the first page of the document.

Steps

1. Open Annotate PDF and upload your file (up to 50 MB).
2. Pick a tool: highlight, underline or note.
3. Place it on the page and add text for notes.
4. Download the annotated copy and open it to check.

Your original file isn't changed, so you can always go back.

Annotating pages other than the first

Because marks land on page one, mark up other pages by pulling them out, annotating, and rebuilding:

1. Use Extract Pages to take the page you need.
2. Annotate it.
3. Put it back in order with Merge PDF and Reorder Pages.

For a long document, it's often quicker to annotate in a viewer that supports every page and use this tool for quick marks.

Habits that make annotations useful

• Use colours consistently. For instance, yellow for key points and a second colour for questions.
• Keep notes short. One clear sentence beats a paragraph.
• Highlight less. If half the page is yellow, nothing stands out.
• Date your review in a note so versions are easy to tell apart.

Sharing and locking your marked-up copy

• Use Flatten PDF to fix the marks into the page. Check afterwards that your highlights and notes are still visible, and keep the unflattened version.
• Add a password with Protect PDF if the document is confidential. See our password guide.
• Shrink the file with Compress PDF if you'll email it.
• To add text, shapes or your signature instead, see Edit PDF and Sign PDF.

Example: reviewing a one-page proposal

Highlight the price in one colour and the delivery date in another, add a note beside the terms that says what you want changed, download the copy and send it with a short message listing your three main points. The recipient can then see exactly what you mean without a long email.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I annotate every page?

The tool marks the first page. Use the extract-and-merge approach for other pages.

Can the other person edit or remove my highlights?

Marks become part of the file you send. Flatten it to reduce the chance of changes, and keep your original.

Do notes show in every viewer?

Sticky-note markers appear in most viewers, but display can differ.

Can I draw freehand?

Stick to the highlight, underline and note tools, which are the ones this guide covers.