The Best Ways to Annotate a PDF on Any Device

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A simple guide to adding comments and edits to PDFs from any device
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Do you need to make notes or annotate a PDF? Fortunately, there are a few different tools that you can use to accomplish this for free. Read on to learn more about the different ways you can annotate PDFs.

Annotate a PDF

Use online tools like Adobe or Smallpdf to annotate and share PDFs easily with others. Or use free built-in tools like Markup with Notes on iPad, Preview on Mac, or in the Edge web browser for Windows.

Section 1 of 5:

Using Adobe Online

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    Go to https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/home/ and sign in. You and anyone wanting to read your comments on the PDF must make a free Adobe account. With your limited free account, you can upload and annotate as many PDFs as you need.
    • This is the easiest free solution that everyone can use, whether you have a Mac, Chromebook, or Windows computer. It's only text-based, so if you want to circle, highlight, or draw on PDFs, use another method.
    • This is the best Chromebook option since you don't need to download anything and can simply use your browser.
    • This method also works for Android, iPhone, and iPad.
    • While an account is free with limited functionality, a subscription allows you to do more with Adobe Acrobat , like installing the desktop app. You can get a free trial if you want to use the program for more than annotating PDFs.
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    It's next to a cloud with an arrow pointing up, then double-click a file in your file explorer to select it.
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  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-3.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/82\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-3.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Click and drag your mouse over text to select it.
  4. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-4.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/27\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-4.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you want to strikethrough the text and suggest different wording, begin typing immediately. Click your strikethrough to change the color of the line.
    • To highlight the text and add a comment, click the chat bubble icon in the menu that appears above your cursor. Click the highlighted text again to change the highlight color.
    • When you select text, you can also underline or copy it.
      • To reply to a comment, you can click the highlighted text or enter your text in the "Reply" text field in the panel on the right.
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    Click the circled profile icon at the top of the window (next to a pair of headphones). You can share the document directly to someone's email or you can grab the link to share with others.
    • Make sure this area says "Anyone with the link can comment" and click Copy link . You'll see a green box appear at the bottom of your screen that says "Link copied."
    • Once you share the document either through email or link, viewers can also comment using the same steps. [1]
    • You can also grab an extension for your Chrome or Edge web browser.
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Section 2 of 5:

Using Smallpdf

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    Go to https://smallpdf.com/pdf-annotator in a web browser. You don't need an account to use this service.
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    Use the drop-down arrow to change the location of the files you're looking through, like "From device" or "From Google Drive".
    • Using "From Google Drive" is a good option for Chromebooks that can't download anything.
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    You can add text or comments with the Text tool (or by pressing "T" on your keyboard), draw on the PDF with the Draw tool (click the drop-down arrow to change between drawing to erasing or highlighting). You can also highlight, underline, strikethrough, or add a squiggle to text.
    • Use the last two icons to add shapes or images to annotate the PDF.
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    Click Finish in the top-right corner, then download a copy of the annotated PDF for yourself or share it with others.
    • To share the file from Smallpdf, you need to create a free online account. Once you are logged in, you can share the annotated PDF with a link so others can view and further annotate your document.
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Section 3 of 5:

Using Edge

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    You can drag and drop a PDF that you want to annotate into an Edge window to open it in the browser.
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-11.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-11.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-11.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-11.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    You can draw, erase, highlight, add text as well as underline, and strikethrough existing text.
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-12.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-12.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/69\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-12.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-12.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Your existing file will be overwritten unless you click the floppy-disc icon with the pencil over it to select "Save as." With "Save as," you can save a file of the annotated PDF as well as the original. [2]
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Section 4 of 5:

Using Preview on Mac

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    You can open Preview and go to File > Open or you can right-click a file in Finder and select Open with > Preview .
  2. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/da\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-14.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-14.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/da\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-14.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-14.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    If you don't see the toolbar above your document, click the marker tip icon.
    • You can sketch, draw, add shapes and text, and more with markup tools in Preview. [3]
  3. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/03\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-15.jpg\/v4-460px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-15.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/03\/Annotate-a-PDF-Step-15.jpg\/v4-728px-Annotate-a-PDF-Step-15.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fair_use\">Fair Use<\/a> (screenshot)<br>\n<\/p><\/div>"}
    Go to File > Save so you can edit your annotations later. If you want to save your annotations so they can't be edited, go to File > Print > Save as PDF .
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Section 5 of 5:

Using Markup with iPad

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    You can either drag an email or text attachment (that's a PDF) to a note or touch and hold the file, then tap Share > Notes .
  2. 2
    Tap the down arrow and select View as Medium/Large . With the image in Medium or Large view, you can edit the PDF with your Apple Pencil or finger.
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    This will open the Markup toolbar so you can annotate the PDF.
    • Use your Apple Pencil or finger to draw, add shapes, and mark up, or annotate the PDF.
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    All your annotations are saved automatically, so you can close the file whenever you want to. [4]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/how-to/annotate-pdf-online.html
      2. ↑ https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/learning-center/how-to-use-pdf-reader-in-microsoft-edge?form=MA13I2
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/annotate-a-pdf-prvw11580/mac
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/write-and-draw-in-documents-ipad6350b8dc/18.0/ipados/18.0

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