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Annotate PDF
Highlight text, add sticky notes, draw freehand, insert shapes and stamps — mark up your PDF with a full annotation toolkit, all in your browser.
20 annotation tools in one workspace
Everything you need to mark up and review PDFs — highlights, stamps, and freehand drawing.
Highlight Text
Mark important passages in yellow, green, pink, or blue. Adjustable opacity and stroke width for precise highlighting.
Sticky Notes
Pin comments anywhere on a page. Color-coded notes with adjustable size — perfect for collaborative review.
Freehand Drawing
Draw directly on PDF pages with a pen tool. Choose brush color, thickness, and opacity for sketches or signatures.
Text Annotations
Add text boxes anywhere on the document. Pick font, size, color, and background for clear, readable comments.
Shapes & Arrows
Insert rectangles, circles, arrows, and lines. Point to specific areas with precision — ideal for feedback and reviews.
Stamp Library
Apply stamps like APPROVED, DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or FOR REVIEW. Custom stamps with your own text and date.
Underline & Strikethrough
Underline key sentences or strike through deleted text. Standard editorial markup tools for thorough document review.
Page Bookmarks
Bookmark important pages for quick navigation. Organize bookmarks with custom labels and color tags.
Multi-Color Support
Every annotation type supports full color customization. Save your favorite color presets for consistent workflows.
Annotation Layers
Toggle individual annotation layers on and off. Show only highlights, only comments, or everything at once.
Export Annotated PDF
Download your annotated PDF with all marks baked in. Compatible with Adobe Acrobat, Preview, and any PDF reader.
Flatten Annotations
Optionally flatten annotations so they cannot be edited or removed. Lock your marks permanently into the document.
Undo & Redo
Full undo/redo history for every annotation action. Made a mistake? One click reverses it. Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y.
Eraser Tool
Remove individual annotations by clicking them with the eraser. Or erase freehand strokes selectively without clearing the whole page.
Text Highlight Colors
Choose from 8 highlight colors — yellow, green, pink, blue, orange, purple, red, and teal. Set default colors for consistent workflows.
Adjustable Brush Settings
Control brush size from 1px to 20px, opacity from 10% to 100%, and smoothness. Perfect for precise sketches or bold marks.
Zoom & Pan
Zoom in for pixel-perfect annotation placement or zoom out for full-page overview. Pan across pages smoothly with drag navigation.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Press H for highlight, N for note, D for draw, T for text, S for shapes, E for eraser. Speed up your annotation workflow significantly.
Dark Mode Support
The annotation workspace adapts to your system theme. Work comfortably in low-light conditions with full dark mode compatibility.
Annotate your PDF in 3 steps
Upload, mark up, download. No complex setup or learning curve.
Upload your PDF
Drag & drop or browse to open any PDF file. Your document loads instantly in the browser — no upload to any server.
Annotate freely
Use the toolbar to highlight, draw, add notes, shapes, stamps, and text. Switch between tools with keyboard shortcuts.
Download & share
Export your annotated PDF with all marks preserved. Share with colleagues or archive for your records.
Who uses Annotate PDF?
From legal teams to students — anyone who needs to mark up documents.
Contract Review
Highlight clauses, add comments on terms, and mark sections for legal team discussion.
Academic Research
Annotate papers with notes, highlights, and cross-references for efficient study sessions.
Team Collaboration
Mark up documents with feedback, suggestions, and questions for team review cycles.
Proofreading
Strike through errors, underline corrections, and add editorial notes for clean revisions.
Student Notes
Highlight textbook passages, add study notes, and bookmark key pages for exam prep.
Document Approval
Stamp APPROVED or FOR REVIEW, add sign-off comments, and route for final approval.
Get more from Annotate PDF
Expert tips to speed up your annotation workflow and produce cleaner, more organized marks.
Use Keyboard Shortcuts
Press H for highlight, N for note, D for draw, T for text, S for shapes. Speed up your workflow significantly.
Color-Code Your Annotations
Assign yellow for important, red for urgent, green for approved, blue for questions. Create a consistent visual system.
Flatten Before Sharing
If you want annotations to be permanent and uneditable, use the flatten option before downloading your PDF.
Use Stamps for Quick Review
Instead of typing "approved" every time, use the stamp tool. One click adds a professional, consistent mark.
Layer Your Annotations
Toggle annotation layers to focus on specific types of marks. Hide comments when reviewing only highlights.
Bookmark as You Go
Add bookmarks to important pages during your first read-through. Jump back instantly without scrolling.
PDFly vs. other annotation tools
See how Annotate PDF compares to Adobe Acrobat and typical online annotation services.
Your documents never leave your browser
Annotate PDF runs 100% client-side. Your PDF is loaded into your browser's memory, annotated locally, and exported on your device. No servers, no uploads, no tracking — complete privacy by design.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to annotate your PDF?
Start highlighting, commenting, and marking up your documents — free, private, and instant.