How to Annotate a PDF in 3 Easy and Quick Ways
2023-12-07 15:40:58 • Filed to: Highlight PDF • Proven solutions
If you're wondering how to annotate PDF, you are in the right place. The ability to annotate PDF on Windows or Mac needs to be done through the use of an advanced PDF annotation tool. However, some PDF annotator programs can be costly. Thankfully, you can annotate PDFs quickly and easily with Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor, without having to spend a lot of money. Alternatively, you can also try online methods to annotate PDFs effortlessly.
Part 1: How to Annotate PDF on Windows/Mac Easily
There are several comment tools to help you to annotate PDF files on PDFelement, such as highlight, underline, strikethrough, note, shapes, callout, and more. Follow the detailed guide below, and you will find the easiest way to annotate PDF.
Steps on how to add annotations in PDF using PDFelement:
Step 1. Add Sticky Notes
After opening your PDF document with PDFelement, click "Comment" > "Note", and then click on the location where you want to add comments. If you selected "Keep tool selected", you will be able to add notes continuously. Double-click the yellow icon, a yellow box labeled "Note" with time and editor will appear on the side of your document.
Step 2. Highlight, Underline, Strikethrough
Click "Comment" on the top toolbar, then click "Highlight" and select the text you want to highlight. It will switch to a yellow background by default. Right-click and select "Properties" to change the color and opacity. Additionally, you can also add underline and strikethrough for PDF text.
Step 3. Add Text Box
Click "Comment" > "Text Box", then select the area where you want to insert text into your document. You can simply right-click to select "Properties" and change the default color of the text and box. You can also select the text and change the font style, size, and alignment of the text, make text bold, italic, or underlined.
Step 4. Draw Shapes
Tap on "Comment" > "Rectangle", "Oval", or "Arrow", etc., and then draw the shape you selected in the PDF. If you want to set the appearance of this shape, you can right-click the shape and select the "Properties" option to change the color or other settings.
Step 5. Add Callout
PDFelement also allows you to annotate PDF by adding callout. For this, you can click "Comment" > "Callout", and then insert a or more callouts in PDF. After that, double-click the box to type the text you want to insert. What's more, you can right-click the callout and tap on "Properties" to change the appearance of the callout and text.
Step 6. Add Handwritten Signatures Across PDF
To add a signature across your PDF document, lead to select the option of "Signature" and click on "Create" to open a new window. You can draw your personal signature, type it, or upload an existing PDF version of your handwritten signature. Once done, tap "OK" to conclude by adding a signature.
Step 7. Measuring Tool
If you have a document that contains diagrams for measurements, such as maps, the use of the "Measure" tool is evident. You need to tap on the "Measure" tool and select "Distance," "Perimeter," or "Area" according to your requirement. Draw the dimensions with the help of the cursor across the PDF.
Watch the video to learn more details about how to annotate a PDF document:
Part 2: How to Annotate PDF Online
To make things simpler, you can consider working on online platforms to annotate PDFs. Wondershare Document Cloud is a good option when it comes to selecting an online PDF editor. The following steps explain to users how to annotate PDF across this online tool.
Step 1. Launch and Upload PDF into Document Cloud
Browse Wondershare Document Cloud and open the official website. Select “Access Cloud” to lead into the online editor. Select “Upload Files” across the homepage to import the required PDF.
Step 2. Access Annotation Tool
Lead to the “Comment” section on the next window and use the annotation tools available for carrying out the process. You can highlight, underline, strikethrough text, add text, use drawing tools, and add sticky notes across the PDF for annotating the document.
Step 3. Download the Annotated Document
Once done, tap on “Download” to export the edited document that has been annotated.
Part 3: How to Annotate PDF on Windows in PDF Reader
Wondershare PDF Reader has made a considerable spot among offline PDF editors for various PDF management tools. The free PDF editor offers users the ability to annotate PDF with ease. Following the availability of annotation tools across the document, the user can freely utilize any available tool for effective annotation. However, it is essential to look into the annotation options that are available across the platform.
Users can come across different text annotation functions across Wondershare PDF Reader. For the user’s ease, they can highlight, underline, strikethrough, add squiggly lines, highlight an area, or insert a caret across the PDF document. Along with that, annotation through shapes is also possible across PDF Reader. Following this, users can add the basic sticky notes with comments across them, covering all basic annotation tools.
For advanced and exceptional annotation across PDF Reader, users can add text boxes and text callouts across the document. While using the free-hand pencil tool, they can also use stamps for giving proper meaning to the annotation. Finally, users can also add digital signatures of their choice for an exceptional experience in PDF annotation.
Part 4: Comparison of Best Way to Annotate a PDF: PDFelement or PDF Reader
While looking to annotate PDF documents, there are multiple options available among offline PDF annotation tools. However, PDFelement and PDF Reader have displayed the potential to be at the top of the line among these PDF annotator. To make the selection easier, users can work across any one of the aforementioned tools. However, there are differences among these tools, which makes them different from each other.
Users who consider working across Wondershare PDFelement have a diverse option in annotating tools. Comparing it with PDF Reader, the tool lacks a measurement tool and lock comments feature across the annotation tools. On the other hand, PDF Reader, being a free PDF annotator and editor, is lighter and simpler than PDFelement. This is the reason why PDF Reader has a simpler set of editing, annotating, converting, and compressing features.
Wondershare PDFelement is available for a certain price, which makes it better for users who wish to have a better experience with PDF management and AI reading assistant features. If you have simpler tasks that do not call for complicated tasks, you can look to use the free PDF Reader.
Part 5: FAQs about The Best PDF Annotator
1. Why PDFelement can be choosed as the best PDF Annotator?
PDFelement is one of the best PDF annotator tools on the market. At a much lower price than Adobe® Acrobat® and Foxit, PDFelement provides you with the same features and quality. You can edit your PDF by adding sticky notes, highlighting areas, adding underlines or strikethroughs, or inserting stamps, links, images, etc with PDFelement.
PDFelement is also a great PDF converter and creator. You can convert PDF documents to other formats you need, as well as create and combine PDF files. With powerful features and a simple and user-friendly interface, PDFelement supports multiple systems and allows you to annotate PDF on your Windows, Mac, and iOS platform.
2. Why can't I make Annotations on my PDF?
An issue that can hinder PDF annotations is encountering scanned documents that don't contain embedded text. To address this, consider utilizing a PDF Editor with OCR capabilities like PDFelement or Acrobat. This will enable you to convert the scanned PDF into an editable format, and then you can easily facilitate annotations and mark-ups.
3. Can I annotate a PDF with Adobe Reader?
Certainly, Adobe Reader offers a range of annotation tools that allow users to mark up PDF documents. You can add highlights, comments, shapes, and more using the commenting tools provided in Adobe Reader. However, it's important to note that some advanced features may be available only in the paid version of Adobe Acrobat.
For comprehensive PDF annotation capabilities, Adobe Acrobat offers an extensive set of tools and features, making it a versatile choice for users seeking enhanced annotation options.
4. What are the best tools for annotating PDFs on mobile devices?
For annotating PDFs on mobile devices, several noteworthy apps are available. PDFelement for Mobile, GoodNotes (for iOS), and Xodo (for Android) are popular choices. These applications offer a range of annotation tools, including highlighting, underlining, adding comments, and more. Depending on your specific needs and device, you can choose the app that best suits your preferences.
These apps enable convenient and effective PDF annotation, allowing you to make important notes and edits while on the go.
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Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
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Audrey Goodwin
chief Editor