Highlight important passages
Drag directly over a region of the preview to add a translucent highlight annotation-style overlay.
PDF Annotator
Annotate a PDF
Highlight passages, add text notes, and draw boxes directly on PDF pages.
Choose a PDF file to begin.
Annotate PDF pages in your browser with highlights, text notes, and boxes, then export a separate marked-up PDF.
Browse PDF toolsFree browser toolNo account requiredPDF → PDF
Built around the task
Why use PDF Annotator?
The page stays focused on the problem you came to solve, with the useful details directly around the tool instead of getting in your way.
Add text notes and boxes
Place short text notes with a click or drag a blue box around areas that need attention.
Undo before export
All changes are queued first, so you can undo or clear them before creating the annotated PDF.
Three simple steps
How to use PDF Annotator
Start with the document or text you already have, complete the task, and leave with a usable result.
Add PDF
Choose Files or add the content you want to work with.
Run PDF Annotator
Annotate and mark up a PDF online
Use PDF
Review the result, download it, or continue into a related workflow.
Annotate and mark up a PDF online
Annotate PDF pages in your browser with highlights, text notes, and boxes, then export a separate marked-up PDF.
Know what goes in and comes out
Clear file and output expectations help you choose the right tool before you start.
PDF inputPDF output
A simpler way to finish the job
About PDF Annotator
PDF Annotator is built around one clear outcome: annotate and mark up a PDF online. If you already have PDF and need PDF, this page keeps the action, the explanation, and the next useful steps together. You do not have to dig through a large software menu just to find the feature you came for. Start with the tool above, complete the task, review the result, and continue only when your document actually needs another step.
When PDF Annotator is useful
PDF Annotator focuses on one document job rather than surrounding it with unrelated features. That matters when you are trying to finish a small but necessary step quickly. Bring in the supported file or content, complete the task, review what changed, and then download the result or continue into a related workflow. The page is structured so the main action remains obvious from the moment you arrive.
Typical uses include preparing PDFs for email, forms, school or office submissions, document archives, client handoffs, printing, and workflows where a PDF needs to be edited, organized, converted, reduced, protected, or made easier to share.
Tips for better results
For PDF files, start with the cleanest source you have. Password protection, damaged files, unusual embedded fonts, very large scans, or image-only pages can affect what any browser-based PDF workflow can read or change. If the document is a scan and you need selectable text, an OCR step may be more appropriate before editing or converting.
Before downloading or sharing the finished file, give the result a quick review. Check the pages, text, images, order, formatting, or file size that matter for your task. If the output is not what you expected, go back to the source file and make sure it is the right version and format before trying again.
Continue the workflow without starting over
Document work rarely ends with one action. After annotate and mark up a PDF online, you may need another closely related step. You can use Compress PDF when you need to reduce PDF file size. For a different next step, Edit PDF helps you edit a PDF online. You can also move to Merge PDF to combine multiple PDF files into one PDF. If your goal changes, Protect PDF is available for add password protection to a PDF.
If none of those matches what you need, browse the PDF tools collection for tools that work with the same document family, or open the complete document tools directory to find another workflow by task or file type. These contextual links are intentionally placed around the current job so every tool page can act as both a useful destination and a sensible next step in the wider document workflow.
PDF Annotator FAQs
Quick answers to common questions about this workflow.
Can I annotate a PDF online?
Yes. Open the PDF, choose a markup tool, add highlights, text notes, or boxes, then export the annotated copy.
Are these native PDF comments?
No. This version applies visible markup directly to the PDF page rather than creating separate comment objects.
Can I annotate more than one page?
Yes. Navigate between pages and keep adding markup before exporting the final PDF.