How do I add a sticky note comment to a PDF document?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to the 'Comment' tools. Select the 'sticky note' icon. Click on the page where you want the note to appear. Type your comment in the note box that opens.

What is the difference between a highlight and a drawing markup in Acrobat?

Feature Purpose Appearance. Highlight To make text stand out. Colors text in a transparent layer. Drawing Markup To add shapes, lines, or freehand drawings. Adds lines, arrows, circles, or other shapes.

What are the different types of comment tools available in Adobe Acrobat?

Sticky notes: For adding small text notes anywhere. Text boxes and callouts: For longer notes with a clear pointer. Highlight, underline, strikethrough: To mark text. Drawing markup: For adding shapes, lines, or freehand drawings. Reaction emojis: For quick feedback in shared reviews.

◆ Acrobat · edit

Annotate Proposal Draft

Annotate the junior rep's proposal draft with inline comments on pricing consistency, missing client details, and tone…

2ready prompts

1real task

3roles

See the prompt↓More edit workflows

When to use it

real situations

A student wants to mark errors on a classmate's essay.
A team needs to review a contract and suggest changes.
An editor wants to highlight parts of a book draft for the author.

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Annotate the junior rep's proposal draft with inline comments on pricing consistency, missing…+

Annotate the junior rep's proposal draft with inline comments on pricing consistency, missing client details, and tone, then return the PDF to them with tracked comments before the [deadline=Monday] review.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Coach the rep by adding clear, actionable comments: flag three places where pricing is…+

Coach the rep by adding clear, actionable comments: flag three places where pricing is inconsistent, suggest exact wording for the executive summary, and include a short checklist at the top so the rep can correct and resubmit without another round of edits.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
2
Click the Comment button in the toolbar to display the commenting tools.
3
Select the annotation tool you want to use, such as Note, Highlight, Text Box, or Draw.
4
Click on the PDF page where you want to add your comment or annotation.
5
Type your comment or draw your annotation as needed.
6
Click away from the annotation or press Escape to save your comment or annotation.

In the appWith the API

You can use multiple annotation types in one session, such as highlighting text and adding sticky notes for detailed feedback.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Comment toolsComment tools let you add notes, highlights, and marks on a PDF.ExampleYou use the comment tools to highlight important sections and add sticky notes to a PDF.

MarkupHighlighting, underlining, or drawing on a PDF to show what is important.ExampleYou use the markup tool to highlight key sentences in the report.

SanitizeTo remove sensitive or private information from a document before sharing it.ExampleRemember to sanitize the document by redacting personal details before sharing it publicly.

Who does this

3 roles

EditorTeacherProject Manager

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to the 'Comment' tools.
Select the 'sticky note' icon.
Click on the page where you want the note to appear.
Type your comment in the note box that opens.

Feature	Purpose	Appearance
Highlight	To make text stand out.	Colors text in a transparent layer.
Drawing Markup	To add shapes, lines, or freehand drawings.	Adds lines, arrows, circles, or other shapes.

You should sanitize your PDF to remove hidden information like comments and review notes. This is important for privacy. If you don't sanitize, others might see your internal notes or changes, which you might not want to share. It ensures only the final, approved content is visible.

Reaction emojis are useful in shared reviews because they let you give quick, visual feedback. Instead of typing a full comment, you can just add an emoji to show if you agree, disagree, or have a question. This makes group reviews faster and easier to understand.

Sticky notes: For adding small text notes anywhere.
Text boxes and callouts: For longer notes with a clear pointer.
Highlight, underline, strikethrough: To mark text.
Drawing markup: For adding shapes, lines, or freehand drawings.
Reaction emojis: For quick feedback in shared reviews.