Issue the formal OK-to-publish stamp on the attached PDF and attach any last-minute editorial flags in the comments so…
Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
Click the Comment button in the toolbar to display the commenting tools.
Select the annotation tool you want to use, such as Note, Highlight, Text Box, or Draw.
Click on the PDF page where you want to add your comment or annotation.
Type your comment or draw your annotation as needed.
Click away from the annotation or press Escape to save your comment or annotation.
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.
A sticky note is like a digital Post-it note that you can place anywhere on the page and type a short message inside. It has a small icon that you click to open the note. A text box comment is a visible box with text directly on the page, like a callout. It's good for longer comments or when you want the text to be immediately visible without clicking an icon. Both let you add information, but they show up differently.
You should sanitize a PDF to protect your privacy and prevent accidental information leaks. Comments and other review markups are stored as a separate, recoverable layer in the PDF. If you just save and share the file, others can still see or recover your review notes, even if they're not immediately visible. Sanitizing the document (using 'Protect > Sanitize') permanently removes all hidden data, including comments, ensuring only the final, intended content is shared. This is important for 'final' files, especially in professional settings.
Reaction emojis are small graphical icons, like a thumbs-up or a smiley face, that you can use to quickly respond to comments in a shared review. Instead of typing a full reply, you can just click an emoji to show if you agree, disagree, or understand a comment. They make communication faster and more visual when many people are reviewing a document together. This feature is specifically for shared review workflows.