How do I add a comment to a specific part of a PDF document?

Open your PDF in Acrobat and go to the 'Comment' tools. Select a tool like 'Text Box' or 'Sticky Note'. Click on the area of the document where you want to add the comment. Type your feedback or note into the box that appears. This helps you give precise feedback directly on the relevant content.

What is the difference between highlighting text and adding a sticky note in Acrobat?

Feature Purpose Visibility. Highlight Text To visually mark important or problematic text directly on the page. Text is colored, making it stand out immediately. Sticky Note To add detailed comments or questions in a separate pop-up box. A small icon appears, which you click to open the note.

What are drawing markup tools in Adobe Acrobat?

Tools that let you draw shapes, lines, or arrows directly on your PDF. Useful for pointing out specific areas or elements in an image or diagram. Examples include circles, rectangles, and freehand drawing tools.

Flag Or Fix Defects in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

BImprove — “do it better”Review the scanned bundle for Case [case=2026-112]: run OCR, compare page count to the filing…+

Review the scanned bundle for Case [case=2026-112]: run OCR, compare page count to the filing checklist, annotate which pages were illegible and what you fixed, attach the original scan, and prepare a short instruction for the filer explaining what must be re-submitted if pages remain unreadable.

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

CommentsShort notes or feedback added to a document without changing the main text.ExampleYour colleagues added short notes and suggestions to your presentation slides without changing the content.

AnnotationsMarks or drawings added to a document to highlight, explain, or suggest changes.ExampleThe editor's annotations on the manuscript included underlines, highlights, and margin comments.

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 and go to the 'Comment' tools.
Select a tool like 'Text Box' or 'Sticky Note'.
Click on the area of the document where you want to add the comment.
Type your feedback or note into the box that appears.
This helps you give precise feedback directly on the relevant content.

Feature	Purpose	Visibility
Highlight Text	To visually mark important or problematic text directly on the page.	Text is colored, making it stand out immediately.
Sticky Note	To add detailed comments or questions in a separate pop-up box.	A small icon appears, which you click to open the note.

You should sanitize your PDF to remove all comments, markups, and other hidden data. This is important because comments are a separate layer that can be seen by others, even if they seem hidden. Sanitizing ensures that your private review notes or unfinished feedback are not accidentally shared when you send out a 'final' version of your document.

When you are part of a shared review, reaction emojis are a quick way to give feedback without typing long comments. You can click on a specific comment or section and choose an emoji to show if you agree, disagree, or have a question. This helps team members see quick responses and reactions to different parts of the document instantly.

Tools that let you draw shapes, lines, or arrows directly on your PDF.
Useful for pointing out specific areas or elements in an image or diagram.
Examples include circles, rectangles, and freehand drawing tools.

Flag Or Fix Defects

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help