Mark structural and compositional problems—awkward flow, confusing transitions—on the draft PDF so the author knows wh…
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.
Comments & Annotations are tools in Adobe Acrobat that let you add notes, highlights, and drawings to a PDF without changing the original text. They are important for document review because they allow you to point out specific issues, suggest changes, or ask questions directly on the document. This makes it easier for others to understand your feedback and collaborate on improvements, ensuring everyone sees the exact part you are talking about.
Yes, when you mark up a document with Comments & Annotations, these notes are saved as a separate layer on the PDF. If you share the PDF file with others, they will be able to see all your comments and markups. This is useful for collaboration. However, if you want to share a final version without these notes, you must 'flatten' or 'sanitize' the document first to remove them.
| Feature | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Add comments in callouts | Creates a speech-bubble-like box that points to a specific area on the page. | Adding general notes, explanations, or questions about a section or image. |
| Add comments to selected text | Links a comment directly to highlighted or selected text, or an image. | Giving feedback on specific words, sentences, or parts of an image. |
You should 'sanitize' a PDF document after adding Comments & Annotations to ensure that all review notes, markups, and hidden data are permanently removed before sharing a final version. Comments are stored as recoverable data, and if not sanitized, they could leak sensitive information or show unfinished thoughts. Sanitizing helps protect your privacy and ensures that the document you share is clean and truly final, preventing unintended exposure of internal review processes or remarks.