How do I add a comment to a specific part of a drawing in Adobe Acrobat?

Open your drawing in Acrobat. Go to the 'Comment' tools. Select a tool like 'Sticky Note' or 'Text Box'. Click on the exact spot on the drawing where you want the comment to appear. Type your feedback in the comment box that opens.

What is the difference between highlighting and drawing markup tools in Acrobat?

Tool Type Purpose Example Use. Highlight To emphasize text or specific areas with a colored background. Marking important text instructions on a drawing. Drawing Markup To add shapes, lines, or arrows to point out or enclose areas. Drawing a circle around a part that needs redesign.

What are some ways I can use reaction emojis on shared reviews of drawings?

Use a 'thumbs up' emoji to quickly approve a section of the drawing. Add a 'question mark' emoji to flag an area that needs clarification. Place a 'lightbulb' emoji next to a new idea or suggestion for the design. Use a 'sad face' or 'disapprove' emoji to indicate a problem area that needs attention.

Prevent Stale Drawings in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Combine the final issued-for-construction drawings into a single controlled PDF, apply a bulk…+

Combine the final issued-for-construction drawings into a single controlled PDF, apply a bulk digital signature and an issued-for-construction header, publish the file to the common project [library], and notify all [subcontractors] that this is the only current set.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Before distributing the IFC set, add a signed cover sheet with the issued-for-construction…+

Before distributing the IFC set, add a signed cover sheet with the issued-for-construction stamp and date, include a short change log of what changed from last issue, lock the file with a verified signature, and send [subcontractors] a checklist of critical sheets to confirm they are using the single controlled set.

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

AnnotationAn annotation is a note or mark added to a document, like a highlight or a stamp, without changing the original text.ExampleHe added an annotation to the PDF, circling a key sentence and adding a question mark.

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 drawing in Acrobat.
Go to the 'Comment' tools.
Select a tool like 'Sticky Note' or 'Text Box'.
Click on the exact spot on the drawing where you want the comment to appear.
Type your feedback in the comment box that opens.

Using comments and annotations is crucial because it allows you to give clear and specific feedback directly on the drawing. This helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that everyone knows exactly which parts need revision. Without these tools, communicating changes can be vague, leading to mistakes and delays in updating the drawing, which makes it stale.

Tool Type	Purpose	Example Use
Highlight	To emphasize text or specific areas with a colored background.	Marking important text instructions on a drawing.
Drawing Markup	To add shapes, lines, or arrows to point out or enclose areas.	Drawing a circle around a part that needs redesign.

No, not always. Comments and markups are added as a separate layer on top of the original document. This means they are recoverable data and can be seen by default. However, if you intend to share a 'final' version of the drawing where review notes should not be visible, you must use the 'Protect > Sanitize' feature. Sanitizing removes all comments and other hidden information, ensuring that only the clean, final content is presented to others.

Use a 'thumbs up' emoji to quickly approve a section of the drawing.
Add a 'question mark' emoji to flag an area that needs clarification.
Place a 'lightbulb' emoji next to a new idea or suggestion for the design.
Use a 'sad face' or 'disapprove' emoji to indicate a problem area that needs attention.

Prevent Stale Drawings

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help