How do I add a highlight to text in my PDF using Comments and Annotations?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to the 'Comment' tools on the right. Select the 'Highlight' tool. Drag your mouse over the text you want to highlight.

What is the difference between a sticky note and a text box when adding Comments and Annotations?

Feature Purpose. Sticky Note A small icon on the page that opens to show a note. Good for short comments without changing layout. Text Box A visible box on the page where you can type text. Good for longer comments or adding visible information directly to the page.

What are the benefits of using Comments and Annotations for document review instead of just editing the text directly?

Keeps original text safe: Your changes are on a separate layer, so the original document remains untouched. Clear communication: You can explain your suggested changes or questions without altering the main content. Collaboration: Multiple people can add their feedback to the same document easily. Track changes: It's easy to see who made which comment and when, helping manage review cycles.

Regulator Requests Erosion Redlines in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”I need to produce a redlined set showing specific erosion-control insertions on the approved…+

I need to produce a redlined set showing specific erosion-control insertions on the approved planting and grading drawings. I can draft it myself or ask the civil engineer to mark it. Advise the quickest defensible approach that preserves design intent and makes it clear who is responsible for installation, and outline the exact annotation style I should use so city reviewers accept it.

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

CommentA note or message added to a file to give feedback or ask questions.ExampleYou add a note to a report asking the author to clarify a specific paragraph.

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.

Who does this

3 roles

EditorTeacherProject Manager

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to the 'Comment' tools on the right.
Select the 'Highlight' tool.
Drag your mouse over the text you want to highlight.

Feature	Purpose
Sticky Note	A small icon on the page that opens to show a note. Good for short comments without changing layout.
Text Box	A visible box on the page where you can type text. Good for longer comments or adding visible information directly to the page.

Comments and annotations are often a separate layer on your PDF. If the person opening the PDF uses a different viewer or an older version of Acrobat, they might not see all your markups correctly. Also, if you don't save the document with the comments 'flattened' or made permanent, they can sometimes be lost. Always save your document carefully after adding comments.

To draw a circle around a picture, you should use the 'Drawing Markup' tools within Comments and Annotations. Look for options like 'Circle' or 'Oval' to draw shapes directly on your document. This lets you highlight specific images or areas.

Keeps original text safe: Your changes are on a separate layer, so the original document remains untouched.
Clear communication: You can explain your suggested changes or questions without altering the main content.
Collaboration: Multiple people can add their feedback to the same document easily.
Track changes: It's easy to see who made which comment and when, helping manage review cycles.

Regulator Requests Erosion Redlines

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help