How do I add comments to specific text in my PDF?

Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat. Go to the 'Comment' tools. Select the text you want to comment on. Choose a tool like 'Add text comment' or 'Highlight'. Type your comment or apply the markup. This helps make your feedback clear and linked to the right part of the text.

If I want to share my PDF for review, what is the best way to get feedback using comments and annotations?

Use the 'Share' feature in Acrobat to send the document for review. Tell reviewers to use sticky notes for general thoughts and highlight/underline for specific text changes. Encourage drawing markup for visual feedback on images or layouts. If it's a shared review, remind them they can use reaction emojis. This makes it easy for everyone to see and respond to feedback directly within the document.

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

Feature Purpose. Sticky Note A small icon that opens a pop-up window for your comment. Good for general notes or questions about a section. Text Box A visible box with text directly on the page. Good for adding longer comments or instructions that need to be seen immediately.

Review Junior Drafts in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Prepare a sample [document=press release] and annotated [document=checklist] showing brand…+

Prepare a sample [document=press release] and annotated [document=checklist] showing brand voice and legal points, then walk junior staff through it in tomorrow's [session=45-minute session].

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

BImprove — “do it better”Make the coaching stick — produce an annotated [document=press release] highlighting tone,…+

Make the coaching stick — produce an annotated [document=press release] highlighting tone, boiler language, and risky legal phrases, create a short before-and-after example, and give junior writers a two-step [tool=checklist] to apply during drafting and counsel review.

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 Adobe Acrobat.
Go to the 'Comment' tools.
Select the text you want to comment on.
Choose a tool like 'Add text comment' or 'Highlight'.
Type your comment or apply the markup. This helps make your feedback clear and linked to the right part of the text.

It is important to sanitize your PDF because comments and annotations are saved as a separate layer of data. If you don't sanitize, anyone who gets the file can still see your review notes, even if they are hidden. Sanitizing makes sure that all private feedback and markup are permanently removed, protecting your information and making the document truly final.

Use the 'Share' feature in Acrobat to send the document for review.
Tell reviewers to use sticky notes for general thoughts and highlight/underline for specific text changes.
Encourage drawing markup for visual feedback on images or layouts.
If it's a shared review, remind them they can use reaction emojis. This makes it easy for everyone to see and respond to feedback directly within the document.

Feature	Purpose
Sticky Note	A small icon that opens a pop-up window for your comment. Good for general notes or questions about a section.
Text Box	A visible box with text directly on the page. Good for adding longer comments or instructions that need to be seen immediately.

Drawing markup tools are useful when your feedback is visual, not just text-based. For example, you can circle an image to show it needs changing, or draw an arrow to point to a specific part of a diagram. This is much clearer than trying to describe a visual issue with words alone. It helps to give precise feedback on layouts, images, or graphics, making the review process more efficient and easier to understand for the designer or creator.

Review Junior Drafts

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help