How do I add a sticky note comment to a PDF document?

Open your PDF in Acrobat. Go to the 'Comment' tools. Select the 'sticky note' tool. Click on the page where you want the note. Type your message into the note box that appears.

What is the difference between a sticky note and a text box comment in Acrobat?

Feature Description Typical Use. Sticky Note A small icon on the page that opens a pop-up text box when clicked. Adding short, quick notes or questions at a specific point. Text Box A visible box with text directly on the page, often with an arrow pointing to an area. Adding longer explanations or callouts that need to be seen immediately.

Circulate Actionable Notes in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Capture punch list photos and notes after the site walk, attach them to the punch-list PDF, and…+

Capture punch list photos and notes after the site walk, attach them to the punch-list PDF, and circulate the link to all affected trades today so they know exactly what to fix.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Before circulation, group photos under each location, add a one-line expected completion date…+

Before circulation, group photos under each location, add a one-line expected completion date next to each item, and call out the responsible trade lead by name so recipients can prioritize and avoid confusion on scope ownership.

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
Select the Comment tool from the right pane or toolbar.
3
Choose a comment tool, such as Sticky Note, Highlight, Underline, or Strikethrough.
4
Click or drag on the PDF where you want to add your annotation.
5
Type your comment or adjust the markup as needed.
6
To edit or delete a comment, select it in the right sidebar and use the available options.
Best practiceYou can quickly access all your comments in the right sidebar to review or modify them.

In the appWith the API

You can use keyboard shortcuts to speed up adding highlights or sticky notes while reviewing a PDF.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Comment toolsComment tools let you add notes, highlights, and marks on a PDF.ExampleYou use the comment tools to highlight important sections and add sticky notes to a PDF.

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

EditorProject ManagerLegal Reviewer

FAQ

about this task

Open your PDF in Acrobat.
Go to the 'Comment' tools.
Select the 'sticky note' tool.
Click on the page where you want the note.
Type your message into the note box that appears.

Comments and annotations are ways to add feedback, notes, or highlights directly onto a PDF document without changing the original text. They matter because they help you review, collaborate, and share specific thoughts with others. For example, you can point out exact sentences that need changes or add questions for your team, making communication clear and precise during document review.

Yes, if you add comments to a PDF and then share it, others will see your notes. Comments and markups are saved as a layer on top of the document. This is good for review, but if you want to share a 'final' version without notes, you must use the 'Protect > Sanitize' feature to remove them first.

Feature	Description	Typical Use
Sticky Note	A small icon on the page that opens a pop-up text box when clicked.	Adding short, quick notes or questions at a specific point.
Text Box	A visible box with text directly on the page, often with an arrow pointing to an area.	Adding longer explanations or callouts that need to be seen immediately.

You should use drawing markup tools when you need to highlight something that isn't text, like an image, a chart, or a specific layout area. Highlighting only works on text. Drawing tools, such as circles, arrows, or freehand lines, let you visually point out and draw attention to any part of the document, making your feedback clearer for visual elements.

Circulate Actionable Notes

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help