PDF Editing Issues

Fix Adobe Reader Not Saving Highlights and Annotations on Samsung Devices

Amos Gikunda Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is experiencing an issue where PDF highlights and text annotations are lost after closing the document in the PDF reader.

How to Fix Adobe Reader Highlights and Annotations Not Saving on Samsung Devices

Product: Adobe Reader
Device & OS: Samsung tablet, Chromebook
Scenario: Highlighting and adding text annotations to a PDF document on a mobile device or 2-in-1 laptop.
Observed behavior: Highlights and annotations fail to save when the PDF is closed, resulting in data loss, even after reinstalling the application.

Before you start

Ensure that the PDF file is not set to read-only mode and that it does not have security restrictions preventing commenting and editing.

Solution 1Recommended

Verify PDF Permissions and Save a Local Copy

Ensure the document allows editing and manually save a local copy to prevent the application from discarding unsaved annotations.

Often, files opened directly from email attachments or cloud drives open in a temporary state. When you close the app, the temporary cache is cleared before changes sync.

Check Document Permissions

Open the PDF document, navigate to the document properties or security settings, and verify that 'Commenting' or 'Annotating' is allowed by the file.

Use the Save As Option

After adding your highlights, tap the menu icon (usually three dots) and select 'Save As' instead of simply closing the application.

Choose Local Storage

Select a specific local folder on your Samsung tablet or Chromebook to ensure the annotated file is safely written to your device's physical storage.

Verify PDF Permissions and Save a Local Copy

Sync Delays: If saving directly to a synced cloud folder (like Google Drive), ensure you have an active internet connection and wait for the sync to complete before closing the app.

Solution 2

Update the Application and Device OS

Software bugs related to device compatibility on Chromebooks and Android tablets can cause saving failures, which are often patched in updates.

Reliable PDF Editor

Highlight and Annotate PDFs Reliably with WPS Office

Avoid losing your valuable notes by using WPS Office's built-in PDF tools. It offers a highly stable saving mechanism for highlights, comments, and edits, fully optimized for both Android devices and Chromebooks.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office from the Google Play Store on your Samsung device or Chromebook.
2. Open the Document: Launch WPS Office, tap on the 'PDF' tab, and select the file you want to annotate.
3. Add Annotations: Select the 'Annotation' or 'Highlight' tools from the top menu bar to mark up your text.
4. Save Changes Securely: Tap the 'Save' icon located at the top left of the screen to permanently save your edits to the document.

Automatically and safely saves PDF highlights and text annotations to local or cloud storage.Seamlessly compatible with Microsoft Office formats (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and standard Adobe PDFs.Lightweight and optimized for touchscreens on Samsung tablets and Chromebooks.Offers a comprehensive suite of free PDF reading, editing, and conversion tools.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my PDF highlights disappear after I close the document?

This commonly occurs if the PDF was opened in a read-only mode, launched directly from a temporary email attachment, or if the PDF application encountered a background syncing error before it could write the changes to the storage drive.

Can I recover PDF annotations that weren't saved properly?

Unfortunately, if the application closed before committing the changes to the file system, those annotations are permanently lost. It is highly recommended to manually use the 'Save As' function periodically while working on mobile devices.

How do I check if my PDF restricts comments and highlights?

Open the PDF document in your reader and check the document properties or security tab. If commenting is restricted by the creator (using a password or DRM), the highlight tools will either be grayed out or the application will refuse to save any applied changes.

PDF Troubleshooting