How to Add Bold or Italic Text Comments in Adobe Acrobat PDFs
Question details
Users want to know how to apply bold or italic character styles to text inserted using the Add Text Comment tool in Acrobat, specifically for InDesign PDF review workflows.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Reviewing a PDF and adding text comments that require specific bold or italic formatting before importing them into Adobe InDesign.
- Observed behavior
- The native Add Text Comment tool in Acrobat and Reader lacks formatting controls for bold or italic text.
Ensure you have access to your original source files in InDesign, as formatting adjustments will need to be made there rather than within the Acrobat commenting interface.
Use Descriptive Notes for InDesign Workflows
Since Acrobat's 'Add Text Comment' tool does not support native bold or italic formatting, you must use descriptive text instructions so the designer can apply the styles manually in InDesign.
The Add Text Comment tool in Acrobat and Reader strictly inserts plain text. It is designed for basic text insertion rather than rich text editing. To communicate styling needs effectively during an InDesign review workflow, you should annotate your requested styles within the comment itself.
Open your PDF in Acrobat, select the 'Add Text Comment' tool from the Comment toolbar, and insert your required text.
Next to the text that needs formatting, add a descriptive note in brackets, such as '[Make this word bold]' or '[Italicize the following phrase]'.
Open your source document in InDesign, navigate to 'Window' > 'Comments' > 'PDF Comments', and click 'Import PDF Comments' to load the annotated PDF.
Accept the text insertions in the InDesign document, then manually apply your bold or italic character styles to the text based on the bracketed instructions.
Format PDF Text Directly with WPS Office
If you want to bypass the limitations of PDF comments and format text directly, WPS PDF allows you to add fully styled text boxes or edit existing PDF text seamlessly. Apply bold, italic, and underline formatting instantly.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office, select the 'PDF' module, and open your document.
- 2. Select the Text Box or Edit tool: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab. Click 'Edit Text' to modify existing content or 'Add Text' to create a new text box.
- 3. Apply bold or italic formatting: Highlight the text you want to format and use the floating properties menu or the top ribbon to click the Bold (B) or Italic (I) icons.
- 4. Save your formatted PDF: Click 'Save' or press Ctrl+S to retain your rich text formatting directly within the PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why doesn't the Acrobat Add Text Comment tool have bold or italic options?
The 'Add Text Comment' tool in Acrobat is designed strictly to provide plain text insertion instructions for review workflows. It purposely lacks rich text formatting controls to keep annotations simple and standardized.
Can I use the Text Box tool in Acrobat to add bold text?
Yes. While the 'Add Text Comment' tool only supports plain text, you can use the 'Text Box' or 'Callout' comment tools. After adding the text, highlight it and press Ctrl+E (Windows) or Cmd+E (Mac) to open the Text Properties toolbar, where you can select bold and italic styling.
Do rich text PDF comments retain their formatting when imported into InDesign?
No. When you import PDF comments into Adobe InDesign using the PDF Comments panel, the text is typically imported as plain text. You will still need to manually apply character styles like bold or italic within InDesign.
How can I edit the actual PDF text to make it bold?
If you have a premium PDF editor like Acrobat Pro or WPS PDF, you can use the 'Edit Text' feature to modify the actual document text directly. You can apply bold or italic styles as long as the corresponding font family is installed on your device.
