How to Find Text Callout Boxes and Change Highlighting in Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to locate the Text Callout Box tool and change the Highlighter tool's behavior so it applies visible highlighting instead of adding comment pop-ups.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Annotating and editing a PDF document by adding text callouts and highlighting text.
- Observed behavior
- The Text Callout Box is difficult to find within the interface, and using the Highlighter tool automatically creates comment pop-ups rather than just applying a highlight color to the text.
Ensure your PDF document is not restricted or locked for editing, as commenting and drawing tools will be disabled on secured documents.
Locate and Pin the Text Callout Tool
Find the Callout tool inside the Drawing Tools menu and expand it so it remains visible on your main toolbar for easy access.
Adobe Acrobat often nests specific drawing tools under broader categories, making them hard to find at first glance. Expanding the menu saves time for future document editing.
Navigate to the 'Comment' pane on the right side of the screen, then click the 'Drawing Tools' icon located in the secondary toolbar at the top.
Click to expand the Drawing Tools menu to reveal all hidden shapes and annotation options, including the Callout tool.
Select the Callout tool and choose the option to keep the tool expanded or add it to your Quick Tools menu by right-clicking it and selecting 'Pin to Toolbar'.
Adjust Commenting Preferences for the Highlighter
Modify Acrobat's default preferences to prevent the Highlighter tool from automatically opening comment pop-ups when used.
Easily Add Callouts and Highlight Text with WPS PDF
WPS Office includes a highly intuitive and powerful PDF editor that makes adding text callouts, highlighting text, and managing comments straightforward. You can avoid hunting through nested menus and customize your annotation tools effortlessly.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the built-in WPS PDF editor.
- 2. Access the Comment tab: Click on the 'Comment' tab located on the top ribbon to reveal all annotation tools.
- 3. Highlight text instantly: Select the 'Highlight' tool and drag over your text to apply color without triggering automatic comment pop-ups.
- 4. Add a Text Callout: Click on the 'Text Callout' icon directly on the ribbon, click anywhere on your document to place the arrow, and type your text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my highlighter tool keep opening sticky notes in Acrobat?
This occurs because Acrobat's default commenting preferences are set to open pop-ups for all annotations. You can disable this by navigating to Edit > Preferences > Commenting, and unchecking 'Automatically open comment pop-ups for comments other than notes'.
Can I change the default color of the Text Callout box?
Yes. After inserting a Text Callout, right-click its border and select 'Properties'. Here, you can change the border color, fill color, line thickness, and text style, and then check 'Make Properties Default' to save these settings for future callouts.
How do I remove a highlight I accidentally added to my PDF?
Click directly on the highlighted text using the standard selection tool. A small pop-up menu or a bounding box will appear; you can click the 'Delete' (trash can) icon or simply press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove it.
