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How to Highlight and Comment on PDFs on a PC or Mac
Question details
The user wants to know how to highlight and add comments to PDFs stored in an Acrobat.com account from a Windows PC or Mac, and asks whether a paid Adobe subscription is required to use these features.
- Product
- Adobe Reader
- Device & OS
- Windows PC or Mac
- Scenario
- Reviewing and annotating PDF files stored in a cloud account.
- Observed behavior
- Files stored on Acrobat.com can only be previewed in the web browser. A local desktop PDF reader is necessary to directly apply highlights and comments.
Ensure you have a desktop PDF application installed on your computer, as web previews often restrict direct editing and annotation.
Use Adobe Acrobat Reader to Highlight and Comment
Download the file from your cloud account and use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader desktop application to annotate your PDFs without a paid subscription.
While Acrobat.com provides a convenient way to store and preview PDF documents, the web interface does not support full direct editing. To add highlights and comments, you need to use a local application.
Log in to your Acrobat.com account via your web browser, select the PDF file you wish to annotate, and download it to your local PC or Mac.
Locate the downloaded file on your computer and open it using the Adobe Acrobat Reader desktop application.
Click on the 'Tools' tab at the top left of the window and select 'Comment' to open the annotation toolbar.
Select the 'Highlight text' icon to mark up important sections, or click the 'Add sticky note' icon to leave detailed comments on specific areas of the document.
Click 'File' and select 'Save' to ensure your newly added highlights and comments are permanently stored in the document.
Understand Acrobat.com Web Preview Limitations
Clarifying what functionalities are available directly within the Acrobat.com web interface compared to the desktop app.
Highlight and Comment on PDFs with WPS PDF
WPS Office includes a powerful built-in PDF reader and editor that allows you to easily highlight text, add sticky notes, and manage comments on any PDF document for free.
- 1. Open the PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office on your computer and open the PDF file you wish to annotate.
- 2. Navigate to the Comment Tab: Click on the 'Comment' tab located on the top navigation ribbon to reveal the markup tools.
- 3. Apply Highlights: Click the 'Highlight' button, select your preferred color, and drag your cursor over the text to highlight it.
- 4. Insert Sticky Notes: Click the 'Note' icon in the toolbar, then click anywhere on the page to leave a detailed comment for yourself or others.
- 5. Save the Document: Press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on Mac) to save the changes directly to your PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a paid Adobe subscription to highlight PDFs?
No, you do not need a paid Adobe subscription to perform basic annotations like highlighting text and adding sticky notes. The free desktop version of Adobe Acrobat Reader includes these essential commenting tools.
Why can't I edit my PDF directly on Acrobat.com?
The Acrobat.com web interface primarily serves as cloud storage and a document previewer. To natively edit or annotate files, the platform requires you to download the document and use a dedicated desktop application.
How do I change the highlight color in Adobe Acrobat Reader?
After you highlight a section of text, right-click on the highlighted area and select 'Properties' from the context menu. In the Properties window, you can choose a different color and adjust the opacity of the highlight.
Are my PDF highlights visible when I send the file to someone else?
Yes. As long as you save the document after adding your highlights and comments, those annotations become embedded in the PDF file and will be visible to anyone who opens the document in a standard PDF viewer.
