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How to Highlight and Underline PDFs in Acrobat Online
Question details
The user needs to add highlights and underlines to a PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Online but is unable to find or use the web-based editing tools.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Formatting and annotating a PDF document that is currently stored and accessed via Acrobat Online.
- Observed behavior
- The necessary highlighting and underlining tools are unavailable in the web interface, requiring the user to download the file for desktop editing.
Ensure you have your Acrobat Online login credentials handy and have installed the desktop version of Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader on your computer.
Use the Desktop Application Workaround
Download the PDF from Acrobat Online, annotate it using the desktop version of Acrobat or Reader, and then re-upload it to your online folder.
Because the online web interface may limit formatting capabilities depending on your subscription or current site updates, using the full desktop application guarantees access to comprehensive annotation tools.
Log into Acrobat Online, locate the document you want to edit, and click the download button located in the upper-right menu to save the file to your desktop.
Launch the desktop version of Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, open your downloaded file, and use the 'Comment' tools to add your desired highlights and underlining. Save the document.
Navigate back to the original folder in Acrobat Online. Click the upload button (represented by a cloud icon) and select your newly edited desktop file.
When prompted, choose to replace or delete the original unedited file so that only the version containing your highlighting and formatting remains.
Highlight and Underline PDFs Seamlessly with WPS Office
Skip the cumbersome process of downloading and re-uploading documents. WPS Office features a robust, built-in PDF editor that allows you to directly view, highlight, underline, and annotate PDF files with just a few clicks.
- 1. Open your 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 situated on the top ribbon menu to reveal all available annotation tools.
- 3. Apply highlights or underlines: Select the 'Highlight' or 'Underline' tool, then click and drag your cursor over the desired text to apply the formatting instantly.
- 4. Save your document: Click the 'Save' icon in the upper left corner or press Ctrl+S to embed the annotations directly into your PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I select text to highlight in my PDF?
If you cannot select text, your PDF is likely a scanned image rather than a text-based document. You will need to use a PDF editor with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities to convert the image into selectable text before you can apply highlights or underlines.
Will my PDF highlights show up if I send the file to someone else?
Yes. When you use standard annotation tools in Acrobat, WPS Office, or other major PDF readers, the highlights and underlines are embedded as standard PDF annotations. Anyone opening the saved file in a standard PDF viewer will see your formatting.
How do I remove a highlight or underline from a PDF?
To remove an annotation, open the PDF in your desktop PDF viewer, right-click on the highlighted or underlined text, and select 'Delete' or 'Remove' from the context menu. Make sure to save the file afterward to preserve the change.
