PDF Editing Issues

How to Keep Sticky Notes After Redacting a PDF

Aamir Naveed Akram Oct 23, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to retain original sticky notes and comments in a PDF document after applying text redactions.

How to Keep Sticky Notes After Redacting a PDF

Product: PDF Editor
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A professional needs to redact specific sensitive text in a document while keeping the original guiding sticky notes intact for reference.
Observed behavior: Sticky notes and comments automatically disappear or are removed when the underlying or nearby text is redacted in the PDF document.

Before you start

Ensure you have completed all your notes and markups before starting the redaction process. It is highly recommended to save a backup copy of your original, unredacted PDF to prevent accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Export and Re-import Comments Data

This method involves saving your sticky notes to an external file before redacting, and restoring them to their exact locations afterward.

When you apply redactions in PDF editors like Adobe Acrobat, comments and sticky notes within or near the redaction area are permanently removed to prevent data leaks. By exporting your comments data file beforehand, you can safely apply redactions and seamlessly import the notes back into their exact original positions.

Export Comments

Open the PDF document, navigate to the Comments panel, select the options menu, and click 'Export All To Data File'. Save the resulting FDF or XFDF file securely on your computer.

Apply Redactions

Use the Redact tool to select the sensitive text or areas you need to hide. Apply the redactions to permanently remove the content from the document.

Import Comments

Return to the Comments panel, open the options menu, and select 'Import Data File'. Choose the file you exported in the first step. Your sticky notes will reappear in their original locations.

Check Overlapping Notes: Make sure your imported sticky notes do not accidentally overlap with the redacted areas or reveal sensitive information that you intended to hide.

Edit and Manage PDF Comments Easily with WPS Office

WPS Office provides a comprehensive suite of PDF tools, allowing you to easily manage annotations, handle complex document workflows, and process PDFs without losing critical markups.

1. Open PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your target PDF file using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
2. Access the Comment Tool: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab to easily view, add, or manage your sticky notes and text markups.
3. Manage Your Annotations: Use the intuitive PDF management features to process your document while ensuring your important annotations remain accessible and organized.

Seamlessly manage, export, and import PDF commentsHighly compatible with Adobe Acrobat PDF formatsLightweight application with an intuitive user interfaceAll-in-one suite for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF editing

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do sticky notes disappear when I redact text?

Redaction is designed to permanently remove sensitive information from a document. This process often includes stripping embedded objects like comments and sticky notes located within or near the redacted area to ensure no hidden data remains.

What file format is used when exporting PDF comments?

Most standard PDF editors export comments as an FDF (Forms Data Format) or XFDF (XML Forms Data Format) file. This lightweight file format stores the text, author, type, and exact coordinates of your sticky notes.

Can I redact the sticky notes themselves?

Yes, if a sticky note contains sensitive information, you can include the comment within your redaction selection. If you only want to redact the document text while keeping the comments, make sure to export the notes first.

Will the imported notes look the same as before?

Yes, when you re-import your comments data file, the sticky notes will retain their original text, author names, colors, and exact spatial positions on the document pages.

PDF Troubleshooting