PDF Printing Issues

How to Print Highlighted Text in Acrobat Reader for iPad

Steve K Oct 19, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to print or export a PDF containing highlighted text and annotations created on an iPad.

How to Print Highlighted PDF Text from Acrobat Reader on iPad

Product: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Device & OS: iPad and Mac
Scenario: Syncing an annotated PDF from an iPad to a Mac to print it with all highlights and markups visible.
Observed behavior: The user requires specific print settings on the desktop to ensure that highlights added on the mobile device are included in the final printed document.

Before you start

Ensure you are signed into the same Adobe Document Cloud account on both your iPad and Mac so the annotated PDF syncs properly across devices.

Solution 1Recommended

Sync and Print Highlights Using Adobe Document Cloud

Sync your iPad PDF to Adobe Document Cloud and print it from your Mac with the "Document and Markups" option selected.

To successfully print the highlights made on your iPad, you must utilize a cloud service to transfer the file, and then adjust the default print settings on your desktop version of Acrobat to include markups.

Save PDF to Document Cloud

After highlighting your text using Adobe Acrobat Reader on the iPad, save the document to Adobe Document Cloud.

Open PDF on your Mac

Launch Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader on your MacBook. Navigate to Home > Document Cloud, and open the synced PDF file.

Access the Print Menu

Click the Print icon located at the top of the application window.

Select Markups for Printing

In the Print dialog box, locate the 'Comments & Forms' drop-down menu and select 'Document and Markups'.

Print the Document

Click the Print button at the bottom of the window to print your document with all iPad highlights included.

Sync and Print Highlights Using Adobe Document Cloud

Copy Highlighted Text to Comments: It is recommended to enable the setting that copies highlighted text into comment pop-ups before you begin creating highlights, as this setting generally cannot be applied retroactively to existing highlights.

Use WPS Office to Highlight and Print PDFs Across Devices

WPS Office provides a seamless PDF editing and reading experience. You can easily highlight text on your mobile device, sync via WPS Cloud, and print the fully annotated document from your computer with exact formatting.

1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office on your mobile device (like an iPad) and open the PDF you wish to read.
2. Highlight and Save: Use the Annotation tools to highlight your desired text, then save the document directly to WPS Cloud.
3. Open on Computer: Open WPS Office on your Mac or PC, access your Cloud documents, and open the newly synced PDF.
4. Print with Markups: Go to Print (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P), ensure that the option to print annotations and comments is checked in the print settings, and click Print.

Cross-platform support for iOS, Mac, Android, and WindowsFree PDF highlighting, commenting, and markup toolsSeamless cloud synchronization via WPS CloudHighly compatible with standard Adobe PDF formats

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why aren't my PDF highlights printing?

Highlights will not print if your print settings are defaulted to 'Document Only.' To fix this, ensure you select 'Document and Markups' or 'Document and Comments' in the print dialog menu before hitting print.

Can I export just the highlighted text instead of printing the whole document?

Yes, you can export highlighted text into comment pop-ups. It is highly recommended to enable the 'copy highlighted text into comment pop-ups' setting in your PDF reader's preferences before you begin highlighting.

Do I need a paid subscription to sync my PDFs across devices?

No, syncing PDFs to Adobe Document Cloud or WPS Cloud to access highlights across your iPad and Mac is available in their respective free versions, provided you are logged into the same account on both devices.

PDF Troubleshooting