How to Print Yellow Sticky Notes and Comments in Adobe Acrobat PDF
Question details
The user needs to print a PDF document while keeping the yellow sticky-note comments and drawing annotations visible on the printed page.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat / PDF
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to print an annotated PDF drawing to a color plotter or standard printer for physical review.
- Observed behavior
- Yellow sticky notes and their comment contents are treated as digital annotations and are omitted from the final printed output by default.
Decide whether you need the sticky note icons to appear exactly where they are on the drawing, or if you need to read the full text of the comments on a separate summary page.
Change Print Settings to Include Document and Markups
Modify the default print dialog options to ensure all drawing markups and sticky note icons are sent to the printer.
By default, Adobe Acrobat is set to print only the document content to save ink and prevent annotations from obscuring important text. Changing the print scope allows the sticky note icons to print directly on the drawing.
With your PDF open in Adobe Acrobat, go to 'File' > 'Print', or simply press Ctrl+P on your keyboard.
In the Print dialog box, look for the 'Comments & Forms' dropdown menu located on the right side of the window.
Click the dropdown and change the setting from 'Document' to 'Document and Markups'. You should immediately see the yellow sticky note icons appear in the print preview.
Ensure your printer is set to output in color if you need the yellow highlighting, then click the 'Print' button.
Create and Print a Comment Summary
Use this method if it is crucial to read the actual text contained within the yellow sticky notes alongside your document.
Use Drawing Markup Tools Instead of Sticky Notes
If you want text to print directly on the drawing rather than as an icon or summary, switch from sticky notes to text box markups.
Print PDF Comments Easily with WPS Office
WPS Office offers a robust, lightweight PDF reader that makes viewing, managing, and printing document annotations completely hassle-free. If you are struggling with complex print dialogs, WPS PDF simplifies the process.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document containing your yellow sticky notes.
- 2. Access the Print Menu: Click on 'Menu' in the top-left corner and select 'Print', or use the Ctrl+P shortcut to open the print dialog window.
- 3. Enable Annotation Printing: In the Print dialog, find the 'Print Content' section and select 'Document and Annotations' from the dropdown menu.
- 4. Confirm and Print: Review the built-in preview pane to ensure your sticky notes are visible on the drawing, then click the 'Print' button.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my sticky notes only show as tiny icons when printed?
By default, printing 'Document and Markups' only prints the physical sticky note icon to preserve the drawing's visibility, not the pop-up text inside it. To print the actual text of the comment, you must generate a Comment Summary.
Can I flatten sticky notes into the PDF so they always print?
Yes, you can use the 'Print to PDF' feature with markups enabled. This generates a new flat PDF where the sticky note icons are embedded directly into the base document graphics, guaranteeing they will print on any device.
Does the background color of the sticky note matter for printing?
Yes. If you are printing to a standard black-and-white printer, yellow sticky notes will appear as faint gray boxes. Ensure you use a color printer or color plotter if the yellow highlighting is strictly required.
