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How to Annotate a PDF
Written and fact-checked by The EditPDF AI Team
Annotating a PDF adds notes, highlights, drawings, stamps, and text comments using standard PDF structures that display in compatible desktop, browser, and mobile viewers — without changing the underlying document content.
Step-by-step: annotate a PDF
- 1Open editpdfai.com/pdf-annotate and upload your PDF.
- 2Choose a highlight, comment, drawing, or stamp tool from the toolbar.
- 3Click or drag on the page to place the annotation, and type any accompanying comment text.
- 4Repeat across the document, then download the annotated PDF.
Runs entirely in your browser
Your document never leaves your device — annotation happens locally without an application document-processing request.
Who uses PDF annotation, and how
- ·A legal team marking up a contract with comments on specific clauses
- ·A teacher circling errors and adding notes on a student's submitted work
- ·An editor highlighting passages to cut, expand, or revise before final publication
Related PDF tools and guides
Core PDF tool
PDF Annotate
The core workflow is available without an account. Browser and tool-specific limits apply.
Annotate a PDF free →