Highlight text
Choose Highlight, pick a colour and drag over the text. Good for study notes, research papers, contracts under review and handouts.
Annotate PDF
Annotate PDF Online Free: Highlight, Draw and Add Shapes
Mark up a PDF in your browser with highlights, freehand drawing, boxes and shapes, clickable links and sticky notes. Free, no sign-up, no watermark, and your file stays on your device.
This opens the editor’s upload box on our home page. Your PDF is opened in your browser and is not uploaded.
How to annotate a PDF online
Open your PDF
Choose the file in the upload box on the home page. It opens in your browser.
Pick a tool from the toolbar
Choose Highlight, Draw, Box, the shapes menu, Link or Note. A short hint appears for each, such as “Drag over text to highlight it.”
Set colour, size and opacity
The options bar changes with the tool you pick.
Mark up the page
Use Undo and Redo if you need to step back, and the Eraser to paint over a mark.
Select Download PDF
The marked-up copy is saved to your device. Your original file is not changed.
What you can add to a PDF
Draw and place shapes
Draw freehand with the pen, add rectangles with Box, or open the shapes menu for an oval, line, arrow, polygon, cloud and connected lines.
Sticky notes and clickable links
Add a Note where you want to leave a comment. Add a Link by dragging over an area or clicking a line of text, then enter the web address. Links work in the downloaded PDF.
Search, print and share
Search for words in the PDF, print the marked-up copy, or use your device’s share sheet where it is supported. Nothing is uploaded while you work.
Limits you should know about
- Whiteout and Box cover content visually. The underlying text may still exist in the file, so do not use them to redact sensitive information you plan to share. See whiteout a PDF online for the difference.
- Marks are written into the downloaded copy. Keep your original in case you want to change them later.
- Password-protected PDFs cannot be opened.
- You can annotate most other files, including scans, but you cannot edit scanned text.
Frequently asked questions
Can I highlight a PDF for free?
Yes. Choose Highlight, pick a colour and drag over the text. There is no sign-up and no watermark.
Can I add a comment or sticky note?
Yes. Choose Note and click on the page where the note should go.
Can I add a clickable link to a PDF?
Yes. Choose Link, drag over an area or click a line of text, then enter the web address. The link works in the downloaded PDF.
Does annotating upload my PDF?
No. The file is opened and marked up in your browser, then saved on your device.
Can I remove a highlight or drawing?
Use Undo while you work, or the Eraser to paint over a mark. Once you have downloaded a copy, work from your original if you want a different result.
Related tools and guides
Ready to mark up your PDF?
Open a file, highlight and draw, then download. No account, no watermark, no upload.
Choose a PDF to annotateAlso: free online PDF editor · highlight a PDF online free · draw on a PDF in your browser.