How to Annotate PDF on Windows? (3 Methods)

PDF files have become the most used way of sharing documents in this digital age. Today these documents are used in various fields of life like education and business. Some of those fields require users to annotate those PDF documents. Although it is not very difficult, knowing the right tool and the process of how to annotate PDF on Windows is the key.

This post will cover the top tool choices for annotating PDFs, along with their detailed step-by-step guides.

Part 1. How to Annotate a PDF on Windows Via UPDF?

The best tool for annotating your PDF documents on Windows computers is UPDF because of its experience and features. UPDF brings you a complete set of tools you will need to edit, share, view, and even organize your PDF documents. Those include features like annotating PDFs where you can:

• Add text comment
• Sticky notes
• Pencil
• Highlight text
• Strikethrough text
• Add shapes
• Add stickers and do much more.

Hence, you get a premium PDF annotating experience here. Things don’t stop here since the process for annotating with UPDF is also very simple with the following steps below:

1. Open PDF in UPDF

Double-click the UPDF icon to open UPDF, then click "Open File" on top to open the browse window. Find your PDF document from PC storage and double-click to open it. If you previously opened that in UPDF, you could look for the document in the Recent list.

2. Go to comment and click underline

Click "Comment" from the right pane, and you will get all the annotation features from UPDF on the top panel. In this example, we will select the "Underline" feature. Click it, hold it, and drag the cursor over any text to easily underline it.

3. Select the tool like text comment

If you want to add a text comment to your document, click the "Text Comment" option represented by a simple "T" and click on the PDF where you want that text to appear. Start typing, and you can change color, font, size, and other technicalities.

4. Click the file to save

Once you complete all annotations, click "File" from the top and go down to save. Click it, and the work will be saved on the same PDF document. Press the "Control & S" buttons together to save your work.

Part 2. How to Annotate a PDF on Windows for Free Via Microsoft Edge?

Microsoft Edge will be a good option if you don’t have a PDF editor or viewer installed on your PC. Edge is the built-in browser that comes with Windows, and it can open PDFs, annotate them, and search through those documents. So, instead of downloading a PDF editing tool, you can quickly use Edge for your basic annotation requirements.

However, it does not support in-depth editing and annotating tools like UPDF, Acrobat, or other tools. Regardless, the process of annotation here is very simple with the following 4 easy steps:

1. Open PDF in Edge and highlight

Double-click the PDF file, and it will open in Microsoft Edge automatically if you don’t have any other PDF viewer or editor installed. If it does not happen, "right-click" and choose the "open with" option. There you can select Edge to open that PDF once or permanently.

2. Click Add text

Microsoft Edge PDF viewer has its interface simply designed. It contains all the tools and features on top for an easy experience. In this example, we will start with adding text. Click the "T" button present on the left side. Click anywhere and add text.

3. Click draw for freehand notes.

Similarly, you can draw and highlight your PDF documents. Click "Draw" and start drawing on the PDF document with the cursor icon. Similarly, click the "Highlighter icon" and strike the cursor anywhere on the document to highlight that portion. You can use the dropdown arrow to edit how you can draw and highlight.

4. Save your work

After annotating, you can locate the "Save" button on the right side. Click it, and your work will be saved in that document. You can press "Control & S" for the same function. Use the "Save As" feature if you want to save that work in another document and don’t want to edit the original one.

Part 3. How to Markup a PDF on Windows Via Adobe Acrobat?

If you have a history of working with PDF documents, you might be familiar with Adobe Acrobat. It is an old and very famous suite of PDF tools that has been a go-to option for people for years. It offers a complete experience with different tools like the paid Pro version, free reader version, and now it has also introduced the latest free online version.

Adobe Acrobat also brings you an in-depth PDF editing experience; however, we will focus on annotating. It allows you to annotate PDF documents using the Adobe Acrobat tool and its online version. So, below are the detailed steps to use both versions of Adobe Acrobat.

Way 1. Via Windows Adobe Acrobat

If you are using the paid version of Adobe Acrobat for editing and viewing your PDF files, you can use it to add annotations. Like UPDF, it also brings many annotation features like drawing, highlighting, text comments, etc.

However, if you are unfamiliar with the tool, it may take some learning curve to get used to it due to the outdated interface. Also, remember that it is not the cheapest option for you to choose.

1. Click the file to open the PDF.

Double click Acrobat application icon on your PC from the desktop, taskbar, or start menu by searching for it. Click the "File" tab to go for the "Open" option. Now you need to locate that PDF using the browse window, and once you find it, "double click" to open it in Adobe Acrobat.

2. Select Comment in Tools

On the top left, you will see different PDF tabs, and there will be a "Tools" tab there. Click it, and it reveals multiple things that Adobe Acrobat can do. In this guide, we will select "Comment" since you want to annotate your PDF file.

3. Click highlight to highlight text and add notes.

It will show you multiple annotation tools like strikethrough, underline, text comment, highlight, pencil, etc. However, we will only explain highlighting in this example since the experience is the same as other features. So, click "Highlight" and hold and drag the cursor over any text. It will not only highlight that text for you, but you can also add comments for that highlight.

4. Save your work

The third row on top shows you different basic PDF tools, the first of which is the "Save" button. Click it and save all your annotations in that PDF file.

Way 2. Via Adobe Acrobat Online

Adobe is not only an offline tool but also an online version available, which is free to use. While both come from the same source, the experience of using both versions differs greatly. So, here are the steps to follow on Adobe Acrobat Online for annotating your documents.

1. Click edit and select Add comments.

Go to Adobe Acrobat Online Website and "Sign in" before you go to the home tab. There you will see the "Edit" tab. Click it, then select "Add Comments,". It is present in "Edit a PDF" column. Now it will make you upload a PDF by selecting it in the browse window. Locate and double-click that PDF to open it on the online website.

2. Click add comments and type comment.

On the left side of your PDF page, you will see annotation options. Select "Add Comments" only. Click anywhere else on your PDF document to add a comment at that location. Now you will see a column on the right side where you will type the comment and post it by clicking "Post."

3. Click download

After making all desired annotations, click "Download", and Adobe Acrobat Online will download the updated PDF document that contains all your annotations. If you want to collaborate, click the "Share" or "Link" buttons for easy sharing.

With these simple steps, you can add comments in Adobe Acrobat Online for free and without installing any tool on your PC.

Final Words

We hope you have learned the most efficient ways how to annotate PDF on Windows. Whether you use Windows 10 or the latest 11, these methods will work the same for you and help you enhance your collaboration efficiency. Annotating PDF documents is required in education, personal, and professional usage, and with the methods discussed here, your productivity will significantly increase regardless of the use case.

Sometimes, you don’t need to only annotate the PDF documents; there are other editing needs. So, instead of other tools, try UPDF and see how it improves your PDF experience. From viewing to editing, organizing, and sharing, UPDF comes with every feature you need. This way, it unlocks your full potential for working on PDF documents.