How to View Comments in PDF? (5 Effective Ways)

Did someone just share a PDF file with you saying that they have added comments in the file, but you cannot find any comments? It is because they used the annotation feature, and those comments are not always shown in PDF like other content. There are different ways of viewing those comments.

So, here we will share the 5 most effective ways how to view comments in PDF.

Part 1. How to View Comments in PDF With UPDF?

UPDF is a PDF editor that brings along annotation and commenting features. Users can add and view comments while working in a collaborative environment. It also allows you to add text callouts, comments, text boxes, freehand-drawn comments, sticky notes, etc.

It also provides a practical comment management feature that enables you to export all the annotations conveniently. If you want to view comments with UPDF, there are 2 ways that you can try after downloading it.

Way 1. How to View PDF Comments One by One?

The first method is about viewing comments one by one, and here are the steps to do it:

1. Open PDF in UPDF

You will begin by opening the PDF document in the UPDF application. Double-click to open UPDF, then use the open-file button from the top to open the PDF file here. When the PDF file opens, you can see some highlighted sections, which will indicate a comment.

2. Hover over the highlighted content to see comments.

For viewing individual comments in UPDF, you only need to hover the cursor over the highlighted text. While you hover the cursor on it, a box showing the comment text will appear. Or you can click on the sticky note icon to check the contents. For checking multiple comments, you need to repeat the process with every comment.

Video on How to View Comments in PDF on Windows

Way 2. How to View All Comments in PDF

If you want to view all comments simultaneously, follow the steps below in UPDF.

1. Open UPDF and then open the PDF file.

The process starts with double-clicking the UPDF icon and opening the PDF. If you have set UPDF as your default PDF viewer, double-click the PDF file, and it will open in UPDF.

2. Click the Comment button from the bottom right.

Now, navigate the cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen. There will be a comment button. As you click it, a vertical bar will appear on the right side of the PDF document. It will contain all the comments so you can view them at once. Scrolling through the document while watching the comments will become significantly easier.

You can also delete or export the comments as a PDF.

Also Read: How to Add Comments in PDF in a Few Minutes

Part 2. How to View Comments in PDF With Adobe Reader

You can use Adobe Reader PC software to view comments in a PDF document. Adobe Reader is a good tool for viewing PDF documents, but the editing features are limited to the paid version. Anyhow, it allows viewing and replying to comments with the following steps:

1. Open PDF in Adobe Reader

The easiest way to open a PDF file in Adobe Reader is by using the open with option. You can right-click the file icon from the available tools and select Adobe Acrobat Reader. Doing so will open the PDF document in Adobe Reader. If you have set it as your default PDF viewer, you simply double-click the file icon, and it will open.

2. Hover or click the Comment button to see the comment.

Adobe Reader provides 2 ways of viewing comments. The first one is hovering over individual comments to see them. However, if you want multiple comments, click the Comment button from the top right. It displays all comments and allows you to reply to them.

Part 3. How to View Comments in PDF With Microsoft Edge

If there is no PDF viewer installed on your PC, you may use Microsoft Edge to view comments with the steps below:

1. Open PDF in Edge

Opening files in Microsoft Edge is simple. Like other tools, you may use the open-with option and select Microsoft Edge from there.

2. Hover the cursor over the highlighted comment icon to display the comment.

The experience of viewing comments in a PDF document is different in the Microsoft Edge browser. Hovering the cursor over a comment or clicking it will not help. Instead, you will see a small comment logo present at the top left side of the comment. You can hover the cursor on this icon to preview the comment. Clicking this icon will display a text box of comments for easier reading.

Part 4. How to View PDF Comments in Chrome?

Google Chrome is among the most used browsers, and it has PDF viewing capabilities. It also supports working with annotations and viewing comments from other people with these steps:

1. Open PDF in Chrome

If Chrome is your default PDF viewer tool, double-click the PDF file, and it will open in Chrome. Otherwise, using the Open With method, you can click Google Chrome from the list to open your PDF documents.

2. Hover the cursor over the highlight to display the comment.

Google Chrome provides the easiest experience of viewing comments. With it, you only need to hover the cursor over the comment, which will display it. However, for this option to work, annotations must be enabled. If the highlighted text is not showing, click the 3-dots button from the top right and click Annotations to enable. Once enabled, the highlighted text will show, and you can hover the cursor to view the comment.

Part 5. How to View PDF Comments in Preview?

If you are a Mac user, you can use the built-in Preview option to check the comments in the file. The process is very simple and requires enabling a few options with the steps below.

1. Open PDF in Preview

For Mac users, if they don’t have any other PDF viewer tool installed and set at default, their PDF document will open in the Preview app. So, you can double-click the PDF file icon, and it will automatically open inside Preview. Here, you need to go to the view tab and, from there, enable the following options:

• Always show sidebar
• Highlights and notes

2. Scroll through the sidebar to see comments.

As you see from the document, it will show the highlighted text that contains the comment, but there will be no option to see the comment. Clicking or hovering the mouse over that text won't do anything. So, you need to navigate to the sidebar to see all the comments. It is also the place where you can answer the comments.

Final words

With the 5 proven ways discussed above, we hope you know how to view comments in PDF. For a better experience, it is always essential to find a reliable tool. So, if you need a tool that caters to all your PDF working needs, then going for UPDF will be a good option since it offers complete PDF capabilities. You can download it for free and view individual comments or all at once.