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How do I add notes and make edits to a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader?

UPDATED: January 21, 2025. Original Post: March 26, 2018.

A colleague asks for your help reviewing a document. You’re ready to start but realize it’s a PDF. You think to yourself, “How do I make changes or add comments to a PDF?”

Use Adobe Acrobat Reader’s annotations and markup tools! These tools can make reviewing a PDF as easy as editing a Microsoft Word document. You can add comments and suggestions to the PDF document in the places where the changes should be made.

PDF Editing Options in Adobe Acrobat Reader

With the PDF file open in Adobe Acrobat Reader, try these annotation and markup tools:

Make comments

You can add comments using any of these methods:

• Select the ‘Comments’ icon ( ) at the top, on the right-hand side (A ). The Comments panel should open on the right. Drag your cursor over and click next to where you would like to add your comment to the document. A text box will appear in the Comments panel. Type your comment in the box and select ’Post’ to add it.
• Select the ‘Comments’ icon (B) on the toolbar on the left. If the Comments panel is already open, a text box will appear in that panel. If the Comments panel is closed, a Pop-up Note will open.
• Select the ‘All Tools’ menu, then select ‘Add Comments’ (C) from the drop-down list. The Comments panel should open on the right. Drag your cursor over and click next to where you would like to add your comment to the document. A text box will appear in the Comments panel. Type your comment in the box and select ’Post’ to add it.

Right-click the purple speech bubble (D) next to your comment to open either the Comments panel or the Pop-up Note after you’ve created it.

Highlight or strike through specific text

To highlight text:

• Select the ‘Highlight’ icon (E).
• Drag the cursor over the text you want to highlight.

A strikethrough (horizontal line over text) indicates that text should be removed. To add a strikethrough:

• Select the ‘Strikethrough’ icon (F).
• Drag the cursor over the text you want to draw a line through.

Replace specific text.

• Select the ‘Add a comment’ icon (G) from the toolbar on the left.
• Select ‘Replace Selected Text’ (H).
• Select the text you want to replace. A text box will open next to the selected section.
• Enter the replacement text.
• Select ‘Post’ to save your edit.

The edited text has a line through it (I), just as edits look with ‘Track Changes’ in Microsoft Word. When you hover over the marked-up text, a box appears showing the revised text (J).

There you have it! Once you’ve tried these tools, check out the other features Adobe Reader has available, like:

• Insert Text: Add more text
• Underline: Underline text for emphasis
• Text Callout: Create notes in the margin with an arrow pointing where you need it to

To learn more, follow this link: Adobe Acrobat - User Manual - Add Comments to PDFs.

NOTE: You cannot edit a PDF in Microsoft Teams. You must first save the PDF file on your computer.

Mark Guzik

Library Technician
Nova Scotia Hospital, Central Zone