This tutorial shows how to use the comment and markup tools in Adobe Acrobat.
[Typewriter sounds]
Hello, my name is Erin.
I’m a technical writer and editor who shares step-by-step software tutorials and writing tips for the real world
on this channel and on my blog at erinwrightwriting.com.
Today’s tutorial shows how to use the comment and markup tools in Adobe Acrobat.
First, we’ll look at how to access the tools.
Then, we’ll look at how to use the tools.
We’ll cover all thirteen tools including sticky notes, strikethroughs, and text insertions.
Stay tuned to the end for bonus tips on how to change the color of markups,
add comments to markups, and delete comments and markups.
It’s very important to note that Acrobat’s comment and markup tools can’t change a PDF
like Microsoft Word’s Track Changes can change a Word file.
Instead, Acrobat’s comment and markup tools function like handwritten editing marks on paper.
These tools show what should be changed, but you must make those changes manually in the PDF.
One way to manually change a PDF is to use the Edit PDF toolbar.
We’ll cover all the tools available in that toolbar in a separate tutorial.
I’ll be using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
These steps will also work in Acrobat 2020 and Acrobat 2017.
Plus, these steps will work in Acrobat Reader when commenting is allowed in the PDF.
Acrobat Reader users can find out if commenting is allowed in their PDF by selecting the File tab,
Properties,
and then Security.
From there, see if the Commenting option is listed as Allowed.
Unfortunately, you cannot change this option if the creator of the PDF has set Commenting to Not Allowed.
To access the comment and markup tools, select the Tools tab.
Then, select the Comment button in the Tools Center.
The Comment toolbar will appear directly above the PDF,
and the Comment pane will appear on the right side of your screen.
Now, let’s walkthrough the tools in the Comment toolbar.
To conserve time, we’ll focus on the main function of each tool and not cover every available option.
The sticky note tool lets you “stick” a comment anywhere on the page.
After you click the spot where you want the note to appear,
your cursor will automatically move to the Comment pane where you can type your comment.
After typing your comment, select the Post button.
The highlight tool lets you add a background color to draw attention to specific text.
The Underline tool lets you place a line under the text.
This underline is meant to draw attention to specific text for editing purposes.
If you want to add an underline that will become part of the PDF,
be sure to use the underline tool in the Edit PDF toolbar, instead.
The strikethrough tool lets you place a line through text that you want to mark for deletion.
The Note to Replace Text tool lets you mark text for deletion and create a note showing the replacement text.
After selecting the text that should be replaced,
your cursor will move to the Comment pane where you can type the replacement text.
After typing the replacement text, select the Post button.
The Insert Text at Cursor tool lets you indicate where new text should be inserted.
After you click the location where the new text should be inserted,
your cursor will move to the Comment pane where you can type the new text.
After typing the new text, once again select the Post button.
The Text Comment tool lets you type a comment directly onto the PDF.
This tool should only be used for creating comments.
If you want to add new text to your PDF, use the Add Text tool in the Edit PDF toolbar, instead.
Like the Text Comment tool, the Text Box tool lets you type a comment directly onto the PDF.
However, this tool encloses the comment in a text box.
The Pencil tool lets you draw a comment directly onto the PDF.
The Erase Drawing tool erases the drawing created with the Pencil tool.
To use the erasure, click and repeatedly drag your cursor over the drawing until you have erased the portion you want to remove.
The Stamp tool lets you add stamps from three different categories:
Dynamic,
Sign Here,
or Standard Business.
The Attachment tool lets you attach a file or an audio recording as a comment.
Attachments added with this tool are considered comments
and don’t become part of the PDF like attachments added through the Edit PDF toolbar or the Attachments pane,
which are explained in my other tutorial “How to Attach Files to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat.”
To use the Attachment tool, select Attach File or Record Audio from the drop-down menu.
Then, click the PDF where you want to pin the attachment.
Depending on your choice, you can then select a file to attach from the Add Attachment dialog box
or record a comment in the Sound Recorder dialog box.
The Drawing Tools option provides a variety of shapes, such as rectangles, arrows, and ovals.
After choosing a shape from the drop-down menu, click and drag it to the size you want.
Now let’s look at a few bonus tips to help you make the most of your comments and markups.
You can change the color of almost any markup by selecting it and then selecting a new color from the Color menu.
You can add a comment to any existing markup by double-clicking it in the Comment pane to open a comment text box.
After typing your comment, select the Post button.
You can also right-click the markup and select Open Pop-Up Note from the shortcut menu.
If you want to delete a comment or markup, right-click it, and then select Delete from the shortcut menu.
You can also delete a comment or markup by selecting the three-dot menu in the Comment pane, and then selecting Delete.
In addition, the Comment shortcut menu and the Comment Pane menu also allow you to set the status as
Accepted, Cancelled, Completed, or Rejected.
When you’re finished using the comment and markup tools,
select the Close button in the Comment toolbar.
As always, remember to save your PDF to save your changes.
I have created many other videos about Adobe Acrobat, including “How to Create Navigation Buttons in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat,”
and “Three Ways to Create Bookmarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat.”
Please see the complete list in the playlist titled “How to Use Adobe Acrobat,” which is linked in the description box below.
The companion blog post for this video showing all the steps we just performed
appears on erinwrightwriting.com, which is also linked below.
Feel free to leave me a comment if there’s a specific topic related to Adobe Acrobat,
Microsoft Word, or Google Docs that you would like me to talk about in the future.
And please subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss future tutorials.
And give this video a thumbs-up if you found it helpful.
Thank you so much for watching!
[Typewriter sounds]