How to Annotate a PDF on Windows (Free, Multiple Methods)
Add highlights, comments, and notes to a PDF on Windows 10 or 11 using Edge, Chrome, or browser tools — no Adobe Acrobat required.
Windows 11's Edge browser has a decent built-in PDF annotation toolkit — drawing, highlighting, and sticky notes — at no cost. For more structured comment workflows, FixMyPDF's comment tool in Chrome provides positioned text comments compatible with all PDF readers.
Method 1: Edge's Built-In Annotation (No Install)
Open the PDF in Edge (double-click in File Explorer). In the toolbar at the top, click the Highlight button to highlight text, or the Draw button to annotate freehand. Click "Add notes" (sticky note icon) to add typed comments. Press Ctrl+S to save the annotated PDF.
Highlighting Text in Edge on Windows
Open your PDF in Edge. Click and drag to select text → right-click → Highlight. Or use the Highlight tool in the top toolbar and then click-drag over text. Choose highlight colour (yellow, green, blue, pink) from the colour picker that appears after selecting the tool.
Adding Typed Comments in Edge
In Edge's PDF toolbar, click the "Add notes" button (looks like a speech bubble). Click anywhere on the page to place a sticky note. Type your comment in the yellow note box. The note collapses to a small icon when you click elsewhere — click the icon to expand and read it.
Method 2: FixMyPDF Add Comments Tool
For comment-box annotations that appear in the PDF's standard comments panel (compatible with Acrobat's review panel), go to fixmypdf.in/tools/add-comments in Chrome. Click to place comment boxes, type your notes, and download the annotated PDF.
Method 3: Google Docs (For Collaborative Review)
Upload the PDF to Google Drive, right-click → Open with → Google Docs. Google converts it to a Docs file where you can leave comments (Ctrl+Alt+M) that others can reply to. Export back to PDF when done. Best for team review workflows where multiple people need to comment.
Compatibility of Windows Annotations
Annotations made in Edge use the standard PDF annotation format — they're visible in Adobe Acrobat, macOS Preview, and most PDF readers. Always test by opening the annotated PDF in a second reader to verify comments appear correctly before distributing to recipients.
After Annotating on Windows
If you want to make annotations permanent (so they can't be hidden or removed), use our flatten PDF tool — it merges the annotation layer into the page content. Then compress if needed before emailing.
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