How to Add Text, Highlights, and Shapes to a PDF

Adding annotations to a PDF — text comments, highlights, arrows, or shapes — is one of the most common things people want to do with PDF files. Reviewers leave feedback, students mark up textbooks, professionals annotate contracts, and teachers correct assignments. This guide shows you how to add markup to any PDF for free, directly in your browser.

Why Annotate PDFs in the Browser?

Most free PDF annotation tools come with serious limitations:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader — only basic annotations on the free version, requires desktop installation
• iLovePDF / Smallpdf — uploads your file to their servers, limited free tier
• Browser extensions — work for online viewing but don't save changes properly

PDFMoves takes a different approach: your file stays in your browser the entire time, you don't need to install anything, and there are no daily limits or watermarks. The annotation features are unlimited — add as many text comments, highlights, or shapes as you need.

The 5 Markup Tools in PDFMoves

1. Text

Add typed text anywhere on the page. Click where you want the text to appear, type directly into an inline input field, and press Enter to confirm. You can choose from 5 font sizes (12 to 40 points) and any color. Once placed, you can click the text to select it, drag it to move, or double-click to edit.

2. Highlight

Drag across any area to add a translucent color overlay, just like a real highlighter pen. Use it to emphasize key passages, mark sections to review later, or color-code different topics. Six preset colors are available, plus a custom color picker.

3. Rectangle

Draw outlined boxes around important content. Useful for circling answers, framing diagrams, or drawing attention to a specific section. Adjust the line thickness from thin (1px) to extra thick (6px).

4. Line

Draw straight lines for underlining, separating sections, or creating diagrams. Click and drag from the start point to the end point.

5. Arrow

Like the Line tool but with an arrowhead at the end — perfect for pointing at specific elements, indicating direction, or showing connections between items on a page.

Step-by-Step: Adding Markup to a PDF

Step 1: Open the Markup Tab

Visit pdfmoves.com and click the Markup tab at the top.

Step 2: Open Your PDF

Click the "Open file" button and select a PDF from your computer. The first page will appear in the canvas area, with all the markup tools available in the toolbar above.

Step 3: Choose a Tool, Color, and Size

From left to right in the toolbar:

• Tool buttons — Pick Text, Highlight, Rectangle, Line, or Arrow
• Color swatches — Six preset colors plus a custom picker
• Line thickness — Four levels for shapes (Thin, Medium, Thick, Extra Thick)
• Text size — Five sizes for the Text tool

Step 4: Add Annotations

Click or drag on the page to add markup:

• Text: Click where you want the text, type, press Enter
• Highlight: Click and drag across the area you want to highlight
• Rectangle/Line/Arrow: Click and drag from start to end

Step 5: Edit, Move, or Delete

Click any existing annotation to select it. You can then:

• Drag to move it anywhere on the page
• Drag the corner handles (for shapes) to resize
• Double-click a text annotation to edit its content
• Press Delete to remove it
• Click a color or size button to change the selected annotation's appearance

Step 6: Navigate Between Pages

Use the ◀ and ▶ buttons to move between pages, or simply scroll past the bottom of the current page to jump to the next one. Each page keeps its own annotations independently.

Step 7: Save Your Annotated PDF

When you're done, click the red Save button. PDFMoves will combine all your annotations into the original PDF and download it as a new file. The original file is never modified.

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts

• Delete — Remove the selected annotation
• PageUp / PageDown — Navigate pages
• Enter — Confirm text input
• Escape — Cancel text input
• Ctrl + Mouse Wheel — Zoom in or out
• Mouse Wheel at page edge — Auto-jump to next/previous page

Common Use Cases

Reviewing contracts

Highlight clauses you want to discuss, add text comments next to them with your questions, and use arrows to connect related sections. Save the marked-up file and send it back to the other party.

Grading student work

Mark correct answers with highlights, draw rectangles around mistakes, and add text comments explaining what to fix. Much faster than printing and writing by hand.

Studying textbooks

Highlight key terms in different colors (definitions in yellow, examples in green, important formulas in red), then add text notes in the margins. Your annotated PDF becomes a personalized study guide.

Marking up presentations

Draw arrows pointing to specific elements in slides, circle key data points, and add comments. Useful for design feedback or technical documentation.

Filling out forms (without form fields)

Some PDF forms aren't interactive — they're just images of forms. Use the Text tool to type your answers in the right places, then save and submit. No need to print and scan.

Tips for Better Annotations

Use color consistently

Pick a color system and stick to it across the document. For example: yellow for "important," red for "errors," green for "good." Your future self will thank you.

Don't over-annotate

Too many highlights and notes make the document harder to read, not easier. Highlight only the most important parts — if half the page is yellow, nothing stands out.

Group related annotations

If you're adding both a highlight and a text comment about the same thing, place the text right next to the highlight (or use an arrow to connect them). Future readers will understand the relationship immediately.

Use shapes for structure

Rectangles work great for grouping sections of a page that belong together. Lines can act as visual dividers between unrelated content.