Add sticky notes to a PDF
Click anywhere to pin a note, type your message, and choose whether it shows open or as a small icon.
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What it does
Add sticky notes to PDF, explained
To add a sticky note to a PDF, choose the note tool and click the spot you want to annotate; a note icon is pinned there and a text box opens for your message. Close it and it collapses to a small icon that expands when clicked.
Read more
Sticky notes are the digital version of a paper Post-it: a reminder to yourself, a quick question for a colleague, an instruction for whoever handles the file next. Because they collapse, a page can carry many of them without hiding the content.
Collapsed versus expanded is the decision to make before sharing. Leave notes collapsed and the page looks clean while readers can open each one. Leave a note open and its text shows next to the icon. Printing is where people get surprised: when notes stay as PDF annotations, most readers print the icon or nothing, not the note's text. If the words must be on paper, flatten on download or use a text box instead.
A note has no replies. For a discussion that needs answers and a resolved state, use Add comments.
How to do it
Add sticky notes to a PDF in 4 steps
1Your PDF
2Mark it up
3Notes on the page
- 1
Upload the PDF
The note tool is active when the editor opens.
- 2
Click to pin a note
Click the exact spot; the note opens for typing.
- 3
Set color and state
Pick a color per topic and choose open or collapsed.
- 4
Download
Keep notes as annotations for other readers, or flatten them into the page for printing.
Example
Before and after
A 3-page vendor W-9 packet a bookkeeper needs to hand off to a colleague with a few reminders.
Three collapsed yellow notes: “TIN verified 10/14” by the taxpayer ID, “Check LLC classification” by line 3, and “File under 2026 vendors” on the last page.
Settings & formats
What you can control
- Color
- Yellow by default; use colors to group notes by topic or reviewer.
- Open or collapsed
- Collapsed shows only the icon; open shows the note text next to it.
- On download
- Keep notes as PDF annotations, flatten them into the page, or leave them out.
Input
Output
Good to know before you start
- Unflattened note text usually does not print; most readers print only the icon. Flatten or use a text box when the words must appear on paper.
- Notes have no reply threads. Use comments for back-and-forth discussion.
- Exact note icon appearance depends on the PDF reader the recipient uses.
Add sticky notes to PDF: questions people ask
What is the difference between a sticky note and a comment?
A sticky note is one message pinned to a point. A comment is anchored to an area and supports replies and a resolved state.
Will my sticky notes print?
Kept as annotations, most readers print only the icon. Choose flatten on download, or use a text box, if the note text must print.
Can I change a note's color?
Yes. Each note can have its own color, which helps separate topics or reviewers.
Can recipients open my notes in other PDF apps?
Yes, if you download without flattening and with comments included; notes are standard PDF note annotations.
Can I hide all notes for a clean copy?
Turn off comments and notes in the download options; your working copy keeps them.