Mark up a PDF
Mark what needs fixing with shapes, lines and strikeouts, explain it in a note, and send back one marked-up PDF.
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What it does
Markup PDF, explained
To mark up a PDF, draw correction marks directly on the page — a box around the problem, a strikeout through wrong words, an arrow to where something should move — and add a short note saying what to change. PDFBetter opens with the rectangle tool selected and keeps every markup tool one click away.
Read more
Markup is a correction workflow. A designer sends a print proof and you box the logo that is too small, strike out a duplicated line and draw an arrow to where the caption belongs. A contractor sends a floor plan and you circle the wrong door swing. Each mark is a separate object you can move, recolor or delete until you send the file back.
It overlaps with annotation but is narrower. Annotate PDF is the overview for every reading and review tool, including highlighting and threaded comments. Markup is about pointing at exact spots that must change, so the tools here are shapes, lines, arrows, strikeout, underline and freehand ink.
Use a consistent color code — red for must fix, blue for questions — and a reviewer can scan a 20-page proof in minutes. Keep comments unflattened on download if the recipient should be able to read and resolve your notes in their own PDF app.
How to do it
Mark up a PDF in 4 steps
1Your PDF
2Mark it up
3Notes on the page
- 1
Upload the proof or drawing
The rectangle tool is active; the toolbar also has ellipse, line, arrow, strikeout, underline and pen.
- 2
Mark each problem
Draw a box or circle around it, strike out text to delete, or underline text to emphasize.
- 3
Say what to change
Add a sticky note or comment next to the mark with the instruction.
- 4
Send it back
Download with a free account, or share a review link so others can reply to your comments.
Example
Before and after
A 4-page print proof of a restaurant menu with a misspelled dish, a price in the wrong column and a logo that is too small.
The misspelling struck out in red with a note giving the correct spelling, the price boxed with an arrow to the right column, and the logo circled with the note “increase to 1.25 in wide”.
Settings & formats
What you can control
- Shapes
- Rectangles and ellipses with stroke color, stroke width, optional fill and opacity.
- Lines and arrows
- Straight lines and arrows with a head at one or both ends.
- Text marks
- Strikeout and underline that follow the selected words.
- Pen
- Freehand ink for quick circles, carets and handwritten marks.
Input
Output
Good to know before you start
- Marks sit on top of the page and do not change the underlying content. To actually fix the text, use Edit PDF.
- Strikeout and underline need a text layer; on scanned pages draw a line or box instead.
- If you flatten on download, marks and notes become part of the page and can no longer be moved or resolved by the recipient.
Markup PDF: questions people ask
What is the difference between markup and annotation?
Markup is the subset of annotation used to point out corrections: shapes, lines, arrows, strikeouts and ink. Annotation also covers highlighting for reading and threaded comments for discussion.
Can the person I send it to see my notes in their own PDF app?
Yes, if you download without flattening and with comments included; notes and comments are kept as standard PDF annotations.
Can I mark up a scanned drawing?
Yes. Shapes, arrows and the pen work on any page, including scans and photos converted to PDF.
Can several people mark up the same file?
Share a link with comment permission so reviewers can add comments to the same document; each comment records its author.
Will my marks print?
Yes. Shapes, lines, strikeouts and ink print with the page. Note pop-up text may not print unless you flatten.