Free PDF Annotator & Editor
Updated September 2026
Add text labels, rectangle boxes, and image stamps to a PDF in your browser. Draw and mark up documents — free online PDF annotator, no upload, up to 3 pages free.
The PDF Annotator is a free online tool that add text labels, rectangle boxes, and image stamps to a pdf in your browser. draw and mark up documents — free online pdf annotator, no upload, up to 3 pages free.
Add text labels, rectangle boxes, and image stamps to a PDF in your browser. Draw and mark up documents — free online PDF annotator, no upload, up to 3 pages free. Results are immediate — no waiting, no loading screens, no account required.
Who uses the PDF Annotator?
- Students annotating short academic paper excerpts with text notes and highlighted boxes for study notes (within the free 3-page limit).
- Reviewers marking up draft documents with text comments and rectangle call-outs for authors.
- Pro users annotating longer contracts or multi-page forms with text labels and a company stamp image.
Common uses and search terms
The PDF Annotator is frequently used for: pdf annotator, annotate pdf, add text to pdf, pdf signature, pdf editor online. Whether you need a quick result or are working through a longer project, the tool handles all common variations without any configuration.
Why use Allio Tools's PDF Annotator?
Everything runs locally in your browser. No data is sent to a server, logged, or stored anywhere. The tool is completely free with no usage limits, no premium tiers, and no account required. Available in 11 languages and optimised for all screen sizes, the PDF Annotator works on desktop, tablet, and mobile with no app download needed.
See also:PDF Split & Merge · Rotate PDF · PDF to Text
How the PDF Annotator works
Upload your PDF to open it in the annotator viewer.
Select a tool: Text (click to place a text label), Rectangle (click and drag to draw a box outline), or Image (upload a stamp image, then click to place it).
Adjust colour and size from the toolbar, then click or drag on the page to add annotations.
Click Save Annotated PDF to download the file with your marks burned into the page content. Free accounts can annotate PDFs up to 3 pages — Pro removes the limit.
Tips & tricks
- Only three tools exist — Text, Rectangle, and Image stamp. There's no highlight, underline, strikethrough, freehand draw, or comment tool despite what you might expect from a PDF annotator.
- Annotations are flattened into the page content on save, not saved as real interactive PDF annotation objects — a recipient opening the file in Acrobat sees permanent marks, not editable comments.
- Password-protected PDFs aren't supported — there's no unlock/password step, so an encrypted file will fail to load.
- Undo removes only the last annotation placed; Clear wipes every annotation on every page at once — there's no way to delete a single earlier mark without also undoing everything after it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What annotation tools are available — highlight, underline, strikethrough, freehand drawing, comments?
None of those exist. Only three tools are available: Text (click-to-place labels), Rectangle (click-and-drag box outlines), and Image (click-to-place image stamps). There's no highlighter, underline, strikethrough, freehand pen, or comment/note tool.
Are annotations embedded as standard, editable PDF annotation objects?
No — despite how it may sound, your marks are drawn directly onto the page's static content when you save, the same as if they were part of the original page graphics. They are not interactive PDF annotation objects (like Acrobat comments), so a recipient can't toggle them on/off, reply to them, or move them after the fact — they're permanently flattened into the page.
Can I annotate a password-protected PDF?
No — there's no password prompt or unlock step anywhere in the tool. Attempting to load an encrypted PDF will fail to open in the annotator.
Is there a free page limit?
Yes. Free accounts can annotate PDFs up to 3 pages — pages beyond that require Pro to view and mark up.
Can I delete annotations after adding them?
Only via Undo (removes the single most recently placed annotation, across whichever page you last drew on) or Clear (removes every annotation on every page). There's no click-to-select-and-delete for one specific mark — you can't remove just one earlier annotation while keeping the rest.
Is my data safe when using the PDF Annotator?
Completely safe. The PDF Annotator processes everything locally in your browser. No input data, results, or usage information is ever transmitted to or stored on any server.
Can I use the PDF Annotator on my phone or tablet?
Yes. The PDF Annotator is fully responsive and works on all modern smartphones and tablets. No app download is required — open your mobile browser, navigate to the tool, and use it exactly as you would on a desktop.
How do I share the PDF Annotator results?
Copy the result text or take a screenshot to share via message, email, or social media. The tool URL can also be bookmarked and shared directly — the PDF Annotator works for anyone with a modern browser, no account required.
Works with ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, VS Code, Poe and more — 106+ tools, zero data collection.