While you are reading a PDF document, you may want to highlight text just as you would in a hard-copy document. To highlight a PDF from a browser, Adobe Reader or Acrobat or Preview (for Macs), follow these instructions.
EditSteps
EditFrom a Browser
- Click on Save. Since most PDFs can’t be modified from within web browsers, you’ll have to save a copy to your computer to highlight.
- Save the file in an easy-to-find location, open it, and highlight using a method below.
EditAdobe Reader (Free)
- Open your PDF using Adobe Reader. This is the free edition of Adobe Acrobat that allows you to preview, fill out, and make other small modifications to PDF files. Double-clicking a PDF file in Windows will usually open it in Reader as the default (unless you have a professional or alternative version).
- Click the Highlight Text button. This shows the letter “T” (for “text”) highlighted in yellow.
- Click and drag your mouse over the text you wish to highlight.
EditAdobe Acrobat Pro
- Open your PDF using Acrobat.
- Click the Highlight Text button. This shows the letter “T” (for “text”) highlighted in yellow.
- Click and drag your mouse over the text you wish to highlight.
EditPreview (for Mac users)
- Open your PDF using Preview
- Go to Tools>Annotate>Highlight Text or press
- Click and drag your mouse over the text you wish to highlight.
EditTips
- Digitally highlighting text is similar to highlighting in real life; click where you want to begin, drag over the desired text, and release when you’ve reached the end of the desired text. Repeat over other lines as desired.
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