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Annotate and Mark Up PDF Files Online for Free

Annotate and Mark Up PDF Files Online for Free

Free plan
No install
Trusted by 100M+ users
Secure document processing

Mark up any PDF without installing a thing. Highlight text, drop sticky notes, draw on pages, and whiteout content — all from your browser in a few clicks.

How it works

01

Upload Your PDF

Drag and drop your PDF into DocHub, or upload it from your device. Your document opens instantly in the browser editor.

02

Add Your Annotations

Select a tool from the Tool Bar: highlight text, drop a sticky note comment, underline, draw, add text, or insert a stamp. Click anywhere on the document to place the annotation — all can be moved, resized, or deleted after placement.

03

Download or Share

Save your annotated PDF to your device or Google Drive, share via a link, or send it for signing. Sign up for free to download and share — no credit card needed.

Experience the benefits of Annotate PDF

Highlight & Underline

Highlight text in 6 colors or underline any passage. Choose between box highlights for areas or text highlights that follow the exact words.

Sticky Note Comments

Drop a comment anywhere on the document — comments expand into pop-up windows. Ideal for contract negotiation, collaboration, or teacher feedback on student assignments.

Draw Freehand or Shapes

Use the Draw tool to sketch freeform lines or place auto-drawn shapes: circles, rectangles, straight lines, and arrows. Set your own brush size and color.

Add Text Anywhere

Insert text in your choice of font, size, and color. Click to place or drag to frame the exact width you need.

Whiteout & Redact

Cover content with white space (whiteout) or black (redact). Use box mode or text mode for precise, clean coverage.

Works with Google Drive

Open PDFs from Google Drive or Gmail, annotate in the browser, and save the annotated version back with one click — no file downloading required.

Integrate DocHub with the apps you use and love

Get your documents done with ease from wherever you are working. DocHub connects to popular web applications so you can edit, sign, and share documents right from your favorite apps.

See all integrations

In-person signatures for your critical documents

Reviewing a contract before signing

You receive a contract and need to flag questions or suggest edits before agreeing. Add sticky note comments to specific clauses and highlight the sections you want to discuss — then share the marked-up version without printing anything.

Grading student PDF assignments

Teachers open student PDFs submitted via Google Classroom, add inline feedback with comments and highlights, and return them — no printing, no emailing attachments, no separate grading tool needed.

Marking up a design brief or proposal

You need to leave feedback on a PDF proposal before the next meeting. Highlight key sections, add text notes, and use underlines to call out specific passages before forwarding to the team.

Redacting sensitive information before sharing

Before sending a document externally, use the Whiteout tool to cover confidential names, numbers, or addresses. DocHub Pro users can apply black redaction for fully opaque coverage.

Industry-leading security and compliance

DocHub complies with industry-leading standards, regulations, and certifications to ensure the most effective and secure workflows.

SOC 2 Type II certification

Guarantees the secure management of your data & the privacy of your clients.

HIPAA compliance

Protects your patients' private health information.

GDPR compliance

Regulates the use and holding of personal data belonging to EU residents.

PCI DSS certification

Safeguards credit/debit card data for every monetary transaction a customer makes.

FERPA

Protects the privacy of student records maintained by an educational institution.

CPRA compliance

Enhances the protection of personal data and privacy belonging to California residents.

Here's what our users have to say

Great solution for PDF docs with very little pre-knowledge required.

"Simplicity, familiarity with the menu and user-friendly. It's easy to navigate, make changes and edit whatever you may need. Because it's used alongside Google, the document is always saved, so you don't have to worry about it."

Pam Driscoll F
Teacher

A Valuable Document Signer for Small Businesses.

"I love that DocHub is incredibly affordable and customizable. It truly does everything I need it to do, without a large price tag like some of its more well known competitors. I am able to send secure documents directly to me clients emails and via in real time when they are viewing and making alterations to a document."

Jiovany A
Small-Business

I can create refillable copies for the templates that I select and then I can publish those.

"I like to work and organize my work in the appropriate way to meet and even exceed the demands that are made daily in the office, so I enjoy working with PDF files, I think they are more professional and versatile, they allow..."

Victoria G
Small-Business

Related features

Got questions?

Here are some common questions from our customers that may provide you with the answer you're looking for. If you can't find an answer to your question, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Contact us

What annotation tools does DocHub include?

DocHub's Tool Bar includes: Add Text, Edit Text, Draw (freeform + shapes), Highlight, Underline, Strikethrough, Comment (sticky notes), Whiteout/Redact, Stamp, and Insert Image. All annotations can be moved, resized, or deleted after placement.

Is highlighting free in DocHub?

The Highlight tool is available on the Basic plan and above. Other annotation tools — Text, Draw, Comment, Stamp, Underline — are available on all plans including Free, subject to the 3 documents per month limit on the free plan.

Can I annotate a PDF on my phone?

Yes. DocHub works in mobile browsers on iOS and Android. All annotation tools are available on mobile without downloading an app or plugin.

Can I undo annotations after placing them?

Yes. DocHub has Undo and Redo buttons in the Tool Bar. You can also click any annotation at any time to move, resize, or delete it.

Do I need a DocHub account to annotate a PDF?

A free DocHub account is required to download your annotated PDF. Signing up takes under a minute and gives you access to 3 free document edits per month.

Does DocHub work with Google Drive?

Yes. Open PDFs directly from Google Drive or Gmail, annotate them in DocHub, and save the annotated version back to your Drive without downloading the file to your device.

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