Top 6 PDF Highlighters to Boost Your Efficiency and Productivity

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Meta Description: Explore the top 6 PDF highlighters to improve your document management. Find the best tools to boost your productivity. Read now and elevate your workflow with UPDF!

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Efficiently managing documents is crucial and a good PDF highlighter can significantly enhance your workflow. This article explores the top PDF highlighters to boost your productivity. Read on to discover the best tools to streamline your document annotation process.

Part 1. Top 6 PDF Highlighters to Improve Your Efficiency

Highlighting text in PDFs is a crucial feature for students, professionals, and anyone dealing with digital documents. Choosing the right PDF highlighter can significantly enhance your productivity and efficiency. In this section, we will explore the top six PDF highlighters that can help streamline your workflow and boost your document management.

#1 UPDF

UPDF is a user-friendly and multi-functional PDF highlighter, perfect for anyone looking to efficiently manage their documents. Users can easily highlight PDFs. What is more, they can also change the highlight color and use the pencil to draw on the PDFs.

Pros:

• Users can change the color, thickness, and type of the highligher.
• Also offers other 12 tools for annotating PDFs, including sticky notes, underlines, stickers, stamps, text comments, text boxes, and more.
• Users can easily manage (delete, export, etc.) their all the added highlights through the Comment List.
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices
• Offers many other PDF tools like PDF editor, converter, and AI assistant.
• User-friendly interface

Cons:

• Advanced features may require a subscription

Here’s how you can get started with UPDF to improve your productivity and document organization.

Steps:

1. Open UPDF and Upload Document: Begin by downloading and launching UPDF on your device. Open the PDF document you want to highlight by clicking on Open File or dragging the file into the UPDF window.
2. Access the Comment Tool: Once your document is open, locate the comment button on the left menu bar. Clicking this will bring up the comment tools on the top menu bar.
3. Highlight Your Text: Click the Highlight button on the top menu bar to activate the highlighter. You can then choose your preferred highlighter color. After selecting your color, start highlighting the desired text by clicking and dragging over the sections you want to emphasize.

UPDF’s simplicity and ease of use make it a great choice for any user needing a reliable, no-cost PDF highlighter. For those who need more advanced features, considering a subscription may be beneficial.

#2 Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, the default web browser for Windows, includes built-in PDF highlighting features that are free to use. Here’s more information on it:

Pros:

• Free to use
• Basic PDF highlighting features are offered
• Online tool, easy to use
• AI features are free

Cons:

• No editing tools
• Requires downloading another browser if you are using Chrome

Steps:

1. Open a PDF File: Start by opening Microsoft Edge on your device. Navigate to the PDF file you want to highlight by opening it directly within the browser.
2. Access the Toolbar: Just below the address bar, you’ll see a toolbar with various options, including Draw and Erase.
3. Highlight Your Text: Select the Draw option to activate the drawing tool. You can then start writing or highlighting directly on the PDF file by clicking and dragging over the sections you wish to emphasize.

#3 Smallpdf

Smallpdf is an online PDF tool that works seamlessly across various operating systems without the need for installation. It is also a great PDF highlighter which offers various highlighting tools. Here’s an overview:

Pros:

• Works with various operating systems
• No installation required

Cons:

• Limited free features; advanced tools require a subscription
• Dependent on internet connectivity
• Potential privacy concerns with uploading sensitive documents
• Not friendly for highlighting a PDF with various pages.

Steps:

1. Open Your File: Start by navigating to the Smallpdf website. Upload the PDF document you want to highlight using the PDF Annotator tool.
2. Select the Highlighter: Once your document is open, click on the highlighter icon in the toolbar.
3. Choose Highlighting Options: Pick your preferred color, thickness, and opacity for the highlighter.
4. Highlight Text: Drag your cursor over the text you’d like to highlight. The selected text will be highlighted according to your chosen settings.
5. Save Your Changes: After highlighting, download or export your file to save the changes.

#4 AvePDF

AvePDF is a robust online PDF tool that allows users to annotate and highlight documents without the need for installation. Let’s go over some key points:

Pros:

• No installation required
• Can pull files from cloud storage

Cons:

• Maximum file size of 128 MB

Steps:

1. Upload Your PDF File: To start, drop your PDF file into the AvePDF interface or upload it from your device or cloud storage service.
2. Access Annotations: Click on the Annotations icon in the left sidebar to access the annotation tools.
3. Highlight Text: Select the highlighter tool from the annotations menu. Customize the highlighter as needed, then drag your cursor over the text you want to highlight.
4. Add Comments: Click on the highlighted text to open a small menu at the bottom right corner. Select the Comment icon and fill in the necessary information, such as author and message.
5. Save: Click the Save button to save your annotations and comments.

#5 Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is a leading PDF tool known for its comprehensive features and professional-grade capabilities. Here’s what you need to know:

Pros:

• Comprehensive features
• Professional-grade tools
• Reliable and widely used

Cons:

• Requires a subscription for full features
• Can be complex for new users

Steps:

1. Open Your PDF: Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the PDF document you want to highlight.
2. Access the Comment Tool: Click on the “Comment” tool in the right-hand pane. This will bring up the annotation tools, including the highlighter.
3. Highlight Text: Select the highlighter icon from the toolbar. Choose your preferred color and opacity settings. Drag your cursor over the text you want to highlight.
4. Save Your Document: After finishing your highlighting and annotations, click on “File” and then “Save” to save your document with the changes.

#6 Web Highlights

Web Highlights is a popular tool for annotating and highlighting PDFs directly from your browser. Here’s more information on it:

Pros:

• Highly rated
• Offers browser extension
• Can be used directly from the browser

Cons:

• Installation required
• Internet connectivity required

Steps:

1. Install Web Highlights: Start by installing Web Highlights and adding the extension to your web browser. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.
2. Open Your PDF: Navigate to the PDF document you want to highlight. You can open it directly in your browser if it supports PDF viewing.
3. Highlight Text: Simply highlight the text you want to annotate by clicking and dragging your cursor over it. A toolbar will appear allowing you the option to select the highlight color.
4. Save Your Highlights: The highlights will be saved automatically, and you can access them anytime within your browser.

Part 2. FAQs About PDF Highlighters

Q1. Why can’t I highlight text in PDF?

You might be unable to highlight text if the document is protected or encrypted. Additionally, some PDF viewers do not offer highlighting features, so switching to a more capable PDF viewer might be necessary.

Q2. Why can’t I highlight text in Preview?

Highlighting text in Preview might be restricted if the document is protected. Additionally, Preview might not support highlighting for certain types of PDFs, such as scanned documents or those with non-selectable text.

Q3. How do I change the highlight format in PDF?

To change the highlight format in a PDF, select the highlighted text, then access the highlighting tool’s options. You can typically adjust the color, opacity, and thickness of the highlight to suit your preferences.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the top six PDF highlighters showcased offer a range of features to enhance your document annotation experience. Whether you prioritize user-friendly interfaces, robust collaboration tools, or advanced annotation capabilities, there’s a highlighter to meet your needs. By leveraging these tools, you can streamline your workflow, improve your study habits, or enhance your professional document handling. Choose the one that best aligns with your requirements and elevate your PDF interaction to the next level.