Write or draw on a PDF for free
You can type and draw on a PDF for free with tools you may already have. Adobe Acrobat Reader lets you type text on the page, draw freehand and sign. On a Mac, Preview has a Markup toolbar with text, sketch and signature tools. Microsoft Edge can ink and highlight PDFs. To do it in any browser and share the result with a link, upload the PDF to Markup Hero, add text, drawings and a signature, then share it or export a PDF.
Try Markup Hero Free
Step by step
Open Markup Hero
Go to markuphero.com/new in your browser. You can try it right away with no sign-up or credit card. You can also create a free account.
Upload your PDF
Upload the PDF from your computer or phone. Multi-page PDFs come in with all their pages. On the free plan each upload can be up to 8 MB.
Type on the page
Pick the text tool, click where you want the words and type. Change the font size and color, and move or rotate the text box until it sits where you need it.
Draw or highlight
Use the pen to write or draw freehand and the highlighter to mark lines of text. Arrows, lines, rectangles and ovals help point things out. Undo and redo fix any slip.
Add your signature
Use the signature tool to sign the PDF and place it on the right page. Blur any account numbers or personal details you do not want others to see.
Share or export
Copy the share link to send by email, Slack or text, where it shows a thumbnail preview. Or export a multi-page PDF, or download a page as a PNG. On the free plan your annotations stay editable for 24 hours.
Adobe Acrobat Reader: free on desktop and mobile
Adobe Acrobat Reader is free to download and use without a subscription, on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. On the desktop, Adobe lists these commenting tools: sticky notes, typing text directly onto the page, highlight, underline, strikethrough and a freehand drawing tool. Adobe says the same tools are in the mobile app.
To sign, open the PDF, click Sign in the toolbar, then draw, type or upload an image of your signature. Adobe says you can save the signed file for free. The Fill & Sign tool also lets you type answers into a form. One limit to know: Adobe says editing the existing text and images of a PDF is not available in Reader and needs Acrobat Standard or Acrobat Pro.
Preview on a Mac: the Markup toolbar
On a Mac, open the PDF in the Preview app, click the Markup button if the toolbar is not showing, and use its tools. Apple's Preview guide lists a Text tool (type your text, then drag the box where you want it), Sketch and Draw tools for freehand lines, shapes, highlights, notes and a Sign tool. Draw appears only on Macs with a Force Touch trackpad.
Apple notes that you cannot edit the text of a PDF in Preview; the tools add markup on top. To keep your annotations editable, choose File > Save, File > Export or File > Export to PDF. To flatten them so they cannot be changed, choose File > Print, then Save as PDF.
- Signatures: Preview can capture your signature with the trackpad, the Mac's built-in camera, or a nearby iPhone or iPad.
- Markup is also built into other Apple apps, such as Mail, Notes and Photos.
Microsoft Edge's built-in PDF reader
Microsoft Edge comes with a built-in PDF reader on Windows and macOS. Microsoft's documentation says you can annotate these files with ink and highlighting, and change the ink color and stroke width. To add a typed note, select some text, right-click it and choose Add Comment, which opens a text box for your comment. Edge also fills in basic PDF forms.
Writing on a PDF with Markup Hero
Markup Hero runs in any modern web browser on a computer, phone or tablet, so there is nothing to install, including on a Chromebook. You upload the PDF, and every page of a multi-page file comes in. You get a text tool, a pen, a highlighter, arrows, shapes, a signature tool and blur for anything private. When you are done, share a link, or export a PDF or a PNG.
The free Basic plan has 25 markups, uploads up to 8 MB, and keeps your annotations editable for 24 hours. Premium ($10/month, or $3/month billed yearly) keeps them editable forever and allows 50 MB uploads. If your PDF lives in Google Drive, the free Drive app opens it straight from Drive: see annotate a PDF in Google Drive.
Which one should you use?
- Filling in and signing a form on your own computer or phone: Acrobat Reader, or Preview on a Mac.
- Quick ink or highlights on a PDF you already opened in Edge: Edge's built-in reader.
- Sending marked-up pages to someone as a link, from any browser: Markup Hero. See also Markup Hero vs Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Working without an internet connection: a desktop app such as Reader or Preview. Markup Hero edits in the browser and needs a connection.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type on a PDF for free?
In Adobe Acrobat Reader you can type text directly onto the page. In Preview on a Mac, use the Text tool in the Markup toolbar. In Markup Hero, upload the PDF at markuphero.com/new and use the text tool, with no sign-up needed to try it.
Can I sign a PDF for free?
Yes. Adobe says Acrobat Reader lets you draw, type or upload your signature and save the signed file for free. Preview on a Mac has a Sign tool. Markup Hero's signature tool is included on the free Basic plan.
Can I write on a PDF on a phone or Chromebook?
Acrobat Reader has iOS and Android apps with the same commenting tools as the desktop. Markup Hero works in the mobile browser and in Chrome on a Chromebook, so you do not install anything. There is no separate Markup Hero app for iPhone, iPad or Android.
Can I change the existing text in a PDF?
Not with the free readers covered here. Adobe says text and image editing is not available in Acrobat Reader and needs Acrobat Standard or Pro. Apple says you cannot edit the text of a PDF in Preview. You can still type new words onto the page with any of the tools above.
Is Markup Hero free for PDFs?
Yes. The Basic plan is free forever with 25 markups, 8 MB uploads and annotations editable for 24 hours. Premium is $10/month or $3/month billed yearly ($36/year), with unlimited markups, 50 MB uploads and annotations that stay editable forever. Lifetime is $199 one-time.
Who can see a PDF I share from Markup Hero?
You decide who gets the share link, and you can change the sharing and privacy settings for each markup, and blur sensitive details before you share. People you share with can add their own annotations to your shared markup.
Prices and features checked on November 12, 2026 on each product's own website: adobe.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, learn.microsoft.com. Prices can change; check the vendor's site before you buy.
More comparisons: Markup Hero vs. other screenshot tools.
New and coming soon from Markup Hero
Photo reports are live in SuperHero plans, and two more tools are on the way. Join a waitlist to get early access.
Markup Hero for teams in: