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Add Text or a Highlight to a PDF

Place a line of text or a highlight block onto any page. The original document is left exactly as it was — your additions sit on top of it.

Files are never uploaded

How to use it

Add the PDF

Drop the document above or click to browse. Everything stays on your device.

Choose what to add

Text writes a line of words onto the page. A highlight block paints a translucent colour band, the way a marker pen would.

Say which pages

Type "all", a single page, or a list such as "1, 3-5". The same content is added to each page you name.

Set the position

Position is a percentage of the page measured from the top-left corner. 50 across and 10 down puts your content horizontally centred and near the top. Adjust and run again if it lands somewhere unexpected.

Download

The result is saved with "-edited" in its name. The original is untouched, and running the tool again adds the next element on top.

Common issues

The text landed in the wrong place

Percentages are easy to misjudge on a tall page. Open the result, note roughly where it sits, then adjust x and y towards the spot you want — a couple of runs is usually enough.

Text runs off the right edge

x plus the length of the line can exceed the page width. Reduce x, shorten the text, or lower the size in Advanced options.

A highlight sits at the wrong height

Its y marks the top of the block and the height is a share of the page, so 5% is a thin band on a tall page. Raise the height if the line you meant to mark is thicker than that.

The highlight hides something you needed

Highlights are translucent, so what is underneath stays visible; raise the opacity only when you really mean to obscure it. Move the block with x and y instead.

Frequently asked questions

Does this change the original text?
No. Your addition is drawn on top of the page as new content; the existing text and images are not touched. To remove something that is already there, use Redact PDF.
How do the position percentages work?
x is measured from the left edge and y from the top, both as a share of the page. So x=50 is the middle of the page and y=5 is just below the top edge — the same way positions work on a web page.
Can I add several things at once?
Not in one run. Add one element, download it, then run the tool again on the result to place the next element on top. That keeps each addition predictable.
Can I edit text that is already in the PDF?
No. Overlaying cannot rewrite existing content — the original words stay exactly where they are. Cover the old line with a highlight, or redact it, then write the new text beside it.
Can I add an image or a logo?
Use Overlay PDF to layer a whole page, or Sign PDF to place a signature image. This tool writes text and highlight blocks.
Will the added text be selectable?
Yes — it is real text, so it can be selected, copied and searched. Highlight blocks are shapes and carry no text of their own.
Why did my text come out blank?
Characters outside the Latin set, such as Chinese, Japanese or Cyrillic, cannot be drawn with the built-in font and are removed. Use a Latin-alphabet line, or add the wording as an image instead.
Can I rotate the added text?
No, additions are drawn horizontally. For a diagonal mark across the page, use Watermark PDF.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The document is read, annotated and saved entirely in your browser.

Related tools

Redact PDFCovering text with a black box does not remove it — the words are still in the file and can be copied straight out. This tool deletes them properly: matching pages are re-drawn with the sensitive areas filled in solid black. Watermark PDFStamp a word or phrase across every page — CONFIDENTIAL, DRAFT, your company name. Decide how strong it looks, then download. Sign PDFDraw your signature, or type your name and let the tool write it out. Then choose where it sits on the page and download the signed document. Flatten PDFTurn the answers in a fillable form into ordinary page content, so the completed document can no longer be edited, cleared or accidentally changed.

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About this page. Written and maintained by the AI-Mind team. Last reviewed 11 October 2026. This tool runs entirely in your browser. Found an error or have a suggestion? Use the feedback form above or email [email protected].