Articles on: Annotations

How do I use the Text Marking tools? (Highlight, Underline, Squiggle and Strikethrough)

There are four text marking tools on the Annotation Bar. Each tool is designed to work in straight lines and works on script text:

NOTE: Underline and Squiggle can sometimes share the same icon box, depending on the size and orientation of your device. Touch / click + hold on the small caret next to one icon to display a sub-menu with the other tool.

Are these text marking tools not working on your document? Check to see if your PDF might be flattened.

Configuring the Marking

Touch or click the annotation (be sure to not have any other tools selected) to display this palette:

Copy to copy the annotation and paste it somewhere else in the document. Touch and hold (iPad / iPhone) or right-click / Control + click / 2-finger trackpad touch (Mac) anywhere on the page to display the Paste command;
Type to change the annotation type (e.g., highlight to strikethrough);
Color to change its color;
Opacity to adjust its opacity;
Layer to move or copy the annotation to another layer;
Tag to assign the highlighted text to a tag category;
Note for adding an Attached Note;
Trash to delete the annotation.

On an iPad or an iPhone, touch and hold a piece of text to display selection pins and the standard iOS palette to copy, highlight, underline, squiggle, strikethrough and create a link:

More commands will be displayed if the right-pointing arrow on the right end of the palette is clicked.

NOTE: Only free drawn annotations (Drawing and Freeform Highlight) can be erased using the eraser tool.

What's Next

How Type Notes into your Script with Text Boxes

How do I draw shapes?

What are Saved Annotations, and how do I use them?

Updated on: 11/08/2025

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