Comments and Sticky Notes
By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated
Review a PDF with comments: add sticky notes, reply to other reviewers, set a status, and edit and delete comments in the Comments panel.
When someone asks you to "review" a PDF, they want your feedback on the document, not a new version of it. PDF comments let you do that: you stick notes on the page, reply to other reviewers, and mark each point as done, while the original text stays exactly as it was. In this lesson, you'll read, add, edit, reply to, and delete comments and sticky notes, and track them in the Comments panel.
You'll practise on a draft of the Riverton Community News. The editor, Priya, and a colleague, Sam, have already left some comments.
What is a comment?
A comment (also called an annotation) is something added on top of a PDF page. It doesn't change the page's text; it sits above it, like a sticky note on paper. Every comment records:
- Who wrote it (the author's name).
- When it was written (date and time).
- What it says (the comment text), plus any replies.
- Its status, such as Accepted or Completed.
Comments travel with the file: when you download the PDF and send it on, the next person sees every comment and can reply.
In the sandbox, your comments are signed Guest. In Adobe Acrobat Reader and other apps, they show the name you set in the app's preferences, so set it before you review a document for work.
The simplest comment to start with is the sticky note.
Sticky notes
A sticky note is the simplest comment: a small speech-bubble icon on the page with your text inside it. Use it for a remark about a place on the page: "Add a photo here", "This table is out of date".
Here is how to add one:
Add a sticky note
- Click Add Comments (the speech bubble in the main toolbar).
- Click on the page where the note belongs. A yellow note icon appears.
- Double-click the icon. The Comments panel opens on the right with an empty box: Add a comment...
- Type your comment and click Post.
Put the note next to the thing you're commenting on, so readers know what it's about.
Once you have more than one or two comments, the panel that lists them all becomes your main tool.
The Comments panel
The Comments panel lists every comment in the document, grouped by page, with its author, date, and text. It lets you see all the feedback in one place instead of searching the pages for comment icons.
- Open it: click Edit Annotation (the pen-and-page button in the toolbar), then Comment Panel at the right end of the second toolbar, or press Ctrl + Alt + 0. Double-clicking any comment on the page opens it too.
- Go to a comment: click it in the panel, and the viewer jumps to it on the page.
- The panel lists markup (highlights, underlines) and drawings too, each with its own icon. You'll add those in the next two lessons.
When the comments aren't yours, the panel is also where you read them and answer them.
Review notes: read and reply
When someone else has commented, read each comment and respond:
- Click the comment in the Comments panel.
- Click Add a reply under it, type your answer, and click Post.
Your reply appears under the original comment, with your name. A conversation in one place is much clearer than a separate email that says "about the third comment on page 2...".
Once a point is settled, the ⋮ menu can mark it as done:
Set a status
Each comment's ⋮ (more options) menu has Set Status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Accepted | I agree; the change will be made |
| Rejected | I disagree; no change |
| Cancelled | The comment no longer applies |
| Completed | The change has been made |
| None | No status yet |
Statuses let everyone see at a glance which points are dealt with and which are still open.
Answer every comment, even if it's just "Done" or a status. An unanswered comment leaves the writer wondering whether you saw it.
Comments aren't set in stone: you can change your own, and take back mistakes.
Edit and delete comments
- Edit your own comment: click ⋮ on it in the Comments panel, choose Edit, change the text, and click Post.
- Delete a comment: click ⋮ and choose Delete. Or click the note icon on the page and press the Delete key.
Deleting a comment removes it for everyone who gets the file afterwards. Delete your own mistakes freely, but think twice before deleting someone else's comment: it's usually better to reply and set a status.
Made a mistake? Undo (Ctrl + Z, or the curved arrow in the toolbar) brings back a deleted comment or removes one you just added.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Typing the comment but not clicking Post | The note is empty | Double-click the note, type again, and click Post |
| Clicking the page with Add Comments still active | Extra empty notes appear | Delete the extras; click the arrow tool when you're done |
| Vague comments | The writer doesn't know what to change | Say what and why: "18:00 should be 19:00 (Sam)" |
| Sending a reviewed file without downloading it | Your comments are lost | Download the PDF after commenting |
| Deleting instead of replying | Others can't see the discussion | Reply, then set a status |
Exercise
Here is your chance to run a review yourself.
Click Open the practice PDF below. It opens the Riverton Community News draft, with comments from Priya and Sam already on it. Then do each task and press Check.
What to remember
- Comments sit on top of the page; they never change the text.
- Add Comments + click the page places a sticky note; double-click it to type, then Post.
- The Comments panel (Edit Annotation > Comment Panel, or Ctrl + Alt + 0) lists every comment by page.
- Add a reply to answer a comment; ⋮ > Set Status marks it Accepted, Completed, and so on.
- ⋮ > Edit changes your comment; ⋮ > Delete (or the Delete key) removes it; Ctrl + Z undoes.
- Download the PDF to keep and share your comments.
In the next lesson, you'll mark up the text itself: highlight, underline, and strike out.