Reviewing a contract or a manuscript almost always means marking it up — yellow highlights on phrases you want to discuss, sticky notes with questions, comments on specific paragraphs.
PDF notes do this without touching the document itself. The author still sees their original; you've added a review layer they can read, reply to, or strip out.
Choose the right annotation type
Sticky notes for short comments anchored to a specific spot. Highlights for marking up phrases you want to flag. Strikethrough for proposing deletions. Underline for emphasis. Free-text boxes for longer comments that don't need to be tied to a spot.
The more standard you keep your markup, the easier it is for the recipient to act on it.
Annotate in the editor
Open the PDF in Flint's annotation tool. Pick the tool, click the spot, type the comment. Notes appear as small icons that expand on hover or click.
Sign each comment if multiple reviewers are working on the same file. "AB: I'd cut this paragraph" reads differently from an unsigned "cut this paragraph".
Send back as a single file
Save the annotated PDF and send it back. The recipient sees your comments inline, can reply to each one, and can resolve or remove them.
If you want to send a clean copy at the end (no comments visible), the original author can flatten the file or strip annotations entirely.
FAQ
Will my notes show when printed?
It depends on the reader's settings. Most readers print notes by default but can be set to hide them. Test before printing a clean copy.
Can multiple people annotate the same PDF?
Yes, sequentially. Each reviewer adds notes and passes the file on. For real-time collaboration, look at tools designed for that — annotations work best for asynchronous review.
Are sticky notes preserved across PDF readers?
Yes. Annotations are part of the PDF standard and work across readers.
How do I remove all annotations at once?
Flatten the PDF to bake annotations into the page, or delete them in bulk in the annotation tool.
Annotations turn a PDF into a conversation. Mark up the file in Flint's annotation tool and send it back with everything in one place.