Is my data secure when I upload documents?

Every file transfer is encrypted using TLS 1.3, the same security protocol used by banks. Once uploaded, files are stored encrypted and automatically deleted from our servers within 2 hours of processing, regardless of whether you download the result. We do not read, analyse, or share your documents with any third party.

What annotation tools are available?

The PDFHaul viewer includes text boxes, sticky notes, freehand drawing, shapes (rectangles, circles, and arrows), image insertion, stamps, and highlights. You can change colours and stroke weights for most tools. All annotation types are embedded into the PDF on download.

Do annotations get saved permanently into the PDF?

Yes. When you download the annotated PDF, all annotations are embedded directly into the file as standard PDF annotations. They are visible in any PDF viewer — Adobe Reader, Preview, browser-based viewers — without any special software. Recipients do not need PDFHaul to see your annotations.

Can I annotate PDFs on mobile?

Yes. The PDFHaul web app works on any modern browser on desktop, tablet, and mobile. Touch drawing for freehand annotations is fully supported on phones and tablets. The PDFHaul iOS and Android apps give you a faster native annotation experience including access from the share sheet.

What's the file size limit?

You can upload PDFs up to 5MB on the free tier. If you need to annotate larger documents, contact us — bulk processing for larger jobs is available.

Do I need to install software or create an account?

No installation and no signup required. PDFHaul runs entirely in your browser. You can annotate PDFs immediately without creating an account or providing an email address. If you want to save your processing history or access annotated files across devices, you can optionally sign in with Google.

Annotate PDF Online Free

Add text boxes, sticky notes, shapes, freehand drawings, and highlights to any PDF. All annotations are embedded into the file so they are visible in any PDF viewer. No software to install, no account required.

Drop your PDF here

or click to browse

Select PDF

Up to 10 MB

Enterprise-grade security

Files auto-delete

Free to get started

How to Annotate PDF

1
Upload your PDF
Click the upload area or drag and drop your PDF. Any PDF version is supported.
2
Add your annotations
Use the toolbar to add text boxes, sticky notes, shapes, freehand drawings, highlights, and stamps anywhere on the document. Change colours and sizes as needed.
3
Download your annotated PDF
Download the finished PDF with all annotations permanently embedded — visible in any PDF viewer without any plugins.

Why use PDFHaul
to annotate PDFs?

Full annotation toolkit

Text boxes, sticky notes, freehand drawing, rectangles, circles, arrows, image insertion, and stamps — everything you need to mark up a document thoroughly.

Annotations embedded permanently

Annotations are baked into the PDF on download — visible in Adobe Reader, Preview, and any browser PDF viewer without special software or PDFHaul.

Touch and mobile support

Freehand drawing works with a finger on a touchscreen. Use PDFHaul on tablet or phone for natural hand annotation on the go.

Files deleted in 2 hours

Your documents are automatically purged from our servers within 2 hours. Not stored, not analysed, not sold.

Who annotates
PDFs?

Annotation is one of the most common collaborative document tasks — reviewing, correcting, and commenting on a document before it is finalised.

Contract and document review

Mark up a contract with comments, questions, and suggested changes before sending it back to a counterparty or lawyer. Use different colours to distinguish open questions from approved sections.

Academic and research feedback

Add detailed margin comments, corrections, and questions to a student paper or research draft. Freehand drawing lets you mark up equations, diagrams, and handwritten content naturally.

Design and creative review

Mark up design proofs, layouts, and visual documents with arrows pointing to specific elements, text notes explaining changes, and shapes highlighting areas that need revision.

Field inspections and site reports

Annotate site diagrams, inspection forms, and floor plans on a tablet in the field. Add notes directly to the relevant locations on the document rather than writing separate notes.

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about annotating PDFs online

Yes, completely free. You can annotate unlimited PDF documents at no cost, with no watermarks on the output. No subscription required. PDFHaul is free for anyone who needs to mark up and comment on PDFs without paying for Adobe Acrobat.

More PDF tools

After annotating, sign, highlight, or redact in the PDFHaul viewer. No re-uploading needed.

Merge PDF Split PDF Compress PDF Rotate PDF Reorder pages Sign PDF Redact PDF PDF to image Image to PDF