9 Best PDF Highlighters to Help You Highlight Text in PDF
Last Updated on November 11, 2021 by Tina Clark
Though web browsers fulfill PDF reading requirements, some tasks, like highlighting text in PDF, adding comments, and more things need advanced PDF editor software. PDFs are usually unchangeable as a popular way to store text, images, graphics, and other content. However, you can do something. Highlighting a PDF, for example, can help you underline a word, a sentence, or some elements. So, other readers can learn it quickly. This article lists the top 9 PDF highlighters for desktop and online.
Part 1: How to Highlight PDF Files with PDFEditor
WidsMob PDFEditor is a powerful PDF highlighter. It can highlight text in PDF, no matter you are a beginner or advanced user. Its key features include:
- Highlight any texts in PDF.
- Add text, image, password, signature, and more.
- Split, extract, and merge PDF files in one click.
- Available to almost all PCs and laptops.
In short, it is the easiest way to highlight text in a PDF on your desktop.
How to Highlight Text in PDF
Step 1: Install the best PDF highlighter
Launch PDFEditor after you installed it on your computer. Then import the PDF file from your computer by drag-and-drop or clicking File -> Open.
Step 2: Highlight text in PDF
Locate the sentence you want to highlight, click the Comment menu on the menu bar, and select your favorite tool under the Annotations section. Then use your cursor to choose the content and highlight it.
Step 3: Save the final PDF file
After highlighting text in PDF, expand the File menu and click Save to export the highlighted PDF. If you do not want to lose the original PDF file, you can select Save as in the File menu.
Note: If you open the PDF next time, you can go to the Comment option and select the highlighted link to locate the text's position.
Part 2: 4 Methods to Highlight a PDF Online
Top 1: PDFescape
PDFescape has a lot of features and is as powerful as some desktop PDF editor software. It is free to use if your PDF is less than 10MB and limited to 100 pages.
Pros
1. Work well in most web browsers.
2. Include rich tools to highlight text in PDF, add text and images, etc.
3. Free of charge without watermark or other limits.
Cons
1. This PDF highlighter cannot modify existing text.
2. It asks you to download the desktop version frequently.
Top 2: PDFfiller
PDFfiller is another web-based PDF highlighter worth using. You can upload a PDF from your hard drive, Google Drive or Dropbox, and use the Highlight tool on the top ribbon to underline important words.
Pros
1. Offer PDF editing tools include Highlight.
2. Not require registration or view ads.
3. Modify the pages in your PDF online quickly.
Cons
1. You have to subscribe to it after the free trial.
2. There are no custom options for the Highlight tool.
Top 3: PDF Bob
If you do not like to leave your personal information online, this PDF highlighter is a good option. You can upload your PDF and highlight any text without a user account.
Pros
1. Offer several colors for the highlight tool.
2. Zero ads and not watermark your PDF.
3. Provide several PDF editing tools for free.
Cons
1. It cannot upload encrypted PDFs.
2. There is only one upload source.
Top 4: Sejda
Sejda is one of the very few PDF highlighters that can edit existing text in your PDF. It runs entirely in your web browser and lets you download the final PDF to a computer or share via URL.
Pros
1. Highlight text in PDF with various colors.
2. Include rich PDF editing tools.
3. Integrate a user-friendly interface.
Cons
1. You can only handle three PDFs per hour.
2. The maximum number of pages is 200.
Part 3: 4 Methods to Highlight Text in PDF on Win/Mac
Top 1: Adobe Reader
Adobe Reader provides both a free version and a pro version. The latter is pretty expensive, but the former is enough if you want to highlight text in PDF.
Pros
1. Highlight text with underline and more.
2. Free to download and use.
3. Compatible with both Windows and Mac.
Cons
1. PDF editing tools are limited.
2. The highlight tool lacks custom options.
Top 2: Preview on Mac
If you use a MacBook Pro or other Apple laptop, you are lucky since the preinstalled Preview is a PDF viewer and a PDF highlighter.
Pros
1. Built-in Mac and use without installation.
2. Free of charge.
3. Highlight text in PDF with yellow color.
Cons
1. It cannot highlight encrypted PDFs.
2. It is too simple for advanced users.
Top 3: PDF-XChange Editor
This PDF highlighter offers some great tools, such as text highlight. Bear in mind that your PDF will have a watermark if you use the non-free features.
Pros
1. OCR recognizes text in any PDF.
2. Support import sources.
3. Provide a portable version.
Cons
1. It is only available to PCs.
2. Not all features are free to use.
Top 4: Foxit Reader
Many people use this PDF highlighter to replace Adobe Reader, partly because it is more cost-effective and lighter.
Pros
1. Equip a well-designed interface.
2. Offer rich features for editing PDFs.
3. Work on almost all PCs running Windows.
Cons
1. The free trial is short.
2. There is no Mac support.
Conclusion
Now you should master the top 9 best PDF highlighter applications available to Windows, Mac, and online. It is a waste of time to test each PDF highlighter on your own. You only need to read the review above and find the most proper tool for your device. They all have unique benefits. WidsMob PDFEditor, for example, is not only easy to use but also able to highlight texts without damaging quality. We hope that our recommendations are helpful to you. If you have better ideas, please leave a message below this post.