How to draw on a PDF on Windows and save the changes?

On a Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC, you can draw on a PDF with Microsoft Edge, an online annotation tool, or a desktop PDF app, then save the marked-up file. Drawing adds annotations such as ink strokes, lines, and shapes; it does not change the PDF’s original text or images.

Draw on a PDF with Microsoft Edge

If you want to draw on PDF for free on Windows, Microsoft Edge is the quickest built-in option for a few handwritten marks. You can use a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen without installing another app.

1. Right-click the PDF and open it with Microsoft Edge.
2. Select the Draw tool in the PDF toolbar.
3. Choose a pen color and thickness, then draw on the page.
4. Select the Save or Save as icon and save a separate copy.
5. Reopen the copy to confirm your marks are visible.

Edge is useful for freehand notes, but it offers fewer drawing and shape controls than a dedicated PDF annotator.

Draw on a PDF online for free with PDFgear

PDFgear’s online Annotate PDF tool lets you freehand draw on PDF pages without installing software or signing in. This specific tool processes the PDF locally in your browser rather than uploading the file data to a server.

1. Open PDFgear’s online Annotate PDF tool: www.pdfgear.com/annotate-pdf/.
2. Click Select PDF File and choose your document.
3. Click the brush icon for freehand drawing, or click Add Shapes to add shapes to PDF pages
4. Use the corresponding icons to change drawing color and thickness and adjust opacity.
5. Download the annotated PDF to save your changes.

For repeated annotation work in an installed app, PDFgear Desktop provides another free option that can be used offline.

Draw online with Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat’s free online PDF editor also supports freehand drawings, lines, and shapes. It requires an Adobe account to add annotations, and Adobe handles the file on its servers.

1. Open Adobe Acrobat’s online PDF editor.
2. Select a file and upload your PDF.
3. Sign in with an Adobe account.
4. Choose a drawing tool and mark up the pages.
5. Download the annotated PDF.

This is an option when you already use Adobe online services, but a local desktop workflow may be preferable for confidential documents.

Draw on a PDF offline with PDFgear for Windows

PDFgear is a free desktop PDF editor that does not require an account or sign-in. Its Windows app works offline, so the PDF does not need to be uploaded to a server. It offers ink along with line, rectangle, and oval annotations.

1. Open the PDF in the PDFgear desktop app.
2. Select the Comment tab.
3. Choose Ink for freehand drawing, or Line to draw lines on PDF pages.
4. Draw on the page and adjust the color or line thickness as needed.
5. Select Save As to keep an annotated copy of the PDF.

Unlike a screenshot, this workflow saves marks as PDF annotations without changing the original page content. After you save drawings on a PDF, you can reopen the file to view and edit those annotations again, making it useful for everyday markup.

Use Adobe Acrobat Reader on the desktop

You do not need Acrobat Pro just to draw on a PDF: the free Adobe Acrobat Reader includes drawing comments. Acrobat Pro is the paid option if you also need broader PDF editing tools.

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat Reader.
2. Select the Draw Freehand icon in the toolbar to start drawing.
3. Adjust the pen color and thickness if needed.
4. Save the PDF under a new name.

Before sharing any annotated PDF, reopen the saved copy in another viewer to make sure the drawings appear as intended. If the document is digitally signed or restricts commenting, adding annotations may invalidate its signature or be blocked by its permissions.