Free forever · No sign-up · AES-256 encryption

Highlight PDF Online Free — Mark Up Text

Draw over any text or region to add a colored highlight — mark up contracts, exhibits, or review drafts. Free, no signup — files are encrypted at rest and in transit, then auto-deleted.

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No credit card
Instant access
No file size limit
GDPR
AES-256
Auto-deleted

How to highlight a PDF in 3 steps

Quick Start
  1. 1

    Upload your PDF

    Click Select Files or drag and drop. Works on any device — no software, no registration.

  2. 2

    Pick a color and mark it up

    Choose a highlight color, then click and drag over any text or region you want to mark.

  3. 3

    Download the highlighted PDF

    Get a new PDF with your highlights added as real annotations, visible in any PDF viewer.

Simple Process

Three Steps to a Marked-Up PDF

Mark up a document in seconds

Upload PDF

Drag and drop or select

Choose Color & Draw

Pick a color, then drag over the text to mark

Download

Get the highlighted PDF instantly

Popular Uses

Works for Every Review

📄

Contracts

Mark clauses that need review or sign-off

⚖️

Exhibits

Call out key passages for a hearing or brief

🎓

Study Notes

Highlight key points in readings and papers

📝

Drafts

Flag passages for edits during review

Security First

Enterprise-Grade Security

Your documents are protected by industry-leading security measures

AES-256 Encryption

Encrypted at rest and in transit

Auto-Delete

Never retained — deleted after your session

GDPR Compliant

Handled per EU data protection rules

Encrypted Transfer

HTTPS/TLS on every upload

No Manual Review

Only automated systems touch your file

Secure Cloud

Enterprise-grade infrastructure

No Registration

Use without signup

Legal-Ready

Built for confidential documents

More PDF Tools

Free, unlimited, no registration required

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about PDF jump links

How do I highlight text in a PDF?

Upload your PDF, pick a highlight color, then click and drag over any text or region to mark it. Click a highlight again to remove it.

Can I highlight a scanned PDF?

Yes — this tool marks a colored region over any area you draw, whether the underlying content is selectable text or a scanned image.

Does highlighting change the text underneath?

No. A highlight is a translucent colored layer added on top of the content — the underlying text and formatting are completely unchanged and stay fully readable and copyable.

Can I use different colors?

Yes, choose from yellow, green, pink, blue, or orange before drawing each highlight — useful for color-coding by category.

Can I remove a highlight after adding it?

Yes, click the highlighted region again to remove it before downloading.

Is it free to highlight a PDF?

Yes, completely free with no signup and no watermark on the free tier.

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