How to Draw on a PDF for Free

Drawing on a PDF is a great way to add personal touches, highlight key points, or make quick notes.

Learn some free and easy methods to draw on a PDFs, or get started with PDFgear’s free online drawing editor right away!

Draw on a PDF Online for Free

PDFgear is a versatile online PDF editor designed to work directly in your web browser, enabling you to effortlessly draw on PDFs without any additional software installation.

With its user-friendly interface, you can highlight text, underline, or draw freehand with ease.

PDFgear is free to use and there’s no signup, now let’s get started.

Step 1. Go to PDFgear online PDF editor, click Select PDF File to open the PDF you need.

Step 2. Click the Draw Ink button from the upper menubar, and you can start drawing free hand on the PDF.

Step 3. Click the Change Stroke Color button from the upper menubar to change the drawing color.

Step 3. If you intend to draw shapes on the PDF, PDFgear offers standard shapes like rectangles. Go to Shapes to check them out.

Step 4. Once you’ve added a shape, click Change Color and Change Stroke Color to change the shape color and border color.

Step 5. Use the Add Line tool in Shapes to draw straight lines on the PDF with customizable colors.

Step 6. You can also use the Highlight Text feature to highlight existing text in the PDF.

Step 7. Once you’re done drawing, click the top-right Download file button to download and save the modified PDF.

Draw on a PDF with Free PDF Drawing Editor

If you intend to draw on large PDF files in a steadier way, then the PDFgear PDF drawing software for Windows and Mac is the choice, and it allows you to download for free.

Its main advantages over the online editor include enhanced performance, greater security with offline editing, and no reliance on internet connectivity.

Now get PDFgear on your device to get started!

Step 1. Download and install PDFgear on your device. Open PDFgear, and click Open File to open the PDF you need.

Step 2. Go to the Comment section and click the Ink tool within, then draw on the PDF at will.

Step 3. There are options for you to change the stroke size and stroke color on the upper ribbon.

Step 4. If your drawing isn’t satisfying, click the upper Eraser button to earase partial or the entire drawing.

Step 5. There are also shapes including Line, Rectangle, and Oval for you to add to the PDF.

The options on the upper ribbon allows you to change its border size, fill color, and border color.

Step 6. If you intend to mark up text in the PDF, use Highlight or Area Highlight features above.

Step 7. If you’re happy with the drawing, click the top-left Save as button to save a copy of the edited PDF.

Draw on a PDF for Free on Mobile

If you want to add a quick sketch to your PDF on the go, then the PDFgear mobile app is definitely for you. With it, you can intuitively draw on PDFs on your iOS or Android smartphone/tablets, without costing a dime.

It provides extensive PDF drawing features for you to mark up the PDF with ease.

Now get PDFgear app for free from Apple Store or Google Play.

Step 1. Open PDFgear app on your phone, tap the lower-right Plus button to add a PDF into PDFgear, then tap on the PDF.

Step 2. Tap the top-right Edit button to go to PDF editing.

Step 3. In the default Annotate mode, tap the Pen tool from the upper menubar, choose a preferred color, and tap and hold your finger to draw on the PDF.

Step 4. Tap on the drawing and tap Properties to change thickness or color for your drawing.

Tap the Draw in Straight Line slider if you intend to do so.

Step 5. Tap the Marker button to draw highlights on the PDF.

Step 6. Tap on the Shapes button to insert a preferred shape into the PDF.

Step 7. Whenever you find unnecessary drawings, tap the Eraser button to wipe them out.

Step 8. If you’re done editing, tap the top-right tripe dots button to save or share the PDF.

Draw on PDF Using Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a reliable and widely used tool for basic PDF drawing and annotations, making it suitable for tasks like marking up documents, adding comments, or highlighting important sections in PDF files.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free application and is available for both Windows and macOS.

Step 1. If Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is not already installed on your computer, download it from the Adobe website.

Step 2. Launch Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, click on ‘File’ in the top menu and select ‘Open’, and open the PDF file you wish to draw on.

Step 3. From the Comment toolbar, select the drawing tool you wish to use. You can choose from options like ‘Pencil’ for freeform drawing or ‘Shapes’ to insert predefined shapes like lines, arrows, circles, and rectangles.

Step 4. With your chosen tool selected, click and drag on the PDF to draw. You can change the color and thickness of the lines or shapes using the options in the toolbar.

Step 5. After you have finished drawing on your PDF, click on ‘File’ in the top menu and select ‘Save’ or ‘Save As’ to save your document with the drawings and annotations.

FAQs

How do I draw a straight line on a PDF?

In PDFgear, you’ll find straight line in the Shapes tool box. In PDFgear mobile app, you should slide on the Draw in Straight Line in the pen tools.

Is it possible to change the color and thickness of my drawings?

Yes. PDFgear lets you choose different colors, thicknesses, and styles for your lines and shapes. You can find these options in the properties or settings of the drawing tool you’re using.

How do I add handwritten notes or signatures to a PDF?

Most PDF editors like PDFgear allow you to create a signature field where you can draw your signature using a mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen. For handwritten notes, you can use the freehand drawing tool.

Can I move a drawing after I’ve added it to a PDF?

Yes, in PDFgear, you can select your drawing and drag to move it.

Why can’t I draw on my PDF?

Ensure that the PDF is not secured or protected, as this can prevent editing. If it is, you may need the password to unlock it.

My drawing isn’t showing up on the PDF. What’s wrong?

Check the layer or annotation list to ensure your drawing isn’t hidden behind another element. Also, confirm that the color you’re using isn’t the same as the background and that the drawing tool’s opacity is set to a visible level.