Remove PDF Annotations
Delete comments, highlights, drawings, stamps and other markup from a PDF — all of it or only the types you choose.
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Processed in your browser — files never leave your device. How it works
How to Remove Comments and Annotations from a PDF
A PDF that has been through review collects layers of markup: sticky notes, highlights, crossed-out words, freehand circles, "Approved" stamps and reply threads. That's useful while people are working on it, but not in the copy you send to a client, file as final or publish. PDFDoco scans the document, shows exactly which kinds of annotations it contains and how many, and removes the ones you choose — from every page or a range — without touching the text and images underneath. The file is processed in your browser and never uploaded.
- 1
Upload your PDF
The file is scanned instantly and every annotation is counted by type.
- 2
Choose what to remove
Comments, highlights, drawings, stamps, links, form fields… keep the types you want.
- 3
Pick the pages
Clean the whole document or only a range, and check the before/after preview.
- 4
Download the clean PDF
The chosen markup is deleted and you see exactly how many items were removed.
See what's inside first
A full inventory of comments, highlights, drawings, links and fields, by type and count.
Before & after preview
Compare any annotated page with and without the markup before you download.
Private and thorough
Runs in your browser, and removed comments are deleted from the file — not just hidden.
Send a clean copy, not your review notes
Internal comments often say things the recipient shouldn't read: pricing discussions, negotiation notes, names of reviewers or simply "check this again". Some PDF viewers hide the comment panel, so it is easy to forget they are there. Removing annotations before you share the final version makes sure the reader sees the document — and only the document.
What counts as an annotation?
In a PDF, an annotation is anything layered on top of the page rather than part of it. The tool groups them so they are easy to choose:
- Comments: sticky notes, their pop-up windows and reply threads.
- Text markup: highlights, underlines, strikethroughs, squiggles and insert carets.
- Drawings: freehand ink, rectangles, circles, lines, arrows and polygons.
- Text boxes and stamps: typed callouts and "Draft", "Approved" or image stamps.
- Interactive elements: links, file attachments, media and fillable form fields.
Remove or flatten?
The two tools answer different questions. If the markup should disappear, remove it here. If the markup is the point — a signed-off proof, a filled-in form, an annotated contract you are archiving — use Flatten PDF to merge it permanently into the page so it can't be changed. You can also combine them: remove the review comments first, then flatten the form fields that remain.
Removed means removed
Hiding annotations isn't enough when the content is sensitive — a deleted comment can survive inside the file as an orphaned object that recovery tools can still read. After taking annotations off the pages, PDFDoco also removes their pop-ups and replies, drops removed fields from the form, and leaves every object that is no longer used out of the saved file. For text that is part of the page itself, use a redaction tool instead.
Pro tip: the default "Markup only" choice keeps links and form fields, which is what most people want when cleaning up a reviewed document. Choose "Everything" for a completely bare copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove all comments and highlights from a PDF?
Upload the PDF and keep the default selection — it removes comments, highlights, underlines, drawings, shapes, text boxes and stamps, while keeping links and fillable form fields. Click Remove Annotations and the cleaned PDF downloads. The page text and images are not changed.
What is the difference between removing and flattening annotations?
Removing deletes the markup completely — the page looks as it did before anyone commented on it. Flattening keeps the markup visible but merges it into the page so it can no longer be edited or deleted. Use Remove Annotations to get a clean copy, and Flatten PDF to lock reviewed markup in place.
Are the removed comments really gone from the file?
Yes. The annotations are taken off the pages, comment pop-ups and replies go with them, and every object that is no longer used — including the hidden text of the comments and any attached files — is left out of the saved PDF. Someone opening the file in a text editor or a recovery tool won't find them.
Can I keep links and form fields?
Yes. Links and form fields are kept by default because they are usually part of the document rather than review markup. Turn them on if you also want to remove clickable links or fillable fields; removed fields disappear from the form completely.
Can I remove annotations from only some pages?
Yes. Type a page range such as 1-5 or 2, 7, 10- and only those pages are cleaned. The counts update to show how many items are on the selected pages.
Why is a highlight still visible after removing annotations?
Some highlights and stamps are not annotations at all — they were flattened into the page or are part of a scanned image, so they are page content. Those can't be removed as annotations. The tool only shows and removes real annotations, which is why the preview is useful to check first.
Does removing annotations reduce file size?
Often, yes. Annotations with drawn appearances, stamps with images and especially file attachments can take up a lot of space, and all of it is dropped from the saved file.