Aug 28,2019 • Filed to: PDF Editor

PDF annotation feature makes it easy for us to highlight and edit important text or ideas within a PDF document. You are also able to write comments on a PDF page without effecting the layout. This article will review 15 PDF annotation software programs, which enables you to easily annotate PDF files on Mac.

Adobe Reader for Mac Versus Alternatives First released in 1993, Adobe Reader can be found on countless home, school, and businesses computers around the world. This free PDF viewer is available in most major languages, and its comprehensive support for. LiquidText PDF Reader is a different kind of note-taking app. Rather than ask you to take your own notes like our primitive ancestors did, LiquidText lets you simply transfer and adapt the information that exists in other forms and turn them into notes. Unlike PDF Expert, PDFpen presents Mac users with the familiar PDF thumbnails on the left edge and page view on the right side view option, mimicking Preview on the Mac. Additionally, PDFpen comes with a library of proofing markup tools that are sure to be a boon to serious reviewers.

Part 1. Top 5 PDF Annotator Software

1. PDFelement Pro

A top of the line PDF editor, PDFelement Pro also works as an excellent PDF annotator for PDF documents. It has a similar style to Microsoft Word, which makes it even easier for those who are more familiar with Microsoft Office programs. You can annotate your PDFs with a wide range of tools like, highlight,underline, strikethrough, wave line, shapes, sticky note, text fields and hand drawing to leave comments on a PDF to collaborate with your colleagues.

Why Choose This PDF Annotator:

• Annotate PDF files with sticky notes, text boxes, and freehand drawing tools.
• Add highlights, underline text, or strikethrough text using the vast amount of annotation tools.
• You can modify PDF text, links, images, and pages.
• Convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, EPUB, images, and vice versa.
• pluse create fillable forms.
• OCR scanned PDFs and combine, split, and compress PDF files.

2. PDF Annotator

A simple yet powerful annotator for PDF documents, PDF annotator allows users to highlight, underline or make notes and drawings on a PDF page. One great feature of the software is the ability to restore the document to its original page in one click, effectively removing the annotations without damaging the file or its layout.

3. Note Anytime/MetaMoji Note

On top of being an effective annotation tool, Note Anytime or MetaMoji Note integrates other features that make PDF editing possible on a whole new level. Its interactive browser also captures and marks up websites within the app and allows users to share files with anyone online.

4. PDFNotes

PDFNotes works as a good PDF annotator for iOS devices. The app lets users take notes, comment, print, manage and even add bookmarks on a PDF page.

5. PDF Max

Annotating and commenting on PDF documents on a mobile device is easy with this tool. Designed for users on the go, PDF Max includes a cross-platform program that supports major mobile operating systems, putting a focus on mobile users.

Part 2. Top 5 PDF Annotator Free Software

1. Expert PDF Reader

Sticky notes, text highlighting and strikethroughs are some of the features which are added to this program. This application is though to be one of the most user-friendly online PDF annotators. There are a number of social media platforms added as well. The PDF bookmarking and comment addition is also very valuable with this program. It also has a number of tools which can be used to easily create separate sets of PDF annotations. You can easily review annotations before submitting them for the ultimate convenience.

2. PDF X Change Viewer

This program is best for users who are used to Microsoft Word. Since the layout is similar to MS Office, the interface is very easy to learn for beginners. There are many annotation tools available in the program. This program includes the following features: highlight tool, strikethrough, note tools, and drawing tools. You will get a pleasant viewing experience with full optimiztion features. This tool is considered a very popular online PDF annotator.

3. Nitro Reader

Nitro Reader does not have a ton of advanced tools, but is still a very useful program. There is a limit of tools which are available, and it doesn’t include more advanced annotation tools. The bookmarks, already added annotations and social media sharing is possible however, and standard annotation can be performed, ensuring that the PDF appears clean and professional. PDF files can also be converted to text and vice versa using this program.

4. Adobe Acrobat Reader

There aren’t many programs that can match the level of adobe acrobat reader. This is a system based program which is completely free to download and install. There is a wide range of PDF annotation tools which can be used easily. From adding notes to rotating the your file, this program has it all. Signatures can be added and modified PDFs can be easily stored to the system. It also allows the users to easily print the documents as well.

5. Foxit Reader

This is another free PDF annotator that has all the functions you need. It includes the type write tool, note highlighter, strikethrough, double strikethrough, underline and pencil.. The interface is easy to use and therefore it is rated highly by users. Digital stamps, scales, and area highlighters are some of the other functions available as well. The annotations can easily be printed separately and social media sharing has been embedded.

Part 3. Top 5 PDF Annotator Online Tools

1. PDF Online Reader Beta

This annotator requires no account creation and can be used directly online. The file can simply be added by pressing the “Upload a PDF” button. Advanced annotations can be added easily. The PDF can even be manipulated in different ways. It includes signatures, stamps, notes and sticky notes. PDFs can be rotated, and the social media platforms which are integrated ensures that the file is directly shared without needing to save to a computer.

2. FlowPaper

This online PDF annotator lets you collaborate within your PDF documents online. Add notes, highlight text, and draw figures in your PDF documents and share the annotations among your colleagues.

3. PDF Escaper

This app requires signing up before you can use it. The overall usage of this app is simple and therefore requires no technical knowledge. The left panel includes all of the important features. It also allows the users fix errors which other online PDF readers do not include PDFEscape ensures all PDF documents can be opened and read with ease. It is regarded as one of the best alternatives to adobe acrobat reader on the market. This program increases collaboration capabilities between teachers and students. There are also tools embedded within the program to create PDF files.

4. A.nnotate

This is an easy online tool to use. The basic annotation features are available to ensure great results. This online PDF editing and annotation tool lets you easily upload PDF, DOCX, PPTX, ODT, ODP,TXT and RTF files. This program is regularly being updates with new formatting options as well. The wide range of PDF annotation tools makes this one of the best tools to work with.

5. Axiom

PDF documents can be easily annotated with this program. It also provides tools to ensure PDF files are organized efficiently. From sticky notes to comments and bookmarks, this program offers a wide range of tools. Unlimited annotations can be made using this program. The system of this website is centralized which means that many people can simultaneously add annotations to the same document at the same time.

Part 4. Comparison of Top 3 PDF Annotators

Thanks to PDF annotators, students and professionals can annotate PDF documents much more easily. Transform your work productivity with handy online tools like the ones mentioned above. With a number of programs to choose from, it is best to choose the one which is packed with important and useful features that best suit your needs. Collaborate seamlessly with other users with the tools we have outlined above.

Aug 28,2019 • Filed to: Mac Tutorials

'Is there a reliable PDF reader for Mac?'

Mac users have a number of PDF reader programs to choose from, including Adobe Reader for Mac and Preview. But if you want a better PDF reading experience, you might want to use a more robust and powerful PDF program. In this article, we’ve compiled the top 12 free PDF reader for Mac tools including PDFelement Pro, which offers more features than a simple PDF reader.

Part 1: Top 12 Best PDF Reader Tools for Mac

1. PDFelement Pro - The Best Alternative PDF Reader to Adobe Acrobat for Mac

As high-quality as Adobe Reader is due to its constant updates and improvements, you can also look into alternative programs that can perform many of the same tasks. PDFelement Pro for Mac, as the best alternative PDF Reader to Adobe Acrobat for Mac, acts as both a PDF editor and reader that provides you full functions for PDF editing and a better experience reading PDF on Mac. This tool lets you add text, images, bookmarks, and more to your PDF. In addition, a user can also highlight text, underline, use strike-through features on the text and crop PDF pages on Mac. Watermarks can also be used to protect your PDF files on Mac. You can even edit and convert scanned PDF files with PDFelement Pro.

Key Features of this PDF Reader:

• Add, delete or edit text, images, graphics, links, watermarks, and more.
• Convert PDF to Word and other formats, or create PDFs from Webpages, images, and text files.
• Quickly mark up and annotate PDFs with various annotation tools.
• Combine or split PDFs, organize pages, and easily fill out PDF forms.
• Edit and convert scanned or image-based PDFs using the OCR feature.
• Easily add watermarks, passwords, and signature to PDF documents.

2. Skim - A Popular and Well-developed PDF Reader for Mac

Skim is a popular PDF Reader on Mac that is tailored towards scientific purposes, although it can also be used to view other types of documents as well. This free PDF reader software is designed to be customizable for individual use, and is handy for notes and previews. The reason why Skim is one of the most popular options is because it includes easy-to-use and visually impressive reading modes.

Key Features:

• Single swipe highlight mode for easy use
• AppleScript support
• Ability to preview internal links

3. Adobe Reader for Mac - A Widely Used Free PDF Reader

You can download Adobe Reader on Mac for free and set it as your default PDF reader. Adobe Reader for Mac is considered the industry standard. Adobe is still a very well respected product on the market, as they are constantly making improvements and upgrades to the program, but there are other options that offer many of the same features at a lower price and without without complicated licensing agreements.

Key Features:

• Fast and easy to use
• Established platform worldwide
• Considered industry standard
• Well developed and supported

4. Free PDF Reader - A Simple to Use Mac PDF Rreader

This is another very popular Free PDF Reader for Mac. It includes many excellent features, and is designed to be easy to navigate and simple to use. The software claims to have 150million users, which indicates a tried and tested package, and offers some impressive features including:

Key Features:

• Multi document viewing feature
• Rotate and Zoom facility
• Exporting and conversion capabilities
• Advanced printing options

5. Haihaisoft Reader for Mac - A Small Size Free PDF Reader for Mac

A prominent feature of Haihaisoft for Mac is its small size at only 3MB ; this compact PDF Reader for Mac takes up much less space than other programs like Adobe Reader (see below). The package covers a wide range of languages and is designed for ease of use, while it is also well supported and has been developed for use on a number of platforms. Interesting features include:

Key Features:

• Instant launch time
• No background net connection for added security
• Opens all PDF documents
• Protection with DRM-X

6. PDFSam - A New Free PDF Reader for Mac

PDFSam is a relatively new release that has been met with mixed reviews. This free PDF reader for Mac is designed for splitting and merging documents, hence why it is called 'SAM'. Some users report problems while using the application, though generally it is reported to be user-friendly and quick for the average user.

Key Features:

• Split and Merge – (SAM)
• Extract sections as separate PDFs
• Reorder pages when needed
• Compose documents by dragging and dropping

7. PDF Info - An Easy-to-use Free PDF Reader

PDF Info is specifically designed for viewing information stored in PDF documents, rather than actually creating new ones. While it is limited in its operation, it is easy to use and designed in a basic and uncluttered style.

Best Pdf Reader For Mac For Note Taking School Worksheets

Key Features:

• Easy to install and use
• Quick operation
• View info in PDF
• Very small download size

8. Read Right - A Flexible Free PDF Reader

Read Right is a clever product, designed to tackle the increasing numbers of smaller notebook type laptops. It’s most beneficial feature is that it automatically rotates the screen to fit – book style – on a handheld device, making it much more convenient to use.

Key Features:

• Multiple navigation options
• Zoom control for expansion
• Possible white on black text option for readers
• Returns to the same page after interruption

9. Open Office 3 - A Versatile Free PDF Reader

The latest version of this popular and very versatile Open Office PDF reader is designed for business and personal users to read PDF files on Mac. It includes an impressive new array of features that have been improved and refined. It continues to be one of the leading free PDF readers for Mac on the market.

Key Features Includes:

• Abilityt to import Microsoft Office file types
• Advanced features for note taking
• Chart creation tools
• The ability to export and share spreadsheets

Adobe Pdf Reader For Mac

10. PDF Lab - A Well-developed Free PDF Reader

Designed to facilitate the manipulation of documents, PDF Lab is a well-developed and tested platform that is popular with a variety of users. A simple and user-friendly interface lets you use this tool as a PDF viewer. It can be updated through a regular software update, although at times you may have to do manual step-by-step updates.

Key Features:

• Insert images and blank pages
• Create new PDFs
• Split documents into several different files
• Encrypt documents for security

11. Formulate Pro - A Simple Free PDF Reader

This is an easy-to-use and popular program, Formulate Pro does not have a ton of features, but it is a basic and effective tool for amending documents. This tool is not designed for creation of PDFs, but it is certainly an effective reader.

Key Features:

• Open and edit existing PDFs
• Add graphics and other images
• Write using the cursor
• Print out PDFs

12. PDFView - An Impressive Free PDF Reader

PDFView offers a range of impressive features within a compact and easy to use package. It comes highly recommended by many users, and is a great way to read PDF documents. However, one issues is that it is no longer being developed, which means it might not be the best choice for a full-time PDF reader.

Key Features:

• Has many customizable settings
• Fit document to maximum screen size
• Zoom in and out on PDFs
• More features than Preview

Part 2: Troubleshooting on Opening and Reading PDFs in macOS

Many people experience problems when trying to open or read PDFs on Mac. This is due to a variety of reasons, but luckily this problem is usually quite an easy one to solve in just a matter of minutes. Here are the three main reasons why you may have a problem reading a PDF on Mac, and what you can do to solve the problem.

Question 1. Your Web Browser needs Updating

Solution: This is one of the most common problemsthat can prevent you from being able to read a PDF. Not all not all browsers update automatically, and it could be that yours needs a manual update. You can usually run a regular software update, but other times you may be required to update manually through the menu. An outdated browser may be the issue, in which case you may need to update your browser to resolve the issue. You can then make annotations and markups within your document.

Question 2. Your Browser is not Compatible

Solution: This issue depends on your operating system. If you are running OS 10.5 x, as many are, you will find that the later versions of Safari, for example, are non-compatible with your operating system. This will lead to you being unable to open PDFs, as well as a number of other problems. It is recommended that users with this operating system try using Firefox instead, as that may solve the problem.

Question 3. Check the Adobe Reader Plug-in

Solution: This problem also affects many users. If you are opening your PDF with Adobe Reader, the Adobe Reader Plug-in can be problematic, especially if it is an automatic launch when you enter your browser. The trick is to delete the plug-in (just the plug in, not Adobe Reader itself). Try using Adobe Reader as a stand-alone program rather than having it run within your browser, and the problem should be solved. You can also re-install the plug-in if necessary.