Adding sticky notes and typing on a PDF page
Put a note icon with your words on any page of a PDF, or click and type straight onto the page to fill in or label anything in PDF by Zaweba.
Two of the simplest commenting tools in PDF by Zaweba are also two of the most used. A sticky note puts a small note icon on the page, holding whatever you type. Type on the page does what it says: click where you want the words, then type.
They look alike at first, but they suit different jobs.
Sticky notes for comments
A sticky note is a comment about the page. Its icon sits at the spot it refers to, and the words are tucked away until someone opens it. That keeps the page readable while still carrying the remark.
Use them for questions, explanations and requests: "Is this figure from the 2025 report?", "Please check the spelling of this name", "Same point as on page 3". Because the note is separate from the page content, it reads clearly as a comment rather than part of the document.
Each note appears in the Comments panel, where others can reply, you can set a status and the whole review can be sorted by page or author. Opening its pop-up shows the author, the date, the words and any replies beside the icon.
Type on the page for filling in
Type on the page puts text directly on the page, visible to anyone reading it. It is the way to fill in a form that has no interactive fields, write a date on a letter, add a name to a certificate or label parts of a diagram.
Click, type, and the words appear where you clicked. It is quick enough to fill in a whole paper form that came as a flat PDF.
Choosing between them
Ask whether the words are part of the document or about it. If they belong on the page, such as an answer on a form, a label or a signature date, type on the page. If they are a remark about the page, use a sticky note.
A good test is to picture the finished page. Typed words are there in plain view for every reader, while a sticky note keeps its words tucked behind an icon until someone opens it.
Tips for tidy notes
Put the note icon right beside what it is about. Notes in a margin far from their subject leave readers guessing.
Keep one point per note. A single note listing five problems is hard to reply to; five notes in the right places can each be answered and closed.
Set the name that appears on your comments. When several people review a document, knowing who said what saves confusion.
Tips for typing on the page
Zoom in before you click. Placing text precisely in a form box is easier when the page is large on screen.
Check alignment. On a form with printed lines, line your text up so it sits neatly on them. If it is slightly off, you can move it.
Where a form does have real fields, use those instead. Form fields are tinted so they stand out, and typing in them keeps the answers as form data.
Where they fit
Sticky notes and typed text are the starting point. For text in a box with a border, the Text box tool suits better, and a Callout adds an arrow pointing to the spot. For marking existing words, highlight and underline do the job. All of them end up in the Comments panel, ready to export, summarise or flatten.
Simple, quick and offline, these two tools cover most of the everyday writing people need to do on a PDF.
