Applies to: Adobe Acrobat on Windows and macOS. Acrobat Reader can also print comments where the documented options are available. Browser PDF viewers and mobile print dialogs may offer fewer controls; menu labels vary by version.
Open the PDF in the desktop application and choose Document and Markups in the print dialog to include annotations. If you need the written feedback inside sticky notes, add a comment summary and check its preview. A visible note icon alone does not prove the note’s text will be readable on paper.
Decide which record you need
A review PDF holds two related things: the page being discussed and the feedback attached to it. A highlight can identify a sentence while a sticky note contains a longer instruction. Printing a familiar-looking page may preserve the highlight but leave the instruction difficult to read.
Choose the output for the person receiving it. A colleague correcting a layout needs to connect each comment to its location. Someone reviewing a decision trail may need a readable list of the comments as well. Keep the annotated PDF as your editable review record; paper is a separate deliverable.
| What the reader needs | Starting point | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Page appearance with annotations | Print the document with markups | Highlights, drawing marks and relevant locations are visible |
| The written feedback in notes | Include a comment summary | Full note text is readable and linked to the correct page |
| A clean document for a recipient | Print the document without comments | No unwanted annotations appear in the preview |
Choose annotations in the desktop print dialog
Save your current work and open the intended file in Acrobat. On Windows, open the application menu and select Print; on macOS, use File > Print. Locate Comments & Forms and select the option that includes both the page and its markups.
- Confirm the selected printer and paper size before inspecting the content options.
- Choose a short page range containing actual annotations, rather than testing an unmarked cover page.
- Inspect the preview for a highlight, a drawn shape and a note marker when the file contains them.
- If the written notes are necessary, prepare a summary before printing the whole document.
Printing only form fields serves a different purpose: it omits the page background. It is not a way to collect review comments.
Make sticky-note feedback readable
Adobe documents a Summarize Comments control in the print dialog. Its comments panel also offers summary commands. Use the available summary workflow, then inspect the generated output before sending it to a printer. Check page associations and whether long comments continue onto another page.
Reader also documents a preference for printing notes and pop-ups. Availability and positioning can depend on the application and annotation. If a note obscures the sentence it discusses, a separate summary may be easier to use. Do not assume that opening a pop-up on screen alone determines the printed result.
Try a small review sample first
For a practice check, make a copy of a non-confidential two-page PDF. On the first page, highlight a sentence and attach the fictional note “CHECK LABEL: change North to South.” On the second page, draw a box around a heading and add “REVIEW ONLY: confirm this heading.” These are suggested sample annotations, not results from a tested printer.
Print the sample with your chosen settings and read it without opening the original file. Can you find both instructions and identify their target pages? If a marker is present but its explanation is missing, the output does not yet contain the complete feedback. Inspect the summary or note-printing options and repeat the small sample.
| Check | Expected result |
|---|---|
| Location | Each comment can be associated with the intended page or marked passage |
| Text | Both fictional instructions are readable in full |
| Appearance | Marks remain distinguishable from the underlying document |
| Completeness | The chosen output includes all feedback intended for this recipient |
Diagnose missing or confusing feedback
If the preview looks clean, first check that you opened the annotated copy and selected annotation output. If the page has markers but no useful explanation, focus on the summary or pop-up settings. If the preview is correct but the print is hard to read, inspect the paper size, scaling and grayscale output with a single sample sheet.
When finding comments in Acrobat, clear unintended filters in the comments panel. Filtering the panel changes what you see during review; it should not be treated as a reliable privacy control for the file. Compare the feedback you intend to include with the actual output.
Check the recipient’s copy separately
Comments may contain names, internal discussions or instructions meant only for a reviewer. Before distributing the printout or a generated PDF, review every page of that particular output, including any appended summary pages. A change that hides comments in a viewer does not remove them from the source PDF.
Keep the original review file and label the recipient copy clearly. If the document requires permanent removal of sensitive information, use a proper redaction workflow and verify the saved result; changing print options is not a substitute.
Sources and further reading
Vendor instructions and background references are linked below. Worked examples are our explanatory calculations, not vendor performance claims. Check the instructions for your current software and device.
- Adobe Acrobat — Print comments
- Adobe Acrobat — View comments and create summaries
- Adobe Acrobat Reader — Print PDFs and comments
Report a correction with this page’s title and the step or result that needs attention.