Get a clean copy of a reviewed PDF. See every comment, highlight, note and drawing counted page by page, choose which kinds to strip, and download the cleaned file. Nothing is uploaded.
Last updated:
Annotation types to remove
Pages
Annotations per page
Page
Found
Total
To remove
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How to use the Remove Annotations from PDF
Open your PDF by dropping it into the box or clicking to choose it.
Review the counts. The table lists what each page contains, such as 3 highlights and 1 sticky note.
Tick the kinds to remove. Comments, markup, drawings, stamps and attachments are selected by default; links and form fields are kept unless you tick them.
Optionally pick pages by typing a range such as 1-3, 8.
Press Remove annotations & download to save name-clean.pdf.
Annotation types this tool recognizes
The PDF standard (ISO 32000) defines a list of annotation subtypes. Each one is stored as a separate object attached to a page, which is why it can be removed without touching the page itself.
Group
PDF subtypes
Usually created by
Comments & notes
Text (sticky note), FreeText (text box), Popup
Comment and Add note tools in PDF readers
Highlights & markup
Highlight, Underline, StrikeOut, Squiggly, Caret
Text selection markup tools and proofreading
Drawings & shapes
Ink, Square, Circle, Line, Polygon, PolyLine
Pen, pencil and shape tools, tablet handwriting
Stamps & watermarks
Stamp, Watermark
Approved, Draft, Confidential and custom image stamps
Attachments & media
FileAttachment, Sound, Movie, Screen, RichMedia, 3D
Attach file comments and embedded media players
Links
Link
Hyperlinks to websites, email addresses or other pages
Form fields
Widget
Fillable text boxes, checkboxes, buttons and signature fields
Remove, flatten or redact?
Remove annotations (this tool) deletes the comment layer. The page looks the way it did before anyone marked it up.
Flatten keeps annotations and form values visible but burns them into the page so they can no longer be edited. Use Flatten PDF for that.
Redact permanently covers sensitive text that is part of the page content. Use Redact PDF.
Want to keep a record of the review before cleaning? Export the notes first with Extract Highlights from PDF, then remove them here.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a PDF annotation?
Annotations are objects placed on top of the page content: comments and sticky notes, text boxes, highlights, underlines and strikeouts, freehand ink, shapes and lines, stamps, file attachments, links and form fields. They are stored separately from the page text, which is why they can be removed cleanly.
Will removing annotations change the text of my document?
No. Only the annotation layer is removed. Text, images and drawings that are part of the page itself stay exactly as they were. If a highlight was flattened into the page (burned in), it is no longer an annotation and cannot be removed this way.
Why are links and form fields not removed by default?
Links and form fields are technically annotations too, but most people want to keep them working. Tick Links or Form fields if you want a copy without clickable links or without fillable fields.
What happens to form data if I remove form fields?
The fields and the values typed into them disappear from the copy, because a form value is displayed by its field. To keep the typed values visible but no longer editable, use Flatten PDF instead.
Some highlights are still visible after cleaning. Why?
Those highlights are part of the page content rather than annotations. This happens when a PDF was printed to PDF, scanned or flattened after it was marked up. They can only be hidden by editing the page, for example with a redaction or PDF editor tool.
Can I remove annotations from only some pages?
Yes. Choose Pages and type a range such as 1-3, 8. Annotations on other pages are kept.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The file is opened and rewritten by JavaScript in your browser, so it never leaves your device.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.