--- title: "PDFs" url: "https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/pdfs" language: "en" description: "Read PDFs, write and highlight on them, add comments and collect thoughts per page – Apple Pencil included. The original file stays untouched." published: "2026-11-06T11:15:45+01:00" updated: "2026-11-06T11:25:33+01:00" --- # PDFs Read PDFs, write and highlight on them, add comments and collect thoughts per page – Apple Pencil included. The original file stays untouched. [← All features](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features) PDFs # Read, write on and comment on PDFs. Lecture notes, contracts or papers: upload them and work right on them – with pen, highlighter and comments, Apple Pencil included. The original stays untouched. PDFs you can write on ## Read, highlight, collect your thoughts. Upload lecture notes, contracts or papers and work right on them: pen, highlighter, eraser, comments. ![Ein Mietvertrag als PDF in der Schreibansicht: eine Überschrift blau umkreist, eine Zeile unterstrichen und eine mit orangem Textmarker markiert; oben die Werkzeuge.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/35/conversions/pdf-markiert-large.webp) ![Ein Mietvertrag als PDF in der Schreibansicht: eine Überschrift blau umkreist, eine Zeile unterstrichen und eine mit orangem Textmarker markiert; oben die Werkzeuge.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/36/conversions/pdf-markiert-large.webp) “Edit” opens the writing view over the whole window. Pick tool, colour and stroke width at the top. - Penin several colours and stroke widths - Highlightertranslucent over the text - Eraserremoves whole strokes with one tap - Commentpins a small note to a spot on the page Notes on a PDF ## Thoughts on the page – collected in one note. Next to the PDF sits the “Notes on this PDF” panel. Type a thought on the visible page into the quick field – all your thoughts are collected, with page numbers, in a companion note. - “New note on this” creates a note that already links to the PDF and page - “Link …” adds a link to the PDF to an existing note - Page buttons such as “p. 2” jump straight to that page - On a phone, open the panel via the button at the top right next to the title ![Ein PDF mit Anmerkungen neben der Leiste „Notizen zu diesem PDF“ mit Schnellfeld und gesammelten Gedanken mit Seitenangaben.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/37/conversions/pdf-notizen-large.webp) ![Ein PDF mit Anmerkungen neben der Leiste „Notizen zu diesem PDF“ mit Schnellfeld und gesammelten Gedanken mit Seitenangaben.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/38/conversions/pdf-notizen-large.webp) ![Ein PDF auf dem Smartphone mit Seitenzahl, Knopf „Bearbeiten“ und Download.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/47/conversions/handy-pdf-large.webp) ![Ein PDF auf dem Smartphone mit Seitenzahl, Knopf „Bearbeiten“ und Download.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/48/conversions/handy-pdf-large.webp) Download ## The original stays untouched. The download button offers two versions: the original PDF or the PDF with annotations – your strokes, highlights and comments are then drawn into a new file. ![Ausschnitt: Anmerkungen auf einem PDF – eine blau umkreiste Überschrift und eine orange mit Textmarker markierte Zeile.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/75/conversions/nah-pdf-markiert-large.webp) ![Ausschnitt: Anmerkungen auf einem PDF – eine blau umkreiste Überschrift und eine orange mit Textmarker markierte Zeile.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/76/conversions/nah-pdf-markiert-large.webp) Tools ## Everything you’d do on paper. ### Pen, highlighter, eraser “Edit” opens the writing view over the whole window. Pick your tool at the top. - View only – scroll and zoom without writing by accident - Eraser – removes whole strokes with one tap - Comment – pins a small note to a spot on the page - “Undo” takes back the last stroke on the current page ### Apple Pencil and finger With a stylus such as Apple Pencil, only the pencil writes – your finger keeps scrolling as usual, and a resting hand leaves no marks. - Without a stylus, your finger writes - On tablets and phones, zoom with two fingers Search in PDFs ## Search finds what’s in the PDF. Your browser reads the text a PDF already contains. Text recognition for scans also runs locally in your browser by default: the pages stay on your device. - Recognition runs on a computer while the app is open – a few seconds per page; phones and tablets leave it to a computer - It hardly recognises handwriting - If you like, Mistral OCR can read your scans instead: usually better, tables and handwriting too. That’s optional and needs your own key – PDFs with scanned pages then go there as a whole file - The text that was read travels along in the ZIP backup ![Ausschnitt: die Einstellungen zur Texterkennung mit der Wahl für Scan-Seiten zwischen „Aus“, „Im Browser“ und „Mistral“. „Im Browser“ ist ausgewählt.](https://snowfoxnotes.com/media/95/conversions/nah-texterkennung-large.webp) How to ## From upload to download 1. 1### 1. Add a PDF Via **New → Upload PDF …**, the upload button at the top of the list – or simply drop the file into the window. The PDF goes into the folder you have open. 2. 2### 2. Write on the PDF Open the PDF and choose **Edit**. Pick tool, colour and stroke width at the top. **Done** or Esc closes the writing view. 3. 3### 3. Note your thoughts Open the **Notes on this PDF** panel, type your thought into the quick field and confirm with **Note** (or ⌘ Enter). 4. 4### 4. Download The download button above the document offers the **original PDF** or the **PDF with annotations**. ### Good to know - Annotations are saved page by page - Offline, your device remembers your strokes and sends them later - PDFs can be read in the offline view too - Large files are transferred in chunks - PDF annotations are part of the ZIP backup too - Click the percentage to reset the zoom to the window width Questions ## Questions about PDFs ### Does annotating change my PDF? No. The original on the server always stays untouched. When you download, you choose the original or a new file with your strokes, highlights and comments drawn in. ### Do I need an Apple Pencil? No. Without a stylus, your finger writes. With a stylus such as Apple Pencil, only the pencil writes – your finger keeps scrolling, and a resting hand leaves no marks. ### Does search find text in PDFs? Yes, once the PDF has been read. Your browser reads the text a PDF already contains. It recognises scans locally by default too, and the pages stay on your device. That runs on a computer while the app is open. ### Do I have to use Mistral? No, never. Recognition in the browser is the default. Mistral OCR is just an option for admins who’d rather have scans read there – with their own key. PDFs with scanned pages then go to Mistral as a whole file; PDFs from folders only certain people can see stay here, unless an admin explicitly allows it. ### Does it work on phones and iPads? Yes. Snowfox Notes runs in any modern browser and can be added to your home screen as an app. On iPad you can write on PDFs with Apple Pencil. ## Curious? Give it a try. Snowfox Notes is free and open source. Download it and put it on your own web space – or let us host it for you. [Download for free](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/downloads) [How installation works](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/self-hosting) Runs on any web space with PHP 8.4. No SSH needed. Features ## More areas ### On the go & offline On your phone you swipe between folders, list and note. As an app on your home screen – and offline for trains, planes and dead zones. [Learn more – On the go & offline →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/on-the-go-offline) ### Data & sharing Folders for everyone, just for you or for chosen people. Move in from Obsidian, Notion and Evernote, up to 25 versions per note, two-factor sign-in and automatic backups. [Learn more – Data & sharing →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/data-sharing) ### AI No built-in AI. Connect Claude, ChatGPT or a similar client to your notes via MCP – with your account’s rights. [Learn more – AI →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/ai) ### Editor Write like in a word processor: headings, checklists, tables, images, attachments and diagrams – plus 23 ready-made templates and an appearance that suits you. [Learn more – Editor →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/editor) ### Organise & find Folders and labels, links between notes and a search that finds as you type – in PDFs too. [Learn more – Organise & find →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/organise-find) ### Calendar & tasks Month, week, day and agenda. Give a note a date or a task a due date right in the text – plus daily notes and a reminder in the morning. [Learn more – Calendar & tasks →](https://snowfoxnotes.com/en/features/calendar-tasks)