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Zotero - Annotate PDFs - ZotFile

Learn how to manage highlighted quotes and annotations on a PDF document and collate these notes in Zotero using the Zotfile plugin for Zotero.

List of PDF software

As you consider which PDF annotation software may work best for you as a researcher, remember to make sure that it works with the devices you use and with the cloud storage platform you use. If you use a mobile scanning app (more info via WSU libraries' guide), you will want to consider if the scanning app creates a PDF you can annotate with the options listed below: 

Foxit Reader [Free to $] - use on your computer as well as your mobile device (Google Play / Apple). 
Adobe Acrobat Reader [Free to $] - use on your computer as well as in your browser via Adobe Reader commenting tools (guide on how to enable in your browser from OSU). There is also a free mobile app (Google Play / Apple). 
PDF Annotator ($) - works with Windows

PDF-Xchange [Free to $] - works with Windows. 
Xournal++ (open source - Free) (Windows / Mac / Linux) Xournal++ is a handwriting notetaking software with PDF annotation support. Written in C++ with GTK3, supporting Linux, macOS and Windows 10. Supports pen input from devices such as Wacom Tablets.
iAnnotate PDF (iPhone / iPad) ($)
Use to annotate and read PDF files on Apple's iPad.

Flexcil (iPad only - free to download, in-app purchases) 
PDFescape (free to $) Works within most browsers as a PDF reader/annotater. Also offered ($) as a download for Windows (more info on installation).
PDFViewer (Apple - mobile/Mac & Android)  Annotations, forms, signatures, document editing and sharing, all in one, free package. 

PDFExpert (iOS) (helpful page on using PDFExpert with Box) (free to $)

GoodReader (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) (user manual)

Hypothes.is (open source - free & works in your web browser) You can share annotations & highlights with a public Zotero group using Zocurelia (here's the form to create the group). There's also a project on GitHub that will import your notes in Hypothes.is into Zotero (with their tags) - please note, I haven't tested this yet. 

 

More info on the iPad & PDF Annotation software