Turn off commenting in 3 steps
- 1
Load the PDF into Comment Permissions
Open Comment Permissions and add your file. Allow comments and annotations is the first switch and starts unticked.
- 2
Decide whether forms stay fillable
Allow filling in form fields stays ticked by default, so people can still complete the form. Untick it to make the fields read-only as well.
- 3
Apply permissions and download
Click Apply permissions. In the report, Comments and annotations should read Not allowed. Copy the generated owner password, then click Download PDF.
Why form filling is tied to comments
The PDF standard treats form filling as part of the comments permission. When comments are allowed, form filling is always allowed too, which is why the form switch is greyed out while Allow comments and annotations is ticked. The tool notes this under the switch. Only after you turn comments off can you choose separately whether forms stay fillable.
- Comments off, forms on: an application form people complete but cannot scribble on.
- Comments off, forms off: a finished, filled copy for the record. To fix the answers permanently, flatten the form first.
- Comments on: a review draft. Restrict editing instead with Editing Permissions.
What counts as a comment
In PDF terms, comments are annotations: sticky notes, highlights, underlines, strikethroughs, freehand drawings, shapes and text boxes added on top of the page. Blocking them stops readers from adding new ones and from changing or deleting existing ones. Annotations already in the file stay visible.
Want reviewers' notes to stay in the final file but not be edited further? Add or keep them first, for example with Sticky Notes or PDF Comments, then apply this restriction.
Limits of a comment restriction
Readers like Acrobat and Preview grey out their comment tools for a restricted file, but the flag only binds software that chooses to honor it. The file still opens without a password unless you ask for one, so a program that ignores permissions can annotate it. Use the restriction to keep a shared copy clean, not as an audit control.
Frequently asked questions
Can I block form filling but allow comments?
No. The PDF standard always allows form filling when comments are allowed, so that combination isn't possible.
Will existing comments be removed?
No. Annotations already in the file are kept and still display; readers just can't add or change them.
How do I allow comments again later?
Unlock the file with Remove PDF Password, or enter the owner password in a full PDF editor.
Comment Permissions or one of its siblings?
Each permission tool starts with a different switch turned off. Pick Comment Permissions when markup is the problem. Pick Editing Permissions when changes to the actual page content or page order are the problem. To set everything in one view, use PDF Permissions, described in how to set PDF permissions.