Drawboard PDF

Drawboard PDF is a lightweight productivity tool that enables users to take full control over their PDF files and enhance them with built-in tools for annotation. Optimized from the ground up to work perfectly with touch-based Windows hardware (such as touch-equipped laptops and tablets), this application manages to impress even business users who require a large number of advanced tools to make any app suitable for their daily workflow.



Since this paid application aims to satisfy both home and business users, it is not strange to see that Drawboard PDF can do almost anything imaginable with PDF documents. It can reproduce all types of PDF files with 1:1 accuracy, and unlock powerful editing tools to copying and extracting data from other Windows apps, annotate, draw shapes, save changes and provide an easy procedure for sharing changes with other users.

However, because of the large number of tools and services that are offered, some users will have to spend some time learning how to take full advantage of this app. But once this is done, Drawboard PDF can indeed become the one and only PDF management app for even the most demanding users such as architects and designers who often handle and annotate a large number of PDF files per day.

The best and most engaging feature of Drawboard PDF is its touch-friendly interface that can masterfully handle both finger and stylus inputs. Many tools of the app are optimized for easy access while in touch mode, enabling users to very quickly manipulate PDF files, annotate and highlight, copy and delete data, write and erase whatever they want, add sticky notes, and of course, draw in freehand or add predetermined shapes. Once finished with editing, the entire PDF can be “flattened” into a new PDF file that is ready for sharing.

While the interface of the app is streamlined for fast and easy access to all of its tools, some UI elements can prevent users from drawing and annotating across the entire document’s surface. In some rare cases, the app can also experience stuttering, hanging, and even crashing. The app is still in development, with many fixed and new features expected to be added over time.

Drawboard PDF is a premium app that is primarily focused on delivering a wide array of tools to experienced and demanding users and is specially optimized for touch-friendly devices. The app is optimized for all versions of Windows OS, including Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.

Features and Highlights

• Smooth and natural ink using a pen or active stylus - feels like real ink. Customize stroke, pressure-sensitivity and color settings
• Toggle between using a stylus/pen and finger touch to perform annotations on any PDF
• Text review markup - freehand highlighter, text highlighter, underline, strikeout, squiggly on PDF
• Insert shapes - cloudy tool, rectangle, ellipse, line, arrow, polygon, and polyline on PDF. Also, insert images and camera photos onto PDFs
• Insert signatures, notes, images, and text
• Create new blank PDF documents of different sizes, colors, orientations, and page count. Insert, rotate and delete PDF pages
• PDF bookmarks, print PDF, search PDF, markup history, and share PDF
• Flatten PDF annotations
• Open, read, mark up and save multiple large and complex PDF documents at the same time
• Edit, write, annotate, ink, and draw on PDFs. Customize and edit annotation colors, widths, opacities, etc on PDF
• Various document layout and view modes, including night mode
• Pin PDFs to your start screen, and pin local folders within Drawboard PDF for quick access

Drawboard PDF PRO toolset

• Document Builder - Merge, re-order and arrange PDF documents
• Calibrated Annotation - Calibrate your document to scale and add linear and area measurements
• Protractor - Measure and rule ink at precise angles - compatible with Surface Dial
• Grid and Line Templates & Overlays - Select from a range of grids and lines to enhance the precision of your markups
• Engineering Line Styles - Create dotted and dashed lines on your PDFs

If you are looking for Drawboard PDF alternatives, we recommend you to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader.

Why free? All the essentials of Drawboard PDF are free to use with no commitment and no ads.