How to Lock Comments in PDF Document? Stepwise Guide

  Kanishka Vohra
Written By Kanishka Vohra
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Modified On January 28th, 2026
Reading Time 8 Min Read

Many of you might share the confidential PDF documents for review. Here, imagine the unprotected document lets viewers add any feedback or comments, leading to confusion or tampering with the information. It raises the question of how to lock comments in PDF document. This way, users can ensure professionalism while keeping security. Follow this comprehensive guide to discover methods, including free, automated tools, for hiding comments in a PDF document. With this, you can share the PDFs while turning off the option to comment or add feedback. So, let’s dive into it.

What is the Meaning of Locking PDF Comments?

PDF documents support different types of security or restrictions, locking comments is one of them. Lock comment security is a type of owner permission that limits the ability to add, delete, or review any comments in a PDF file. It make PDF read only files, preventing the activities that can tamper with the original information.

Hence, users can only review the document along with comments. There are various types of PDF Owner Password that control viewer actions. Now, let’s understand the meaning of locking and hiding the comments in PDF files:

  • Locking PDF Comment: Users can view the comments. However, it stops them from adding or deleting any comments in a PDF file.
  • Hiding Comments in PDF: It is a temporary practice that hides the comments from view or review.

Overall, both locking and hiding the comments in a PDF help in protecting the document from misuse. This way, unauthorized users can’t change or add unnecessary reviews in a PDF document. Now, let’s briefly understand the benefits of locking commenting in PDF files.

Why Lock Comments in PDF Files?

Comments are highly recommended when seeking feedback and approval. On the other hand, unwanted comments in PDFs may cause trouble and lead to miscommunication.
Here, locking comments in PDF is among the best practices for safeguarding records and prior reviews. Below are the common reasons on why users want to hide or lock comments in PDF document:

  • Avoid Unauthorized Changes or Feedback: Unprotected PDFs allow everyone to add or modify the comments. This may confuse other viewers and reduce the readability. Here, locking the comments in PDF protects the document from tampering and other unauthorized feedback or changes.
  • Protect Originality: If the document is reviewed by multiple users, anyone can add their thoughts. Controlling the commenting action keeps the document intact. This way, users can protect the final copy of PDF files without any changes. Hence, it is essential to lock comments in PDF files.
  • Save Time or Efforts: An Unsecured document allows users to add unwanted revisions or feedback. This way, owners need to remove them to access clean PDFs. Hence, it becomes essential to lock or hide the comment in a PDF to mitigate the chances of being misleading.

In short, locking comments is highly recommended for professionals to ensure data protection. This way, users can control viewers’ actions, preventing them from adding or deleting comments. So, let’s move to discover the methods on how to lock all comments in PDF document.

How to Lock Comments in PDF – 4 Best Ways

Whether you want to hide or lock the comments in PDFs, below is the step-by-step guide. Using these methods, you can safeguard the document’s originality when sharing it online. Moreover, it includes both free and professional-grade tools for locking the PDF comments. Here are the techniques to lock comment in PDF files:

  • Free Online PDF Tools
  • Adobe Acrobat Pro Software
  • Using Free PDF Annotator
  • Try SysTools Recommended Solution – The Ultimate Utility

Now, let’s understand these methods one after another.

How to Lock Comments in PDF Online – Try Free Online PDF Tools

If you are wondering how to lock all comments in PDF document, try free online platforms. Many free tools or web-based solutions are available to disable commenting in PDF files. These websites are useful for applying basic lock on commenting. This way, users can’t access or comment on PDF files.

These tools are free and offer other benefits, such as a simple interface and batch processing. All these uses make them the go-to choice for professionals or beginners. Here are the steps to lock or hide comments in PDF file using online tools:

  1. Firstly, visit the free PDF websites on a browser.
  2. Upload the PDF with comments.
  3. Disable the action of commenting and add permissions.
  4. Finally, download the PDF and share the file with ease.

Pros of Free Online Tools

  • No Third-party tool interference or installation required.
  • Simple to use without technical support

Cons of Online PDF Websites

  • Online tools aren’t recommended due to the high risk of data loss.
  • Many tools have a file-size limit for free use.
  • Use the offline tool for locking the comments in PDF files.

How to Lock Comments in Adobe PDF File – Try Acrobat Pro Software (Paid)

Adobe Acrobat is among the standalone and secure utilities for managing PDF files. Using this advanced software, users can either hide or lock the comments in PDF files. This way, you can effortlessly organize PDF files whenever sharing them online.

Moreover, the software supports all types of owner protection, including commenting, editing, and more. Hence, you can disable commenting in PDF file without data loss. Here are the steps on how to lock comments in PDF using the Adobe Acrobat Pro tool:

  1. Firstly, download the Adobe Acrobat Pro from the official website.
  2. Tab File to upload documents > pick the Tools and then, Protect.
  3. Now, choose Restrict Editing > add the password.
  4. Finally, disable the commenting and download the necessary document.

Pros of Adobe Acrobat Tool:

  • The tool efficiently meets your industrial standards and needs.
  • Allow comment security on a PDF document instantly.
  • Useful for professionals and business workers for managing files.

Cons of the Adobe Acrobat:

  • Paid tool with a high subscription pricing structure.
  • Not recommended for occasional users or small enterprises due to cost.

How to Lock All Comments in PDF File – Try PDF Annotator

PDF Annotator is yet another way to add comment protection on PDF files. Moreover, these are simple and highly recommended solutions for everyone. This way, you can control the actions of modifying, adding, or deleting any comment on PDF files. Here are the steps to lock comments in PDF files using these solutions:

  1. Start by launching the PDF Annotators on your machine.
  2. Open the document and tab Ctrl + A > perform a right click on the comment.
  3. Pick Properties and enable Lock protection, and press Ok.

Pros of PDF Annotator: Offers bulk processing with a simple interface.

Cons of PDF Annotator Tools: It limits free use and offers paid plans. You need to install the utility to apply the comment protection to PDF files.

How to Lock Comments in PDF Using SysTools PDF Pro Software (Official)

If you’re wondering how to lock all the comments in PDF files, try SysTools PDF Locker. It is among the safest and trusted tools for Windows or macOS users. Using this software, users can effortlessly protect documents from comments and other permissions. Moreover, it allows users to disable the user or owner security in batch mode.

Besides this, the software offers a simple dashboard and functional features. With this, users can effortlessly manage the document while limiting the action of commenting. Now, let’s dive into following the guide.

Guide to Disable Comments in PDF Files

  1. First, run the SysTools-mentioned software on your machine.
    download the software
  2. Add Files or Folders” to upload the required PDFs to the dashboard.
    click add files to upload pdf having comments
  3. Tab Change to browse the location of the resultant PDF > Next.
    click change
  4. Enable the checkbox of “Apply Document Restrictions” > disable commenting.
    disable commenting
  5. Set the password > press the Lock button.

This way, users can efficiently lock all the comments in PDF files without data formatting or loss.

How to Hide Comments in PDF Instantly?

Previously, we have listed the ways to lock comments in PDF files. If you’re wondering to hide the PDF comments instead of deleting them, follow this method. Moreover, the Adobe Acrobat Pro has a built-in feature to hide comments in PDF documents.

Besides this, the tool allows you to unlock comments in PDF files. Hence, try this advanced solution to hide PDF comments with ease. Follow the steps on how to hide comments in PDF using Acrobat:

  1. Firstly, open the desired PDF in Adobe Acrobat, including Reader or Pro.
  2. Perform a right click on Comments and tab Options.
  3. After this, hide all comments and save the file.

Concluding Words

In the above guide, we have listed 4 ways on how to lock comments in PDF documents. Using these methods, you can lock or hide commenting in PDF files. Among all SysTools utilities, it is the most trusted and useful for everyone. Using this reliable solutions, users can lock all the comments in PDF documents without changing the formatting or other essential PDF elements.