Drawing Annotations

• Jul 21, 2026
• 4 minutes to read

Use drawing annotations to mark regions or paths in a PDF document, such as to highlight areas, indicate review feedback, add handwritten notes, or emphasize layout structure during document inspection.

Supported Drawing Annotation Types

Annotation	Description
Circle	Draws an elliptical outline around a region of interest.
Square	Draws a rectangular outline around a selected area.
Line	Draws a straight line between two points.
Polyline	Draws an open path composed of connected line segments.
Polygon	Draws a closed shape composed of connected line segments.
Ink	Draws freehand strokes as one or more connected paths.

Create a Circle Annotation

The following code snippet uses a circle annotation to highlight a paragraph area:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.*;
import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Document.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createCircleAnnotation(page);

            // Save the document.
            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createCircleAnnotation(Page page) {
        CircleAnnotation annotation = new CircleAnnotation(new RectangleF(210, 500, 240, 160));
        annotation.setTitle("Reviewer");
        annotation.setContent("Update this section.");

        annotation.setPadding(new Padding(4));
        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getRed());

        AnnotationBorderStyle borderStyle = new AnnotationBorderStyle();
        borderStyle.setStyle(BorderStyle.SOLID);
        borderStyle.setWidth(2);

        annotation.setBorderStyle(borderStyle);

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}

Create a Square Annotation

The following code snippet draws a square annotation:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.*;
import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Document.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createSquareAnnotation(page);

            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createSquareAnnotation(Page page) {
        SquareAnnotation annotation = new SquareAnnotation(new RectangleF(50, 350, 540, 100));
        annotation.setTitle("Reviewer");
        annotation.setContent("Update this paragraph.");

        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getBlue());
        annotation.setPadding(new Padding(12));

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}

Create a Line Annotation

The following code snippet draws a line annotation:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.*;
import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Document.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createLineAnnotation(page);

            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createLineAnnotation(Page page) {
        LineAnnotation annotation =
                new LineAnnotation(
                        new PointF(10, 340),
                        new PointF(80, 400));

        annotation.setTitle("Reviewer");
        annotation.setSubject("Content Review");
        annotation.setContent("Update this paragraph.");
        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getRed());
        annotation.setOpacity(0.6);
        annotation.setStartLineEnding(AnnotationLineEndingStyle.BUTT);
        annotation.setFinishLineEnding(AnnotationLineEndingStyle.OPEN_ARROW);

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}

Create a Polyline Annotation

The following code snippet draws a polyline annotation:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.*;
import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Office-Floor-Plan.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createPolylineAnnotation(page);

            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createPolylineAnnotation(Page page) {
        List<PointF> vertices = List.of(
                new PointF(140, 450),
                new PointF(350, 450),
                new PointF(500, 600));

        PolylineAnnotation annotation = new PolylineAnnotation(vertices);

        annotation.setTitle("HR");
        annotation.setContent("Follow this path to the break room.");
        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getGreen());
        annotation.setFinishLineEnding(AnnotationLineEndingStyle.OPEN_ARROW);

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}

Create a Polygon Annotation

The following code snippet draws a polygon annotation:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.*;
import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Office-Floor-Plan.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createPolygonAnnotation(page);

            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createPolygonAnnotation(Page page) {
        List<PointF> vertices = List.of(
                new PointF(120, 450),
                new PointF(520, 450),
                new PointF(520, 300),
                new PointF(400, 300),
                new PointF(400, 370),
                new PointF(120, 370));

        PolygonAnnotation annotation = new PolygonAnnotation(vertices);

        annotation.setTitle("Reviewer");
        annotation.setContent("Review this area.");
        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getOrange());

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}

Create an Ink Annotation

The following code snippet adds a freehand drawing to the first page:

package pdf;

import com.devexpress.docs.pdf.*;
import com.devexpress.system.drawing.*;

import java.nio.channels.*;
import java.nio.file.*;
import java.util.List;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        try (FileChannel fileChannel = FileChannel.open(Path.of("Document.pdf"));
             PdfDocument pdfDocument = new PdfDocument(fileChannel)) {

            Page page = pdfDocument.getPages().getFirst();

            createInkAnnotation(page);

            try (WritableByteChannel channel =
                         FileChannel.open(Path.of("Result.pdf"),
                                 StandardOpenOption.CREATE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.WRITE,
                                 StandardOpenOption.TRUNCATE_EXISTING)) {

                pdfDocument.save(channel);
            }
        }
    }

    static void createInkAnnotation(Page page) {
        List<PointF[]> inks = List.of(
                new PointF[] { new PointF(100, 300),
                        new PointF(120, 290),
                        new PointF(150, 305),
                        new PointF(180, 295)
                },
                new PointF[] {
                        new PointF(210, 320),
                        new PointF(240, 340),
                        new PointF(270, 330)
                }
        );

        InkAnnotation annotation = new InkAnnotation(new RectangleF(80, 780, 260, 120));
        annotation.setInks(inks);
        annotation.setTitle("Reviewer");
        annotation.setContent("Handwritten note.");
        annotation.setColor(PdfColor.getBlue());

        page.getAnnotations().add(annotation);
    }
}