Using proofreading stamps in free PDF readers and viewers

If you don't have the full paid-for versions of, say, Adobe Acrobat or PDF-XChange, you can still use my proofreading stamps.

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A colleague explains ...

My colleague Sara Peacock demonstrated the stamps. She said: 

The stamps work with [the free] Adobe Reader, but the proofreader will need to ensure that whoever creates the PDF enables comments before sending it, otherwise the comment tools that are needed (as well as the stamps, the pencil tool, the strikeout tool, and so on) won't be accessible.

However, all of these tools (or their equivalents) are available in the free PDF-XChange viewer, in which the stamps can also be used. (Personally, I find it a more stable piece of software than the Adobe version so I use it all the time anyway. It's a bonus that I don't need to insist on enabled PDFs.)

For years, I've used PDF XChange, though I now have the paid-for version. The stamps palette is much clearer, for one thing, and uploading the stamps is quicker, too.

I'd recommend giving Viewer a try, even if you're a die-hard Acrobat user! Even better, XChange Viewer allows you to upload them all in one go.

Note: Always check with your client first to make sure the PDF reader you're using is compatible with their workflows.

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How to get the digital PDF markup stamps

• To access the stamps files, see the article Free Downloadable Proofreading Stamps.
• For a more detailed look at using stamps for onscreen work, go to PDF Editing: Making the Most of the Stamps Tool.
• For installation instructions, click here.

A sample of just a few of my proofreading stamps.

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Tips for using stamps

Tips

• Remember to keep your stamps palette open when you are working in both Acrobat or XChange; it will save you time when selecting each stamp you want to use.
• In XChange you can minimize the size of the symbols as they appear in the palette. This enables you to see a greater number of stamps while you are working without having to scroll up and down the palette (see the highlighted circle on the screenshot below).
• In XChange, number similar stamps sequentially so that they appear in a logical order. This will make it easier to find the stamp you need, particularly if each palette contains a lot of symbols (see screenshot below).
• It's useful to keep your palettes of different-coloured stamps separate so that the palettes don't become overly cluttered. Again, this will enable you to locate the stamp you need more efficiently. 

PDF-XChange Viewer: screenshot of stamps palette and minimizing tool.

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About Louise Harnby

Louise Harnby is a line editor, copyeditor and proofreader who specializes in working with crime, mystery, suspense and thriller writers.

She is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) and co-hosts The Editing Podcast.

• Get in touch: Louise Harnby | Crime Fiction & Thriller Editor
• Connect: X @LouiseHarnby, Facebook and LinkedIn
• Learn: Books and courses
• Discover: Resources for authors and editors

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