How to Draw a Line in Adobe Acrobat Pro/Reader in 2025
Introduction:
Drawing a line in a PDF can highlight key information, help guide attention through complex charts and layouts, and improve the document's readability. In this guide, let's explore how to draw a line in Adobe Acrobat. You will learn all the operational steps and precautions.

Can You Draw a Line in Adobe Acrobat?

Yes, you can draw lines on PDF files using Adobe Acrobat, especially with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. It offers a variety of PDF annotation and drawing tools, including lines, arrows, and shapes, which are very useful for editing, reviewing, or designing forms and documents.

However, Adobe Acrobat is cumbersome and has a complicated interface. For those seeking a lightweight solution, Adobe Acrobat may not be the best choice. If you want to draw a dashed, straight, or curved line in Adobe Acrobat, you need to pay an expensive subscription fee. 

Fortunately, there are many alternatives to Adobe Acrobat available, and SwifDoo PDF is one of them. This tool has a simple workflow that allows you to draw straight, dashed, and curved lines with just a few clicks. Click the button to get SwifDoo PDF and give it a try!

Next, you will know how to draw lines in Adobe Acrobat and SwifDoo PDF. You can try them out and see which one suits you better.

How to Draw a Line in Adobe Acrobat Pro/Reader

Adobe Acrobat is a good PDF drawing tool. With this tool, you can draw lines anywhere in a PDF file and adjust the color and thickness of the lines. Plus, you can add a note if needed.

Here is how to draw a straight line in Adobe Acrobat:

Step 1. Launch Adobe Acrobat. Click the Menu bar and choose Open. Select the PDF document you want to edit.

Step 2. Click the Draw freehand button. Then, select the Line option.

Step 3. Next, choose a color to draw and change line thickness as needed.

Step 4. Go to the right page and drag the cursor to draw the line. If needed, right-click the line to add a comment.

Step 5. Click the Save button, and that’s it.

Use the Best Adobe Acrobat Alternative to Draw Lines

Adobe Acrobat is one of the best tools for drawing lines on PDFs due to its professional features, precision, and reliability. However, SwifDoo PDF would be a better choice if you want a lightweight and affordable tool.

Many users praise SwifDoo PDF as a fast and intuitive annotation workflow tool. It offers a set of annotation tools, including straight, dashed, curved lines, horizontal/vertical lines, arrows, shapes, and freehand. It even lets you use a PDF ruler to draw lines. Of course, you can adjust line color, weight, style, and opacity easily.

Check to learn how to use SwifDoo PDF to draw lines in PDF:

Step 1. Download, install, and launch SwifDoo PDF. Click Open to select the PDF document you want to draw.

Step 2. Go to Annotate and click Line. Select from Straight Line, Horizontal Line, and Vertical Line.

Step 3. Next, change the weight, line style, and color.

Step 4. Draw the line at the right place. Right-click to set other things.

Step 5. Finally, click the Save button or press Ctrl+S to save the drawing.

In addition to PDF drawing, SwifDoo PDF can help you edit, merge, split, convert, compress, sign, and print PDFs. In short, it features all the tools for handling PDFs. If you find Adobe too cumbersome, then try SwifDoo PDF.

Pros and Cons of Using Adobe Acrobat to Draw Lines

Should you choose Adobe Acrobat or SwifDoo PDF? Check out the pros and cons of Adobe Acrobat to help you make your decision.

Pros

Cons

If you work with PDFs regularly and want industry-standard compatibility, Adobe Acrobat is a good choice. However, if you are on a limited budget, consider using a lightweight tool that offers basic features.

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  SwifDoo PDF Adobe Acrobat
Line-drawing tools Straight line, horizontal and vertical lines; various line styles The free version only supports straight lines
Performance Lightweight, fast-loading Feature-heavy; can be slower
Cost Free trial + low-cost one-time license Subscription-only (or higher one-time products)
Ease of use Simple, user-friendly UI More complex interface, steeper learning curve

Conclusion

That’s all about how to draw a line in Adobe Acrobat. However, considering cost-effectiveness and ease of use, SwifDoo PDF may be a better choice. Compared to Acrobat, SwifDoo PDF’s drawing feature is equally impressive. It can also help you draw straight, dashed, and curved lines and use the ruler to add lines in any place, making your documents look professional and neat.