Importing PDF Annotations

If you want to read and highlight PDF files on a tablet computer, Citavi lets you import these highlights into your project.

Adding Highlights from External PDF Readers as Knowledge Items

  1. Save the PDF file in a location that you have access to from the computer that Citavi is installed on, such as a OneDrive, DropBox or WebDAV drive. Alternatively, you can later copy the PDF file to the computer on which Citavi is installed.
  2. Highlight text in the PDF file with the PDF Reader of your choice, for example Acrobat Reader, GoodReader for iPad, Foxit MobilePDF for Android or the annotation toolbar in the Mac PDF preview.
  3. Open your Citavi project.
  4. Link the PDF file to a reference if you have not yet done so.
  5. Open the PDF file in the Citavi preview. Highlights made outside of Citavi appear as yellow underlines.
  6. Right-click a highlighted underline.
  7. Make a selection, such as Add as quotation.

Please note:

When you attach a PDF file to a reference in a Cloud project, Citavi uploads the annotated PDF file to the Citavi Cloud. You can use Citavi to add additional annotations after it is uploaded.
In a local project, you can link the PDF file. The file remains outside the Citavi Cloud. You can continue to annotate the PDF file with other PDF programs.

Displaying annotations from other PDF programs

If you have annotations other than text highlights (arrows, comments, etc.) that you have made in another PDF program, Citavi can display these as well. In the Citavi preview pane, click the Extras menu and enable the option Show all annotations.

Making your Citavi annotations visible in external PDF readers

Annotations made in Citavi are not saved directly in the PDF file. This means that you will not see them when you open the file in an external reader, such as Adobe Acrobat. If you would like to view your annotations in other readers you can export your PDF annotations.