Highlights: PDF Reader for Mac

Highlights: PDF Reader & Notes for Mac is a lightweight PDF productivity app built primarily for students, researchers, academics, writers, and anyone who spends a lot of time reading and annotating documents.



Instead of acting like a traditional heavy PDF editor, Highlights app for macOS focuses on reading, marking up text, extracting ideas, and turning annotations into organized notes.

The app is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, offers a free tier without ads, time limits, or tracking, and supports advanced research-focused tools through the Pro subscription.

What makes this app stand out is its workflow. Instead of just highlighting passages and leaving them buried inside a PDF, Highlights extracts marked text, images, tables, and comments into reusable notes.

It also supports Smart Copy, citation lookup, OCR, and export to formats and apps commonly used in research and knowledge management.

FileHorse review team would recommend this product to Mac users who want a cleaner, research-oriented alternative to bloated PDF tools, especially if note extraction matters more than full-scale PDF editing.

Key Features

Fast PDF Reading - Opens PDFs in single-page or two-page scroll mode with a lightweight footprint.

Smart Annotation Tools - Lets you highlight, underline, strikethrough, add comments, and place sticky notes with fewer clicks.

Notes Extraction - Automatically converts annotations into structured notes for later review.

OCR and Table Recognition - Pro users can extract text and table data from images and scanned PDFs.

Smart Copy - Copies annotations in the most useful output format, including text, images, CSV tables, and BibTeX citations.

Citation Lookup - Can fetch DOI links and metadata for academic references.

Flexible Export - Exports notes to Markdown, TextBundle, HTML, WebArchive, PDF, and other destinations.

Cross-Device Support - Works across Mac, iPhone, and iPad with one subscription.

Privacy-Friendly Approach - The App Store listing states the developer does not collect data from the app.

User Interface

The interface is one of Highlights’ strongest points. It looks modern, clean, and clearly designed around reading concentration.

The main document area stays uncluttered, while annotation and note-related tools are placed where they feel natural rather than overwhelming.

Recent updates also introduced interface refinements for newer macOS releases, including a refreshed design, transparent toolbar, and floating sidebar behavior. On Mac, that makes the app feel more polished and less busy than enterprise-oriented PDF editors.

In day-to-day use, the UI seems especially well suited to focused reading and academic workflows.

That said, some App Store reviews mention limitations such as missing freehand markup, limited color flexibility, and certain export annoyances depending on workflow.

So while the UI is elegant and efficient, it is better described as specialized than universal.

Installation and Setup

Installing Highlights for Mac is straightforward. You download it from the Mac App Store, open the app, and begin importing or opening PDF files from Finder, iCloud Drive, Dropbox, or other storage locations.

The base app is free to use, so there is no barrier to trying the core reading and annotation features first.

If you need advanced research features, you can activate Highlights Pro from inside the app. A free trial is available for Pro features.

How to Use

Open the app on your Mac.

Import or open a PDF from Finder or cloud storage.

Choose your preferred reading mode such as single page or two-page view.

Highlight important text, underline key lines, or add comments and sticky notes.

Switch to the notes area to see your extracted annotations automatically organized.

Use Smart Copy to copy text, image selections, citations, or table data in the proper format.

Customize the note output if needed.

Export notes to Markdown, HTML, PDF, or send them to apps such as Apple Notes, Obsidian, Notion, DEVONthink, Bear, Craft, or Ulysses.

FAQs

Is Highlights for Mac free?
Yes. The basic app is free and includes standard reading and annotation tools. Advanced features are part of Highlights Pro.

Does it support OCR?
Yes, but advanced OCR and table recognition features are tied to the Pro subscription.

Can I export notes to Markdown or note-taking apps?
Yes. Highlights supports export to Markdown and several external apps and formats.

Does it work with annotations made in other PDF apps?
Usually yes, because it uses standard embedded PDF annotations, though some non-standard annotation systems may not be fully compatible.

Is user data collected?
According to the App Store privacy section, the developer states that no data is collected from this app.

Alternatives

Adobe Acrobat - Industry-standard PDF platform with powerful editing, signing, and enterprise tools.

PDF Expert - A polished Mac PDF editor with broader editing tools, but less specialized around research note extraction.

MarginNote 3 - Strong for study-heavy visual knowledge mapping, though more complex in interface.

LiquidText - Popular among students and researchers for connecting excerpts and ideas visually.

DEVONthink - Not a direct PDF reader replacement, but excellent for storing and organizing research material alongside annotations.

Pricing

Free - Core PDF reading and annotation features.

Highlights Pro Monthly - $4.99 per month.

Highlights Pro Annual - $29.99 per year.

Free Trial - Available for Pro. One subscription covers Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and Family Sharing may be supported for eligible purchases.

System Requirements

macOS 10.15 or later

18 MB download size

English language interface

Mac App Store installation

PROS

• Excellent for research and academic PDF workflows
• Clean and lightweight Mac interface
• Turns annotations into usable notes automatically
• Useful export options for knowledge apps
• OCR, citation lookup, and table extraction are valuable
• Free version has no ads or tracking
• Works across Mac, iPhone, and iPad

CONS

Not a full PDF editor for advanced document editing

Some best features require Pro

Freehand or pen-focused workflows are limited

May not suit users who want heavy markup customization

Some reviewers reported export limitations in certain cases

Less ideal for business form editing or signing workflows

Specialized focus may be too narrow for casual users

Conclusion

Highlights: PDF Reader for Mac is one of the more focused and intelligent PDF apps for research-driven users.

It does not try to be everything, but it does its core job very well: helping you read, annotate, extract, and reuse information efficiently. For students, writers, and academics on Mac, it is absolutely worth trying.