I’ve always loved the feeling of scribbling on paper with a pencil, especially when reviewing documents, sketching ideas, or just making quick notes.
But every PDF annotation tool I tried felt too mechanical. Either the brush felt fake, the UI was clunky, or the entire experience was built around highlighting text rather than drawing freely. And as someone who uses a drawing tablet regularly, it always felt like these tools weren’t made for me.
So I built LeedPDF.
It’s a lightweight, open-source PDF drawing and annotation tool that feels more like sketching on paper than clicking through buttons.
rudi-q
/
leed_pdf_viewer
An open-source, privacy-first PDF annotation tool that turns any PDF into an infinite drawing canvas. Draw, sketch, and annotate with natural pen-like precision - all in your browser
LeedPDF - Free PDF Annotation Tool
Add drawings and notes to any PDF.
Works with mouse, touch, or stylus - completely free and private.
A modern, open-source PDF annotation tool that runs entirely in your browser
Transform any PDF into an interactive canvas. Draw, annotate, and collaborate without uploading your documents to external servers.
Try it now → | Report Issues | Contribute
✨ Features
🔍 PDF Search & Discovery
- Web-wide PDF search powered by Brave Search API
- Direct PDF opening from search results
- Smart filtering for PDF documents only
- Pagination through search results
- Real-time search with instant results
- Setup guide: See docs/SEARCH_FEATURE.md for configuration
🎨 Drawing & Annotation
- Freehand drawing with customizable pencil and highlighter tools
- Shape tools including rectangles, circles, arrows, and stars
- Text annotations with inline editing
- Sticky notes for quick comments
- Smart eraser that removes intersecting elements
📱 Universal Access
- Works on any device -…
I use a drawing tablet daily, and every PDF tool I tried felt… off. Brushes were too perfect, pressure input was ignored, and the overall experience felt clunky.
I wasn’t looking for another all-in-one editor — just a space where I could mark up PDFs freely, like I do in my sketchbook.
LeedPDF is built for that.
How It Works 🤔
LeedPDF is built using SvelteKit with a custom drawing engine that supports pressure-sensitive strokes, natural brush feel, and minimal UI distraction.
It’s fully offline-ready. No logins. No syncing. Your files stay on your device.
And it’s not just a web app...
💻 LeedPDF also comes as a lightweight desktop app if you prefer working outside the browser.
✅ Features
- Pressure-sensitive drawing
- Natural sketch-like brush strokes
- Works offline (browser & desktop)
- No accounts, no tracking
- Open source
- Built with SvelteKit
🧪 Try It
Use it right away in your browser:
👉 https://leed.my
Or download the desktop version from the GitHub releases:
🔗 https://leed.my/downloads
Final Thoughts 💭
LeedPDF is the kind of tool I wish existed years ago — and now I use it daily.
If you prefer drawing your thoughts over typing them, or if traditional PDF tools never quite clicked for you, give it a spin.
Always open to feedback, ideas, or contributions.
Top comments (4)
Thanks Kevin! 💚 Pleased to hear you like it. It's true I would personally have to upload my hand-drawn signature most of the time, but with Leed it would be much easier.
I've heard from some of the users trying it out that the text tool isn't working for them. I'll work on fixing it asap.
LeedPDF is such a lovely tool 💚
I already love how it makes annotating docs so intuitive and smooth :)
Congrats 🙌
Thank you so much @zoegilbert 💚