Upgrade Storage[Bug] Embedded PDF annotations and highlights fail to render in Zotero Reader
Highlights and standard PDF annotations added to PDF files via external editors do not display inside the built-in Zotero PDF reader.
• Zotero Version: 10.0 (Build 20260817111755, Mozilla Gecko 140.14.0)
• Operating System: macOS 26.5.2 (Build 25F84)
• Installed Plugins: Better BibTeX, Linter, Zoplicate
Steps to Reproduce
1. Open a PDF in an external reader (e.g., PDF Expert, Adobe Acrobat, Apple Preview).
2. Create highlights and text annotations, then save the document.
3. Add or attach the saved PDF to an item in Zotero.
4. Open the PDF in the Zotero built-in reader.
Expected Behavior
The built-in reader should render embedded annotations on the page and list them in the annotation sidebar, allowing them to be viewed or imported into Zotero.(Note that in the library UI, the annotations can be read by Zotero).
Actual Behavior
The PDF renders without any visible highlights or annotations. The annotations sidebar displays no entries.
Troubleshooting Done
• Opened the same file in external readers (Adobe Acrobat, Preview, PDF Expert); all embedded annotations display normally.
• Confirmed the issue persists when restarting Zotero with add-ons disabled (Help → Restart with Add-ons Disabled…).
• Zotero Version: 10.0 (Build 20260817111755, Mozilla Gecko 140.14.0)
• Operating System: macOS 26.5.2 (Build 25F84)
• Installed Plugins: Better BibTeX, Linter, Zoplicate
Steps to Reproduce
1. Open a PDF in an external reader (e.g., PDF Expert, Adobe Acrobat, Apple Preview).
2. Create highlights and text annotations, then save the document.
3. Add or attach the saved PDF to an item in Zotero.
4. Open the PDF in the Zotero built-in reader.
Expected Behavior
The built-in reader should render embedded annotations on the page and list them in the annotation sidebar, allowing them to be viewed or imported into Zotero.(Note that in the library UI, the annotations can be read by Zotero).
Actual Behavior
The PDF renders without any visible highlights or annotations. The annotations sidebar displays no entries.
Troubleshooting Done
• Opened the same file in external readers (Adobe Acrobat, Preview, PDF Expert); all embedded annotations display normally.
• Confirmed the issue persists when restarting Zotero with add-ons disabled (Help → Restart with Add-ons Disabled…).
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kzsscedit: this doesn't happen with every pdf... still investigating mechanism.
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martynas_b Zotero TeamCould you send the PDF file to support@zotero.org with a link to this thread?
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martynas_b Zotero TeamWe reproduced the issue, and the fix will be available soon. Just imported annotations sometimes aren't visible until the reader tab is restarted.
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kzsscfantastic, many thanks Martynas!