Migrate PDF highlights to the new format
Upgrade legacy PDF highlights in the Chrome extension to ZetaMarker’s current PDF format, including Needs review and optional cloud sync.
Who sees this?
If you highlighted PDFs in an older version of ZetaMarker (before the current PDF viewer), those highlights use a legacy format stored in the browser. When you open such a PDF in the extension, you may see a dialog:
Upgrade old PDF highlights?
This is a one-time upgrade per PDF, not the same as account migration for your login.
What the dialog offers
| Choice | What happens |
|---|---|
| Upgrade highlights | Converts legacy highlights to the new PDF format in the extension |
| Start fresh | Permanently removes legacy highlights on this PDF (confirmation required) |
A Learn more link opens this article from the dialog.
Large PDFs: if the file has 150 pages or more, the dialog warns that upgrading may take longer.
What upgrade does
- The extension indexes the PDF and converts each legacy highlight to the new anchor format.
- Progress appears in the PDF toolbar (for example “Upgrading 3/12…”).
- Most highlights appear on the PDF automatically after conversion.
- Some highlights may land in Needs review in the sidebar if the exact text could not be placed automatically.
If you are signed in with cloud sync enabled, upgraded highlights can sync to your dashboard after migration completes.
Needs review (after upgrade)
Open the sidebar section Needs review for highlights that need a manual fix. For each item you can:
- Find in PDF — search for the quoted text
- Place manually — drag to select the passage on one page
- Pick the correct match if the same text appears more than once (duplicate picker)
Your original highlight color is kept.
Start fresh
Choose Start fresh only if you want to discard legacy highlights on this PDF and begin again. You must confirm — this cannot be undone for those legacy marks.
If you are signed in, starting fresh can also sync that choice to the cloud.
Cloud sync and account requirements
- Local PDF highlighting can work without an account.
- Cloud sync and the dashboard library require a Pro trial or subscription.
- If cloud sync is blocked (for example account update required), migration may run locally only until you finish account migration.
Cloud PDF storage: 300 MB total, 50 MB per file. See pricing for plan details.
Troubleshooting
- Upgrade failed: try closing and reopening the PDF in the extension.
- Highlights missing after upgrade: check Needs review in the sidebar; see Pages in Trash if the page was deleted in the dashboard.
- Account update required: see Update your account for cloud sync.
Local file:// PDFs must be uploaded to the dashboard — the extension cannot read them directly from disk.
Google Drive and Google Docs
Why inline highlighting is not supported on Google Drive or Google Docs, and how to upload PDFs to the dashboard instead.
Fix highlights after PDF migration
Use the Needs review section after PDF highlight migration to find, place, or fix highlights that could not be anchored automatically.