How to Edit a PDF: A Step-by-Step Guide

Struggling with portable document formats, or PDFs as they’re colloquially known, is a tale as old as time. Since the dawn of dial-up, boomers to Gen Zers (and everyone in between) have scoured the internet for answers to pressing enigmas like “How to combine a PDF” or “How to edit a PDF.”

Well, if you’re reading this article, your search is finally over! We’ll give you the crash course on How To Edit PDFs 101, as well as tips on free PDF editors, ways to edit on your laptop and phone, and answers to FAQs. Class is in session!

While there are tons of paid and free software platforms available, it’s difficult to choose the best platform for your needs. Unfortunately, the internet is filled with answers that require you to have a programming degree to comprehend. Worry not! We have you covered with some of the fastest and simplest ways to edit a PDF. Let’s get into it!

How To Edit PDFs for Free Online

Milton Friedman said, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” However, that doesn’t strictly apply to free PDF editors. Although the first results you google may not be the most helpful, you can edit a PDF online for free if you know where to look.

Sejda

Editing pre-existing text in your PDF is the dream. With Sejda’s online editor, you can make it a reality. They offer completely free services for documents up to 200 pages or three tasks an hour. You also don’t have to share your email address!

Just follow the steps below.

1. Click on Upload PDF file.
2. Select the text you want to edit.

3. Click Apply Changes.

Select the green Download button to access the updated version of your file.

Acrobat

Did you know Adobe Acrobat has a free online editor? The price you pay is giving up your email address. Here’s how it works:

1. Click Select a file or drag and drop your PDF into the box.
2. Wait for the file to upload.

3. Sign in using your Google account or select Create a free account.
4. Finish setting up your account to register for the free trial.

5. Once your account is set up, you’ll have access to premium features. Click Convert on the top left side.
6. Click Microsoft Word.
7. Select Convert to DOCX and edit away.

Note: If you’re not interested in the free trial, you can still fill in forms, highlight text, draw freehand and add eSignatures.

Smallpdf

Smallpdf is a freemium web-based PDF editor compatible with Windows, Linux or IoS devices. Hassle-free and fast, it lets you edit your PDF online using PC or mobile devices — no installation required. Smallpdf is our best pick for editing in Windows. Here is how you can make the best use of Smallpdf:

• Go to their website and choose the Edit PDF option.
• Select the Choose file button and upload the PDF you want to edit or drag and drop the PDF file into the blue area.
• Choose the T-shaped text icon to add new text to your PDF.
  

  Upload Your file to the editor. Source

• Format the font, color and size of the text and highlight it using the Highlighter pen icon. Choose the Pen icon to draw.
• Click on the Image icon from the menu to add images and shapes.
• Once you’re done editing, click on Download at the top-right of the webpage to download the edited PDF on your device.

Note: Full text editing is only available to Pro users, but fret not — they offer a seven-day free trial if you need it in a pinch.

Google Docs

The cloud-based yin to Microsoft Word’s yang, Google Docs is the most popular and convenient platform for creating and sharing documents with anyone with a Google account. In addition to viewing your PDF, it provides numerous editing tools. To edit your PDF in Google Docs:

• Open Google Docs. Log in to your Google account if you aren’t already logged in.
  

  Opening a file from the Google Docs home screen.

• Find and click on the small folder-like icon with an open file picker pop-up at the mid-right of your screen.
• Choose a file on your drive or one that has been shared with you. Remember to uncheck the document filter or check PDFs from the drop down attached to the search bar.
• Alternatively, upload a file from your device by clicking on Select a file or drag and drop the file directly onto the editing area.
  

  How to open a file in Google Docs via upload.

• Go to Open with and choose Google Docs from the drop-down list when the PDF file gets uploaded.
• Once your file is open, treat it like any other document. Edit the text using various tools in the Format menu, add text, and insert or rearrange pictures, tables and more.
• Once you’re done, find and click on File select Download and save it as a PDF Document on your device.
  

  Editing in Google Docs.

How To Edit PDF on Desktop

Editing PDFs using a free app can be a decent stop-gap solution for a one-off project. But, you may find yourself in the weeds if you need a longer-term solution. That’s where you could use a downloadable app or two.

Edit with Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is a bit of a sandbagger. It can do a lot more than view your PDF files. Acrobat has separate apps for Windows, tablets and mobile devices. It lets you annotate documents, enter text directly into the file, format with various tools and even scribble on it. To edit your PDF file, follow these steps:

• Download the app from adobe.com or the Windows app store and open it.
• Navigate to File and select Open to upload the file you need to edit.
• Navigate to the Tools menu and select the Edit PDF option.
• Use Selections from the Format list to add text and customize its font, size or color.
• Click directly on the text you want to edit.
• Use Selections from the Objects list to add new images or replace, move or resize existing ones.
  

  Image editing in Adobe Acrobat. Source

• Once you’re done, go to File, rename the document if you want and select Save to store it on your device.

Edit with Word

• Open MS Word, click on File and select Open.
• Select Browse and search and select your PDF file from the file explorer.

• You’ll see a dialog box saying that Word will have to convert your file into a format that is word processor-friendly. Some of the formatting of the PDF, especially elements like line breaks and page breaks, may change during the conversion process. Click Ok to confirm.
• Edit the file like you would a regular Word document.
• Press Ctrl+S or click on File and then Save.

• In the save menu, you’ll be able to change the file type to save the document as a PDF. Alternatively, you can also choose to save the file as a Word doc.

Edit on MacOS

Although Macs (and many Apple products) get a bad rap, they come with perks like added security, reliability and an built-in PDF viewer. You can use Preview to edit your PDF or follow the steps above to use Adobe Acrobat for Mac. Let’s take a look at how to work Preview.

• Open the PDF you want to edit.
• Go to Tools, select Annotate and choose Text/Note to add comments.
  

  Apple Preview markup toolbar icons. Source

• Add new text by selecting the T-marked Textbox icon and drag and drop it to anywhere on your file.
• Click on View in the markup toolbar and choose the A-marked icon to access various formatting options.
• Go to Tools, then Text Selection. Press Command+C to copy text and Command+V to paste and replace text.
• You can also add notes and speech bubbles, crop or rotate the document, add effects and even integrate PDFs.
• Once you have finished editing your document, go to File and save it through the drop-down list.

Edit On Your Phone

Do you need to submit a document with your signature urgently? Or, fill out a form pronto? Sometimes, you’ve got to use your phone to do it. We’ve got all the deets for iPhone and Android users below!

iPhone

PDFelement

Now known as Wondershare PDFelement, this free app’s comprehensive features make PDF editing a breeze.

• Download the app from the AppStore and register.
  

  PDFelement app store view. Source

• Open the app and select your file from the Files screen.
  

  Opening files in PDFelement. Source

• Select the Text box icon from the top-left section. Enter the new text in the blue dotted box, drag and drop the text to the desired position on your PDF file.
• Tap the Pen icon on the top of the screen to access various editing tools to highlight or underline text, insert freehand drawing and even add your signature.
• Once you have finished, choose the arrow icon to the top-left corner of the screen to save the document on your device.

PDF Expert

PDF Expert is a Reddit-approved all-purpose PDF editor exclusively for iOS devices. It offers a plethora of built-in features, such as digital stamps, signatures, annotation tools and advanced features with in-app purchases. Here’s how it works.

• Open your file and choose the Edit PDF option.
• Click on the T| Text icon and select a paragraph or line to edit.
• Note: The editor auto-detects the format of the original text.
  

  Text editing screen in PDF Expert. Source

• With Text T| selected, tap on a blank space to add a block. Manually format the text once you have entered it.
• Drag and drop the text block anywhere on the document or tap on a blank area to save the entered text.
• To edit an image, click on Image next to the T| Text option. Tap on an image and rotate, move, crop or delete it by clicking on the appropriate option among the ones that pop up.
  

  Image editing in PDF Expert. Source

• Add links in your PDF through the Link drop down.

Android

The aforementioned PDFElements, Smallpdf and Adobe offer apps you can access via the Google Play store. However, they may feature fewer capabilities than their desktop and iPhone counterparts. You can highlight text, create comments and scribble, but adding or editing text is a no-go.

FAQs

Next Steps

Congratulations! You’re all set to graduate your PDF editing class with honors. Now that figuring out how to edit a PDF no longer plagues you, check out our resources, tutorials and tips to answer all your burning tech questions. Happy reading!

What do you think is the toughest part of editing a PDF? Let us know in the comments below!