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Guide ·

How to edit a PDF online

Editing a PDF usually means one of two jobs: changing words that are already in the document, or adding something on top of it, such as a note, a picture or a missing date. Edit PDF does both, and it helps to know which one you need before you start.

Edit PDF

Change existing text, or add text, images, shapes and notes.

Step by step

  1. 01

    Open Edit PDF and add your file

    Drop a PDF of up to 50 MB and 1,000 pages. The pages appear in the editor.

  2. 02

    Change existing text

    Choose Edit existing text, click a paragraph and type. The changed words replace the old ones in the file.

  3. 03

    Add something new

    Choose Add text, Image, a shape, Draw, Highlight or Note, then click the page where it should go.

  4. 04

    Adjust it

    Select anything you added to move it, resize it or change its font, size or colour.

  5. 05

    Save and download

    Select Save PDF. Your edits are written into a new copy; the file you uploaded isn't changed.

Changing existing text vs adding text

Changed text is set in the document's own font whenever the PDF contains every character you type. If a character is missing (PDFs often include only the letters they use), the editor tells you which look-alike or standard font it will use before you save. The original words are removed from the file, not hidden under a box.

Added text is new content placed on the page, in Helvetica, Times or Courier, with the size, colour, bold and italic you choose. Use it to fill in a flat form, add a date or label a drawing.

When text can't be edited

  • Scanned pages are pictures of text, so there are no words to change. Run OCR first to make English text searchable, or convert the file with PDF to Word, which reads scanned pages too.
  • Text that is turned at an angle or drawn inside a graphic is shown but can't be rewritten.
  • To change the same word throughout a long document, Find and replace is quicker than editing each line.

Covering text is not the same as removing it

The editor's White-out tool only paints a white box over the page. The text underneath is still in the file and can be copied or found by searching. To remove names, account numbers or other sensitive details for good, use Redact PDF, which deletes the text and image pixels under each box.

Comments vs page content

Highlights and notes are saved as standard PDF comments, so other PDF apps can show, edit or delete them. Text, images, shapes and white-out become part of the page itself.

Questions

Do I need an account to edit a PDF?
You can edit without one. To download the result, sign in with Google; it's free, and the file moves into your Documents. Files you don't download are deleted after an hour.
Is the PDF edited on my computer?
The pages are shown in your browser while you work, and your changes are written into the PDF on PocketPDF's own servers when you save.
Can I edit a form instead?
If the PDF has form fields, Fill PDF form lets you type into them directly. See how to fill out a PDF form.