Best free PDF editors 2023: Their top picks

If you work with PDF files regularly then a PDF editor is an indispensable tool. Whether it’s part of your job, you manage PDF files for your own personal use, or you just need to complete a one-off editing task, a top editor program is an essential piece of software. Full-featured editors such as Adobe’s Acrobat Pro DC might provide all of the bells and whistles, but a free PDF editor can still offer most of the important tools of a paid service for no additional charge.

Plus, many free PDF editors are browser based, which means that you don’t need to worry about about platform- or device-compatibility issues.

Of course, free products won’t come with every feature of their premium counterparts. So, if you find that you need more advanced tools such as password protection, Bates numbering, or e-signatures, then you’re probably better served by a premium PDF editor.

PDF Candy – Best free PDF editor overall

Pros

Cons

Price When Reviewed: Free

PDF Candy is the rare free PDF editor that offers a lot of the features you’d typically have to pay for. We’re talking scanning, multiple file-conversion options, and OCR functionality. While the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. For unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 month.

Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free PDF editor for Mac users

Pros

Cons

Price When Reviewed: Built into macOS

Mac users have an excellent PDF editor built right into their operating system. Although its ostensibly a photo viewer, macOS’s Preview app is rife with PDF-editing capabilities including tools for adding text and shapes, redacting content, making freehand drawings, inserting sticky notes, and capturing your signature using your trackpad, camera, or iPhone.

Sejda PDF editor – Most versatile free PDF editor

Pros

Cons

Price When Reviewed: Free (Premium $7.50/mo)

Offered as both an online tool and a desktop editor, Sejda is capable of performing dozens of tasks including editing, form creation and filling, Bates stamping, file encryption, and more. If the daily usage limits are too restrictive for you, you can upgrade to the affordable paid version.

While there are a number of different types of PDF file formats, they all fall under the umbrella term of PDF documents. A PDF form is a type of PDF document that has editable form fields a user can fill out. Typically, parts of the document are static and can’t be changed in a PDF form. These usually include questions and instructions for those who end up filling out the form later on. In a PDF form, the content fields a user fills out are typically open to editing and can offer a list of possible answer options or can be written in freely.

Yes. They are two entirely different document formats. While you can export from one file format to another, they are not the same. Word file formats are usually used for word processing, editing, and making changes to text. PDF documents on the other hand, are most often utilized for viewing, sharing, and printing documents. Additionally, Word files can be read and/or written to and contain some version of the “.doc” file format. Whereas PDF files are typically read-only and contain the “.pdf” file format.

Yes. If you have a PDF document that you do not want anyone else to be able to edit, you can protect the file. You can do this by opening the file in Acrobat, clicking Tools > Protect. Then you have a few options as to whether you want to just restrict editing with a password, or if you want to encrypt the file for further safety. Once you choose how you want to protect the PDF document, you can set a password and save.

Yes, many free PDF editors such as their top pick PDF Candy, allow you to merge two or more PDFs into one. As most free PDF editors are browser-based, you will just need to open up the PDF editor application or website in your browser and click the “Merge” option. It will then ask you to add the files of all PDFs you wish to merge. Once the files have been added, just make sure that they are in the correct position and alignment you want before proceeding with the merge. Afterwards, all of your previously PDF files will be merged together into one new PDF document.

Yes and no. Google doesn’t provide a designated free PDF editor itself, but there are third-party Chrome extensions that you can use to help get the job done. Alternatively, you can make use of Google Drive to edit a PDF document. Simply upload the document onto your Google Drive and then select the file and right-click and select Open with > Google Docs. The file will be opened as an editable Google Docs text document. Then just make your edits and when you’re finished click File > download > PDF Document to revert it back to a PDF file.

This method is a quick and easy way to edit a simple PDF document, but be careful as Google Docs can run into formatting issues if your original document has complex visual formatting such as tables and graphs. In this case, it’s best to use a designated free or premium PDF editor.

South Africa

South Africa has 56 million people, and 11 official languages. Cyril Ramaphosa has been the President since the resignation of Jacob Zuma in February 2018.

Apartheid didn't end in South Africa until 1994, with the first elections in which black people were allowed to vote.

Documents 5 - Fast PDF reader media player and download manager System Requirements

Read, Listen, View, Download, Annotate almost anything you want on your iPad and iPhone. Files, documents, music, videos, books, any content is at home in Documents by Readdle. App Store Editors' Choice in 70+ countries "It's a tool that will help you stay better organized." - The Verge "Documents combines a fast document viewer with a media player and file manager." - TUAW "The app is super quick, it looks good and options are easy to locate and use." - The Next Web "A surprising versatile app for consumers and businesses alike." - USA Today Amazing attention to details, unmatched stability and design differs Documents from any app you have on the iPhone or iPad. You will use it constantly, at home, office, university or on the road, every single day. Documents is the most capable application on your iOS device. It replaces a document viewer, pdf reader, download manager, music player, "read it later" and bunch of other applications as the one elegant app. Just have a look at the short list of things that Documents allows you to do. It's an app that makes your iPad and iPhone worth the price! READ - View Office Documents - Read and Annotate PDF files - Search Inside Documents - Edit Text Files - Read Books and Articles ENJOY - View Photos from your Trip - Watch Movies while on a plane - Listen to Your Favorite Music MANAGE - Manage your files - Copy Documents from Mac or PC - Sync with iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive and other Services - Share Files with Your Friends - Protect Everything with a Password SAVE - Store Email Attachments - download Documents from the Web - Save Web Pages to Read them Later Documents is a must have app for your iPhone and iPad!

Documents 5 - Fast PDF reader media player and download manager is NOT currently available on PC.The platform(s) it will be available on are:We will update this area with Documents 5 - Fast PDF reader media player and download manager system requirements as soon as they hear an announcement that it is coming to PC.

Documents 5 - Fast PDF reader media player and download manager PC Release Date:

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