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CPAT Free PDF - Candidate Physical Ability Test Updated: 2023
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Exam Details:
- Number of Questions: The CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) does not consist of traditional multiple-choice questions. Instead, it is a physical test that evaluates the candidate's ability to perform various firefighting tasks.
- Time: The CPAT is a timed test, and the entire test is typically completed within 10 minutes and 20 seconds.
Course Outline:
The CPAT evaluates the physical fitness and abilities of candidates applying for firefighting positions. It assesses their capabilities to perform essential tasks required in the firefighting profession. The course outline includes the following tasks:
1. Stair Climb: Candidates must ascend and descend a set of stairs while wearing a 50-pound (22.7 kg) vest within a specified time frame.
2. Hose Drag: Candidates must grasp a hose and advance it a specific distance to simulate dragging a charged hose line.
3. Equipment Carry: Candidates must lift and carry various firefighting equipment over a designated distance.
4. Ladder Raise and Extension: Candidates must raise a ladder, walk a specific distance, and then extend the ladder to a designated height.
5. Forcible Entry: Candidates must use a 10-pound (4.5 kg) sledgehammer to strike a mechanically operated device to simulate forcible entry.
6. Search: Candidates must crawl through a dark, narrow maze while wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to simulate searching for victims in a smoke-filled environment.
7. Rescue Drag: Candidates must drag a 165-pound (75 kg) mannequin a specific distance to simulate moving an unconscious victim to safety.
8. Ceiling Breach and Pull: Candidates must use a pike pole to strike a mechanically operated device, simulating breaching a ceiling and pulling it down.
Exam Objectives:
The CPAT aims to evaluate the physical abilities of candidates applying for firefighting positions. The objectives of the exam are as follows:
1. Assess the candidate's cardiovascular endurance and stamina.
2. Evaluate the candidate's strength and ability to handle heavy firefighting equipment.
3. Test the candidate's agility, coordination, and balance.
4. Measure the candidate's ability to perform physically demanding tasks in a simulated firefighting environment.
5. Ensure that candidates possess the necessary physical fitness to safely and effectively perform the duties of a firefighter.
Candidate Physical Ability Test FCTC Candidate Free PDF
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FCTC
CPAT
Candidate Physical Ability Test
https://killexams.com/pass4sure/exam-detail/CPAT Question: 340
An ABN must include:
A. Listing of the service that is not covered by the diagnosis
B. Reason denial is likely
C. Patient’s signature
D. All of the above Answer: D Question: 341
The admission of a patient to a hospital requires decision by all of the following
except:
A. Admitting physician
B. Admitting clerk
C. Hospital administrator
D. Administrator on call Answer: B Question: 342
Patient admission to a hospital can be ordered by:
A. Hospital administration
B. Treating physician
C. Admitting clerk
D. All of the above Answer: B Question: 343
A breach of Patient Confidentiality is subject to:
A. Criminal charges
B. Fines
C. Prison term
D. All of the above Answer: D Question: 344
The law that governs patient confidentiality is:
A. Privacy Act of 1974
B. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
C. The False Claims Act
D. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 Answer: A Question: 345
Criteria pertaining to the maintenance of the patient’s medical record include all
of the following except:
A. Specific authorizations are required for diagnoses such as HIV/AID,
psychiatric, alcohol, or drug dependency conditions
B. Records may be furnished in any civil or criminal action upon issuance of a
subpoena from a court C. Information can be released without the patient’s
written consent D. Records shall be stored in areas free from water damage,
insects and theft
C. Information can be released without the patient’s written consent
D. Records shall be stored in areas free from water damage, insects and theft Answer: C Question: 346
The medical record is a legal document.
A. True
B. False Answer: A Question: 347
An Advanced Directive should be discussed with the patient:
A. When the patient becomes incapacitated
B. During the admission process
C. Before any surgical procedures are performed
D. All of the above Answer: B Question: 348
When is an Advance Directive activated?
A. When the patient is taken into surgery
B. When the patient is admitted
C. Per the patient’s request
D. When the patient becomes incapacitated Answer: D Question: 349
Advantages to a Living Will include:
A. Difficult decisions about future care are made while the patient is
competent and alert
B. It states the patients’ desire regarding organ donation at the time of death
C. The patients directions allows them to die under circumstances that they
have chosen
D. Both A and C
E. All of the above Answer: D
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https://killexams.com/exam_list/FCTC5 Best Websites To obtain PDF Books For FreeNo result found, try new keyword!With the rise of technology, readers now can obtain PDF books for free from various websites. These platforms provide a vast collection of books across different genres, making it convenient for ...Tue, 10 Oct 2023 06:39:00 -0500en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.outlookindia.com/outlook-spotlight/5-best-websites-to-download-pdf-books-for-free-news-323685Free PDF to Word Converters for Windows PC
PDF to Word is one of the most frequently used search terms concerning PDFs; the reason is; that everybody wants to edit a PDF in a familiar format, and it is complicated to edit on a PDF. When people try to make changes in PDF files, they typically respond in two ways: they will look for a program that will allow them to edit the document directly, or they will attempt to convert the PDF to another file. There are simple online solutions if PDF editors don’t suit your needs. This article will cover the most popular and easy PDF-to-Word converters available online for free.
Here is the list of some of the best PDF to Word Converters For Windows PC. Since these are free services, you might face a limit on the PDF size. Hence it is recommended to use it for small files.
Adobe website
Microsoft Word
PDF to Doc
Zamzar
Small PDF
Try each to find out what works best for you, then choose one. Some tools may offer better formatting, while others may offer a larger file size.
1] Adobe website
Adobe Acrobat online converter is a quick and simple tool to convert a PDF file into a Word document. Drag and drop your PDF, and your Word document should be ready for download. Acrobat quickly converts PDF files to DOCX file format while keeping the format of the original documents. You can check out their PDF to Word converter in any web browser.
To convert a PDF file into a Microsoft Word document, follow these simple steps:
Drag the PDF into the drop point or select a file.
Choose the PDF that you wish to convert to a DOCX file.
Observe as Acrobat immediately converts the File from a PDF to a Word document.
Download the Word document after conversion.
2] Microsoft Word
Microsoft has a free PDF conversion feature that lets you save your documents in PDF format. So, you can open a PDF in Word to make the necessary edits required for your document. PDFs that are primarily text-based work best for this. Word won’t format PDFs of book chapters or documents that appear to be copies of manuscripts. Check out the following steps to edit PDF in Word.
Open Word and select Open on the left pane.
Find the PDF file you want to edit and press Open. Press OK to change your File into a Word document.
Do the required changes in the document. Go to File> Click Save.
Select your destination folder. Click on the drop-down box Save as type and choose PDF from the given list. Click Save.
In the converted document, some details may change—for example, line breaks or page breaks.
3] PDF to Doc
PDF to DOC converter enables you to save a PDF file as an editable document in Microsoft Word DOC format. It ensures better quality when compared to other tools. Both college students and professionals can easily use to tool to make edits. The following steps will guide you on uploading and converting a PDF to a Word document.
As given in the image, go to the UPLOAD FILES button.
You can select up to 20 PDF files you want to convert and wait for the conversion process to get over.
Download the outputs, one File at a time or all of them simultaneously in a ZIP file by using the obtain ALL option.
4] Zamzar
Zamzar is another converter that can easily convert images or documents. Using Zamzar, it is possible to convert PDF files to a variety of other formats: PDF to BMP (Windows bitmap), PDF to CSV (Comma Separated Values), PDF to DWG (AutoCAD Drawing Database), etc. One of the methods listed below makes it simple to convert your files:
By using the converting tool found on their homepage.
By using their desktop application.
By utilizing their email conversions service.
Follow the steps below to convert the file using Zamzar:
Please select the file you wish to convert from wherever it is located on your computer by clicking the Add Files button in the first step of the conversion program.
In the second step, choose a format from the drop-down menu, i.e., WORD
Select Convert Now, which is Step 3.
Once your file has been converted, you can obtain it from our website. You can optionally give an email address in Step 3 if you prefer to get a link to your converted file.
5] Small PDF
Small PDF is yet another converter that easily converts PDFs to Word docs. You can quickly convert PDF to Word with a few clicks and drag. There is no file size restriction, and using their service does not require registration. Their PDF to Word converter works well on Windows, Mac, or Linux. The free trial version is limited to daily conversions of up to two files. They also give importance to privacy so that all files will be deleted forever from their servers after one hour.
Follow these steps given below to convert your files into Small PDFs.
Drag your PDF or upload it by clicking CHOOSE FILES. Choose your File from its destination and click Open.
A new page will open and show you two options: 1) Convert to Word and 2) Convert to Editable Word (OCR). The first option is free, and the second option requires payment. If you want a free trial, click on the first and choose options.
Your PDF file will be converted into a Word doc and ready for editing.
The main advantage of converting a PDF to Word is that you can directly edit the text on Word. Here, the benefit of an online PDF to Word converter comes to play because making changes to your PDF using an online PDF editor is not practical. Once a PDF has been converted to Word, adjustments can be made quickly using Word or other equivalent applications. You can also easily convert the edited Word document to PDF by choosing PDF format.
Thus, you can visit any website mentioned in the article, and that should get the job done.
How to Add a PDF to your Office file?
Insert a PDF file as an object to add it to your Word document. By doing this, the PDF effectively merges with the Word document. It implies that unless you link to the source PDF file, any changes you make to the source PDF file won’t be reflected in the embedded file in the Word document.
Open the Word document into which the PDF should be inserted. Select Insert > Object > Create from File. Find the PDF you wish to insert and click OK.
What are the restrictions of any PDF to Word Converter?
As a result of things being virtually printed onto a blank piece of paper to create PDF files, maintaining the original formatting of your PDF is a very challenging issue after converting it into a Word doc. There are no guidelines on where objects are placed on the page compared to most other file formats (such as papers, presentations, etc.)—because of this, converting PDFs to other file formats is quite challenging.
Thu, 08 Sep 2022 12:00:00 -0500en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.thewindowsclub.com/free-pdf-to-word-converters-for-windows-pcBest Free PDF Editing software for Windows PC
In this post, we take a look at PDFill Free and Advanced PDF Utilities Free – free PDF Editor software. They can be used to manage daily PDF tasks such as splitting pages, converting PDF to text & converting images to PDF, or vice versa. With this free software, you can easily manage and Boost your PDF file. This software comes with a set of interesting and useful features that we will discuss in this post.
Advanced PDF Utilities Free
PDFill Free.
Advanced PDF Utilities Free
The software is elegantly designed with a user-friendly interface. The principle of the interface is taken from Microsoft Office; everything is aligned properly in the top Ribbon bar. There are total 9 tabs that contain all the features of the software. Let us discuss each tab one by one:
1. PDF Preview
Under this tab you can view a PDF file, apart from viewing you can even Print and Save your PDF file. This tab includes a basic PDF viewer with all the navigation functions such as Next Page, etc. One more feature that is available under this Tab is Document properties. With this option, you can edit the basic information of your PDF file, and also include your name or simply a description of the File.
2. PDF to Image
This tab is used to convert a PDF file into an image file. To convert your PDF into an image, what you need to do is simply set the starting and the ending page, select the image format, and resolution, and finally click on the “Convert PDF to Image” option. And your task is done!
This tab is used to convert a PDF file into a Text File. The usage is the same as of the second tab (PDF to an image). Â With this tab, you can even export your PDF file to Microsoft Word format.
4. PDF Merge
With this tab you can merge multiple PDF files into one single PDF file. The usage is very simple – you just need to select your multiple PDF files and click on the “Merge PDF” option, and the rest of the work is done by the software.
5. PDF Split
In the previous tab we merged multiple files. In this tab we can split a file into different multiple files. It offers the opposite functionality of the previous tab. For splitting a file, we need to select a page range. For example, if I want to split a file after every 5 pages, I will have to select my page range and click on “Split PDF” button. That’s all.
6. Scan PDF/JPG to PDF
This tab is used to scan a file into PDF file. I mean that you can choose an Image file or a PDF file and you can embed it into a new PDF file. Scanning can be even done from a hardware device such as Scanner. The results are real-time and are done with awesome quality.
7. OCR
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. Under this tab you can recognize characters from your PDF file and export them into a text file. This feature is very useful when you want something to be recognized from a handwritten source. OCR will recognize all the characters in your PDF file and it would make your task much easier. The program has a specialty in Optical Character Recognition.
8. Tools
The Tools tab contains some of the security tools which can be used to encrypt PDF file with a password or remove a password from a PDF file. You can even apply a digital signature to a PDF file from this tools tab.
9. Help
It views the basic info about the software and some of the basic FAQs that would help you when you use the program.
All this is available in Advanced PDF utilities free. Click here to obtain it.
PDFill PDF Tools is a free PDF editing tool that has many PDF editing options! With PDFill you can just do anything with your Portable Document File. This free software includes many other small utilities that help you completely optimize and enhance the quality of your PDF files. PDFill comprises of 3 utilities into it.
PDFill Free PDF Tools
With PDFill Tools, you can merge different PDF files into one file or you can simply split and reorder them. As far as security is concerned, with PDFill tools, you can even encrypt or decrypt a PDF file with a password. You can even manage the alignment of the pages and rotate or crop the pages of a PDF file with this free utility.
Reformatting multiple pages, adding headers and footers, Watermarks, is just an easy game for this software. Apart from these features, there are many conversion options available. They are:
Convert from images to PDF
Convert from PDF to images
Convert filed operations to PDF
Convert from postscript to PDF.
If your PDF file lacks information on it, you can add the PDF information to a file. And last but not the least, an important feature of this PDF tool is that it lets you create transparent images from a PDF file, which means that you can save your entire PDF document to the PNG formatted transparent images.
PDFill Image and PDF Writer is a free PDF printing and Image printing utility that lets you create PDF files and Image files form different applications running on your Windows PC.
If you are looking for complete PDF freeware for your Windows, I would like to recommend you all this utility. This combination of three different PDF utilities is a one-stop solution to your PDF demands.
Click here to obtain PDFill. You have to look for the link to obtain the free version.
Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0600en-ustext/htmlhttps://www.thewindowsclub.com/advanced-pdf-utilities-free-downloadBest free PDF editors 2023: Our 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.
Updated 11/02/2023:To include PDFgear as our new pick for most sophisticated free PDF editor. Read more about why we love this great new pick with a pro-level feature set in our summary below.
PDF Candy – Best free PDF editor overall
Pros
Many advanced features
OCR capability
Very easy to use
Cons
Lacks a single interface, which some users may not like
Free version limits you to one task per hour
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.
PDFgear is a robust free editing application with a full set of features you’d only expect to find in a paid service. Not only do you get the standard PDF editor capabilities such as edit, annotate, covert, merge, and split, but you also get more advanced functions such as compress, password protect, and E-sign. On top of all of that PDFgear includes a really interesting and unique AI co-pilot function that helps streamline your workflow by understanding and executing commands you type into a chat window. Overall, PDFgear is easily one of the best free PDF editors available.
Sejda PDF editor – Most versatile free PDF editor
Pros
Online and desktop versions available
Performs dozens of PDF tasks
No frills interface is easy to use
Cons
There are daily usage limits without a subscription
Limited font options
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.
Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free PDF editor for Mac users
Pros
Full set of PDF markup tools
Supports form filling
PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls
Cons
Limited native sharing options
Only available to Mac users
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.
Content editing: As its name indicates, a PDF editor’s primary function is to enable you to edit a document. That includes the ability to add and modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. Most free PDF editors will let you perform these tasks, though they may impose daily limits on how many you can perform or how many documents you can edit.
Create, convert, and export PDFs: A common need for a PDF editor is to create PDF files from scanned hard copies or by converting digital documents. A good free PDF editor will be able to convert common file formats such as Word, JPG, and HTML to a PDF and preserve the original formatting. It should also be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements.
Review and annotate: Most free PDF editors allow you to add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. Typical annotation tools include sticky notes, shapes, and drawing markup options.
Signatures: Often all you need a PDF editor for is to sign a document. This used to be a premium feature only available on paid desktop editors, but more free PDF editors are allowing users to create and add electronic signatures to documents.
FAQ
1.
Is there a difference between a PDF document and a PDF form?
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.
2.
Are Word files and PDF documents different?
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.
3.
Can you stop other people from editing your PDF documents?
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.
4.
Can I merge PDFs with a free PDF editor?
Yes, many free PDF editors such as our 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.
5.
Does Google have a free PDF editor?
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 > obtain > 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.
Sun, 05 Nov 2023 12:30:00 -0600Author: Michael Ansaldoentext/htmlhttps://www.pcworld.com/article/702374/best-free-pdf-editors.htmlBest PDF editors in 2023
The best PDF editors let you do even more with PDF files from marking them up to making changes to the text and images they include.
Even though PDF files may appear to be finalized, they can be edited and changed in the same way you can alter a text document. You just need the right software to do so. The best PDF editors allow you to open almost any PDF file and from here, you can edit, alter, annotate, sign or convert it into other popular file formats like Microsoft Word’s Doc and Docx.
If you work with PDF files regularly as part of your job, while studying or perhaps even when doing a hobby, one of the best PDF editors will certainly make things easier for you. We’ve tested more than a half-dozen different options and these are the best ones for altering text, changing images and annotating PDF files. On a tight budget, these are the best free PDF editors.Â
The best PDF editors you can buy today
(Image credit: Adobe)
1. Acrobat Pro DC
Best PDF editor for Windows
Specifications
Cost:$240/year
Developer:Adobe
Compatibility:macOS, Windows
Category:PDF editor
Reasons to buy
+
Full-featured PDF editing and annotation tool
+
Excellent OCR
You'd expect Adobe Acrobat Pro DC to be great because it comes from Adobe, the birthplace of the portable document format. To some extent, this full-service PDF-editing application meets that expectation.
Acrobat Pro DC offers a complete set of PDF-editing tools, and it even lets you edit scanned documents. Acrobat DC's OCR engine can convert scanned documents to text, which you can then search through and change.Â
But Acrobat doesn't allow you to convert an entire document the moment you open it. Instead, the app waits for you to begin using the Pro DC's edit tools, recognizing and converting the pages as you select them for editing. Changing text in an OCR'd document was simple and the results look great.
It's also easy to edit images and text in documents you haven't scanned. I was able to make changes to everything with zero issues.
What I don't like about Acrobat Pro DC is the interface. It feels like a half-realized demo of what the app could be. Editing tools surround your document, and the UI feels disorganized, offering few options for customization.Â
Since it's designed to work on both Macs and PCs, Acrobat Pro DC looks like it belongs in neither environment. This doesn't make this program bad at what it's supposed to do; it just makes you feel like you're working outside your chosen OS.
Our pick for the best free PDF editor is PDF Candy, because it offers something many free options do not — an OCR feature for scanning text. You can't edit OCR'd text in this web-based PDF editor, but you are able to upload PDF files and extract text and create a text document, RTF file, or Word document in both .doc and .docx formats.
You can choose from 44 tools to create or convert PDF files. It's also easy to rearrange pages within a document, add watermarks, protect PDF files with passcodes, edit metadata within a PDF file, split or add pages to documents, and extract images. real text editing is pretty limited, the trade-off you make to enjoy a fairly feature-rich free PDF editor.
Once you've made your edits in PDF Candy, you can obtain the edited document or upload a new document to work on. PDF Candy keeps all of your documents in a queue so you can obtain them all at once after you've finished making changes to them.
Web-based annotation tools are easy to understand and use
Reasons to avoid
-
Extremely limited font options when you add text
-
Desktop version requires a subscription
PDFescape is a basic, web-based PDF-editing and -annotation program you can use for free to work on PDF documents that are smaller than either 10MB or 100 pages, whichever is greater. (PDFescape used to limit you to 50 pages, so the higher limit is a welcome change.) If you need to edit larger files, you can upgrade to a premium account for $36 a year. There's also an "ultimate" plan for $72 per year.
Accessible through any modern web browser, PDFescape offers no OCR capabilities like PDF Candy does. But PDFescape's annotation tools are easy to use. You'll find a pretty solid set of standard annotation tools that can easily add, highlight and strike through text; insert notes; and otherwise mark up the pages of your PDF file. Using the web app's insert tools, you can also add new images and text to a document, white-out text, and add web links and form fields.
PDFescape does have some major limitations in adding new text. Because there are no OCR capabilities, you can't make changes to existing text; you're limited to adding new text to an existing document. Additionally, the app has very limited font options, as it doesn't use any of your computer's fonts. So you're limited to Arial, Courier New, Times New Roman, Verdana and a Signature font for signing documents.
(Image credit: Apple)
4. Apple Preview
Built-in PDF annotation for macOS
Specifications
Cost:Free with macOS
Developer:Apple
Compatibility:macOS
Category:PDF annotation
Reasons to buy
+
Excellent annotation tools
+
Easy-to-use signature capture
+
Markup features are often available in other apps
Reasons to avoid
-
Locating annotation tools not obvious
-
Mac only
Apple's Preview app is built-in to macOS and offers a minimalist but valuable set of tools for marking up any PDF file. You won't find full-on PDF editing here. But if you need a basic set of tools for highlighting or redacting text, making notes, or adding comments to a document, you won't likely need much more than what's already available on your Mac.
Preview's markup tools are hidden when you first open a PDF document. To see them, you'll have to look for the small pencil icon that appears near the Spotlight search bar at the top of your PDF document's toolbar. Clicking this reveals a small set of tools you can use to select text and add objects, text or notes to your document.
The app's standout feature is a signature tool you can use to store a signature you create using your trackpad or scan using your Mac's camera. You can then easily add that signature to a document by clicking Preview's Signature tool. Simple and easy to use once you set it up, Preview's signing feature will prove its usefulness every time a digital document requires your John Hancock.
You can access all of Preview's editing tools without opening Preview, as long as you're running macOS 10.14 Mojave or later. Just use QuickLook to view a PDF, then click on the Markup button in that mode.
(Image credit: Readdle)
5. PDF Expert
PDF editor with the cleanest interface
Specifications
Cost:$80 one-time license purchase
Developer:Readdle
Compatibility:macOS
Category:PDF editor
Reasons to buy
+
Clean, easy-to-use interface
+
AI-powered Enhance feature
+
Editing tools appear when you need them and hide when you don't
Reasons to avoid
-
Difficulties with larger files
-
Mac-only
Readdle's macOS-only PDF Expert is a popular PDF-editing tool that allows you to make changes to text in existing PDF documents by removing and replacing images, updating text, and adding text of your own. PDF Expert lacks OCR capabilities, so if you want to edit text in scanned documents, you'll need to look beyond this program.
Of all the apps I tested, PDF Expert has the cleanest interface and therefore was the most pleasant to use. Two tabs appear at the top of the screen: Annotate and Edit. Clicking one of them gives you an appropriate selection of tools to perform either annotation or editing tasks.
PDF Expert's editing tools are flawless. Click text in your PDF, and tools for editing text will slide out so you can make changes. Select an image, and tools for changing the image appear. You can move selected text anywhere on the page you want or remove it altogether.
PDF Expert struggles with large documents; otherwise, this would have been my top pick for Mac. However, every time I attempted to open my nearly 450-page test file, PDF Expert hung. Until this program behaves more dependably, look elsewhere if you tend to work with larger documents. There's also a Windows version in development and you can sign up to get notified when it's ready.
Wondershare's PDFelement Pro is a full-featured PDF editor with an OCR engine for recognizing scanned text and a standard set of tools. With those, you can fill in forms, annotate documents, create and add signatures, and edit images within a document.
PDFelement had no problem opening anything I threw at it, including scanned documents, large files and image-heavy PDFs. Once documents are open, PDFelement Pro offers a fairly simple interface, with a set of tools on the left side of your document that are easy to figure out. Just select a tool, and you can go to work making changes to a file.
Editing images, adding signatures and using annotations in the application all worked as planned, but I did experience some odd behaviors when I was editing or adding text using PDFelement Pro. In particular, when I was editing existing text in a document, the application wanted to make the text bold and would not allow me to change the content back to regular text. Also, when I added new text boxes, my own text did not display normally; the program always added a space after I typed an apostrophe. And the program constantly played my Mac's system beep as I typed. That's both annoying and not optimal.
(Image credit: Sejda)
7. Sejda PDF Desktop Pro
A PDF editor with too many limitations
Specifications
Cost:$63/year
Developer:Sejda
Compatibility:macOS, Windows
Category:PDF annotation
Reasons to buy
+
Can edit text, though on a limited basis
+
Can add images and annotate your documents
+
Paid weekly pass available
Reasons to avoid
-
Very limited features
-
Paragraphs are treated as individual lines of text
-
Cannot remove or edit existing images
Sejda is a web-based PDF-editing application that works on any OS that has a modern web browser. A desktop version converts that web interface into something that runs on your computer.Â
You can use a free version of Sejda, but it limits the number of daily tasks you can perform and the size of the documents you can access.Â
To get the most out of the program, you can buy an annual license for both the web and desktop versions for $63. You can also buy a weekly pass for both versions for $8 if you've got a one-time project that requires Sejda.
Sejda has no OCR engine, so you can't use this app to edit PDF files created from scanned documents. You can edit only PDF files that already have selectable text.
To edit your PDF file, you upload it to the Sejda website and then use the toolbar at the top of the page to choose your tools. You'll find tools for editing text, adding links, adding form fields and images, and signing or annotating your document. All of Sejda's tools are rudimentary at best.Â
The app breaks every line of text in your document into a single text entry, so you can't edit entire paragraphs of text. When you do edit existing text, remnants of the previous text often get left behind in the document. Sejda will let you add new images to a document, but you can't use the app to edit or remove existing images.
Sejda isn't a great app, but it works in a pinch when you need to make a quick change to an existing PDF document and you have no other tools at hand.
How to choose the best PDF editor for you
The first question you should ask yourself when choosing a PDF editor is what you plan to do with it. If it’s just to mark up documents and add digital signatures, PDF annotation software will better suit your needs.
As there are many well-featured PDF annotation programs that are available for free, you can save yourself some money. For instance, as we mentioned, Mac users can save even more time since the Preview app that ships with Apple’s computers includes markup and signature tools.
However, if you’re in the market for a full-fledged PDF editor that lets you manipulate text and create documents, consider what kinds of features you’ll need for PDF editing. Applications with good OCR capabilities will likely cost more but if you don’t need OCR, you may be able to make do with a free PDF editor.
While PDF editors are great for making changes or notes to documents, they’re not necessary if you simply want to view and read a PDF. For that, check out our list of the best PDF readers you can download.Â
How we test PDF editors
We looked at both PDF editors and applications used for making annotations in PDFs. Every PDF editor can also annotate documents but dedicated PDF-annotation tools aren’t actually designed to make changes to any of the original content in a PDF document.
While testing each of these applications, we used a few different types of documents including large, text-heavy files, documents with a mix of formatted images and text and simple documents with text and images inserted into the document in a linear fashion. We tested features like text recognition (when supported) and we tried making changes to text, replacing and adding images and adding annotations.
Fri, 10 Nov 2023 11:53:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-pdf-editorsFree AI PDF editor for Mac and iPhone from PDFgear
PDF Gear is available on Mac, iPad, or iPhone.
Adobe's PDF viewer faces some stiff competition from more comprehensive tools, like the AI PDF editor from PDFgear, which has more than 30 features and multi-platform support— for free.
PDF files are still king, especially in business and education settings, where formality is crucial. However, these files are notoriously tricky to manipulate, let alone manage and organize, which is why PDFgear's AI PDF editor is a go-to tool for all things PDF-related.
PDFgear features you can't live without
The best thing about PDFgear's AI PDF editor is the more than 30 features at your fingertips to read, edit, convert, manage, and organize your PDF files. Check out just a handful of the excellent features we use almost daily:
Read - Read PDF books and leave bookmarks.
Edit - No part of your PDF document is off limits.
Annotate - Collaborate with customizable comments.
OCR PDF - Extract information from PDF files.
Split PDF - Split PDF pages into separate PDF documents.
Convert to PDF - Convert HEIC, EPUB, HTML, Word, and more to PDF files.
Convert from PDF - Convert PDF files to Word, Excel, Image, or PSD file types.
Organize - Extract, rotate, reorder, and more. Manipulate your PDFs like never before.
Sign - Add signatures to important documents and complete transactions in paperless environments.
Take editing PDFs to new heights with PDF Gear.
Of course, there are so many more features to PDFgear's PDF editor that we could spend all day talking about. But PDFgear is even more appealing because you can obtain it for Mac, PC, or iOS for free.
PDFgear supercharges your PDF workflows with AI technology
While PDFgear already features a comprehensive list of features, it also brings the power of generative AI to your PDF documents. Artificial intelligence adds automation to workflows that streamline reading, editing, and converting, saving countless hours of manual labor.
For example, PDFgear's AI technology can read through a PDF document, pull out key sentences or phrases, and provide you with a concise summary of the content. Or prevent embarrassing typos or grammatical mistakes with the AI assistant.
Use AI to help summarize your PDF's content.
International business always has the added challenge of working with many languages in a single project. PDFgear's AI can help you translate documents into popular languages like French, Spanish, and Chinese for smooth interactions between collaborators.
Translate your PDF's content into several languages.
Perhaps it would be easier to tell PDFgear what you need and have it do it automatically. That's also possible, thanks to the Chat PDF feature that allows you to chat with your PDF files to accomplish more in less time.
PDFgear's AI PDF editor is available for free
PDFgear's AI-powered PDF editor goes beyond simple editing and managing features. By adding AI technology, you can take complete control of your documents with a few taps of your keyboard and get more done with less stress and higher precision.
You simply cannot beat free, and PDFgear offers its groundbreaking software obtain completely free of charge. No hidden fees, no surprises. Users from all corners of the internet rave about how good this PDF editor is, including us, and you can see why by downloading PDFgear for yourself today.
Sun, 15 Oct 2023 12:00:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://appleinsider.com/articles/23/10/16/free-ai-pdf-editor-for-mac-and-iphone-from-pdfgearBest PDF editors 2023: Our top picks
It’s likely that you regularly come across or work with PDF files—they’re ubiquitous in our modern cross-platform world. Most of the time, when viewing a PDF, you can enjoy free software that allows you to read or comment on these files. But what if you need to edit them as well? That’s where a PDF editor comes in.
The best PDF editors allows you to edit, create, alter, and convert PDF files just like you would with any other text document. Adobe Acrobat is the most famous option for most people. But while it’s excellent both in features and utility, it’s also pretty expensive. Thankfully, in exact years a whole host of third-party PDF editors have sprung up in order to provide less expensive alternatives.
Here at PCWorld we’ve tested many of these top PDF editors and curated a list of the very best. With different use cases in mind, we’ve included picks for the best overall, best budget option, and even a recommendation for the best free PDF editor—because sometimes you just don’t want to pay for the basics. Check out our recommendations below to find the best PDF editor for you.
Update 11/02/2023: Check out our latest review of PDFgear. This PDF editor is one of the most sophisticated free editing tools we’ve ever seen with pro-level features and an AI co-pilot to help streamline your workflow.
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC – Best overall
Pros
Easily navigable tabbed interface
Comprehensive PDF editing features
Streamlined sharing feature makes it easier to fill documents and get signatures
Cons
Rich feature set can be overwhelming for new users
Price When Reviewed:$19.90/mo I $239.88/yr
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC remains the industry standard for good reason. Its rich combination of creation, editing, reviewing, and security features are mimicked by the best alternative options, but we feel Acrobat still does it best. Its exact interface redesign makes it much easier to navigate through its robust toolset than the nested menus of yore, and its cloud subscription option puts its advanced features within reach of more individuals and small businesses. (See how it compares to the Adobe Acrobat Standard DC.)
Though many of its features are available in other, cheaper PDF editors, Acrobat is still the editor against which all others are judged.
Nitro PDF Pro hits all the right notes for a premium PDF editor that can take on the formidable Adobe Acrobat. It’s packed with features that are sure to please power users—all the requisite content editing tools; review and markup features; form fill and signing support; and robust security options for sensitive documents, such as permissions, password protection, and data redaction. It supports over 300 file formats, and adding hyperlinks, images, and files to a PDF is trouble-free.
Indeed, ease-of-use is one of Nitro PDF Pro’s great strengths. A Microsoft Office-style ribbon interface groups tasks in a familiar and intuitive interface, which makes for a seamless integration with your workflow. Yes, it’s priced on the higher side for a PDF editor, but with all it has going for it, Nitro PDF Pro more than earns its keep. If you’re looking for an Acrobat replacement, you won’t find many better.
Price When Reviewed:Free I $29.95/mo I $49.95/yr I $79.95/lifetime
EaseUs might not have the name recognition of some of the other editors on this list, but it’s more than capable of holding its own in the crowded PDF editor market. It provides all of the essential tools for managing PDF files without any of the elaborate or hard-to-understand features. It allows users to jump right in to their toolset and get straight to editing with only what they need.
While EaseUS’s features are great, they are also pretty standard fare among PDF editors. What makes it stand out is its affordable price—it’s a great value for those who regularly edit PDFs and don’t want to pay out the nose. EaseUS also offers a fully functional free version (with embedded watermarks on your edited documents) so users can take it for a spin to see if it meets their needs before they commit to paying any money.
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. All of this combines to make PDF Candy stand out among the multitude of lesser free PDF editors. It does have a bit of a wonky interface, but once you get the hang of it you’re off and running.
Unfortunately, while the free version has access to the expansive toolset of the paid version, you’re limited to one PDF task per hour. If you want unfettered access, you need to shell out $6 per month, or $48 per year.
PDF Expert – Best full-featured editor for Apple devices
Pros
Syncs across Mac, iPhone, and iPad
Comprehensive editing and annotation tools
Simple, intuitive interface
Cons
Requires annual payment
Lifetime license enables use on Mac only
Price When Reviewed:Free 7-day trial, then $79.99 annually
PDF Expert is an excellent editor that fits seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem, making it our pick for Macs, iPads, and iPhone users.
While macOS does include a PDF editor in its Preview app, iOS devices don’t have a native PDF editor and PDF Expert fills that gap nicely. It has a clean and intuitive interface and offers a plethora of easy-to-use editing options such as page management, converting scanned files into editable documents, and conversion to other file formats, among other things. The pricing plan is also considerably cheaper than most of the other top picks, meaning this is a no-brainer for Apple users.
Apple Preview PDF editor – Best free option for Mac users
Pros
Full set of PDF markup tools
Supports form filling
PDFs can be protected with passwords, encryption, and permission controls
Cons
Limited native sharing options
Only available to Mac users
Price When Reviewed:Built into macOS
Mac users needn’t look beyond the macOS for their PDF editing needs, since there is a full set of PDF markup tools already available at their disposal in Apple Preview. It has the chops to handle most personal and business PDF editing needs, including encryption, password protection, and permissions for files.
Apple Preview’s PDF features and capabilities are impressive and should be all you need for most common editing tasks. The drawback, of course, is that only Mac users can take advantage of them.
Price When Reviewed:$8 per month (annual commitment) I $20 per month (cancel at any time)
pdfFiller is a browser-based PDF editor that allows you do to just about everything PDF-related—editing, securing, sharing, creating, and storing PDF files—all from its intuitive and simple web interface. Its design is similar to a desktop app, with the toolbar across the top, and document thumbnails along the side, so it’s very easy to select the page you want to work on and perform the desired function, be it adding, deleting, or copying/pasting text; changing font style, size, and color; and so on. A standard set of markup tools is also available. It has a surprisingly deep set of features for both personal and business use. For instance the Premium plan offers an impressive legal document library, as well as SignNow support.
While incredibly versatile, not all of pdfFiller’s advanced features will suit everyone. Fortunately, there are three subscription tiers, which gives users a way to meet their editing needs without paying extra for unnecessary features: Basic for $8/mo; Plus for $12/mo; Premium for $15/mo with an annual commitment. Month-to-month options are also available, but at a higher cost, of course.
Why spend a chunk of change on a desktop editor when free online PDF editors abound? The simple answer is because you get what you pay for. Generally, free online editors will let you add text and comments, merge and split documents, and convert files to and from PDF. With rare exception, however, they won’t let you edit existing text and many have file-size and page-volume restrictions. And a lot of them will watermark your edited document. For these reasons, web PDF editors are best reserved for simple, fast editing jobs. Call in these big dogs for anything more demanding.
What to look for in a PDF editor
PDF editors come in a variety of flavors, offering varying feature sets—from basic functionality to power-user tools. It’s important to know what features best match your workflow before you commit to a PDF editor.
Create, convert, and export PDFs
The most fundamental function of a PDF editor is to make PDFs, either from scratch, scanned hard copies, or by converting digital documents. A good PDF editor should be able to transform a variety of file types—from Microsoft Office formats to images to HTML—and do so seamlessly, preserving the original formatting. It should also include OCR technology to make the PDF text searchable and editable. Likewise, a good PDF editor must be able to export PDFs into other editable formats such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, HTML, or plain text, maintaining the original files hyperlinks, images, and other elements.
Content editing
Another bit of magic that PDF editors unlock is the ability to modify text; insert, resize, and move images; and reorganize pages in the PDF. A good one will perform these tasks as easily as in a text document or slide deck, allowing in-line editing, dragging-and dropping graphics, and adding or removing hyperlinks.
Review and annotate
A good PDF editor should also let you or anyone else using it add comments and other annotations to PDF files during review. It should have tools to mark up both text documents and graphic-heavy files like webpages. Common options include sticky notes, callout boxes, highlighting, freehand drawing tools, and stamps with messages like “approved,” “revised,” and “confidential.”
Security
All businesses deal with documents containing sensitive data. Look for a PDF editor that includes security features that allow access for authorized eyes only. Good options will usually offer several levels of security, including password protection, permissions setting, and content redaction, which “blacks out” selected text and images. Most PDF editors will also offer one or more ways to electronically sign documents.
Mobile support
While deep PDF editing is best done on a desktop, it’s nice to be able to review and annotate files when you’re out and about. While PDFs can typically be reviewed in any PDF reader or editor, regardless of which one they were created in, consider looking for an editor that has a dedicated mobile app, is optimized for mobile devices, or allows cloud access to features through a mobile browser.
One of the great things about a PDF is that it can be read and edited in any PDF program regardless of which one it was created in. So beyond the features outlined here, let your personal preferences guide you in making your decision.
FAQ
1.
What is the difference between a PDF document and a PDF form?
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, such as questions in a survey or instructions about filling out the form. In a PDF form, the content fields a user fills out are open to editing and can offer a list of possible answer options or can be written in freely.
2.
Are PDF documents and Word files different?
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. Additionally, Word files are read and write and contain some version of the “.doc” file format. Whereas PDF files are typically read-only and contain the “.pdf” file format.
3.
Can you protect PDF documents from being edited by other people?
Yes. If you have a PDF document that you don’t want anyone else to edit, you can protect the file. You can do this by opening the file in Acrobat, for instance, and clicking Tools > Protect. Then you have a few options as to whether you want to simply 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.
4.
Can you merge PDFs with a free PDF editor?
As a matter of fact, many free PDF editors allow you to merge two or more PDFs into one document. Such is the case with our top free pick PDF Candy. Open up the PDF editor application or website in your browser and search for 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, arrange the page order and alignment before proceeding with the merge. Afterwards, all of your previously PDF files will be merged into one new PDF document.
5.
Does Google have a free PDF editor?
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 > obtain >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 is best to use a designated free or premium PDF editor.
Wed, 01 Nov 2023 18:00:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.pcworld.com/article/407214/best-pdf-editors.htmlBest free PDF editors in 2023
The best free PDF editors let you quickly make changes to a Portable Document Format or PDF file without spending a thing. Although you won’t get all of the advanced features included with one of the best PDF editors, a free PDF editor should be able to do the trick if you want to create PDFs and make simple edits to them.Â
The best free PDF editors offer basic editing and document-creation abilities. However, sometimes they toss in a few free extras. For instance, many free PDF editors let you annotate PDFS and some of them can even recognize scanned text — all at no extra cost.
We’ve tried out, tested and used half-a-dozen free PDF editors and compared them to their paid counterparts to help you find the best one for your needs. These are the best free PDF editors you can get right now if all you’re looking to do is to make a few simple tweaks and edits to a PDF file.
PDF Candy may be one of the more compelling free PDF editors, mostly because it offers an OCR option not available in other free PDF editors.Â
While you can't edit the OCR'd text directly within PDF Candy's web-based PDF editor, you can upload a PDF file and have PDF Candy extract text and create a text document, RTF file, or Word document in both .doc and .docx formats.
PDF Candy's tool set is formidable. You can use 44 different tools to create or convert PDF files. Additionally, you'll find tools for rearranging pages within a document, adding watermarks, protecting PDF files with passcodes, editing metadata within a PDF file, splitting or adding pages to documents, and extracting images. All these tasks are as simple as selecting the tool, uploading a document and allowing PDF Candy to work its magic.
When you finish one task in a document, you'll get a list of other tools you can use for different tasks. Once your changes are complete, you can obtain the edited document or upload a new document to work on. PDF Candy keeps all of your documents in a queue so you can obtain them all at once after you've finished making changes to them.
While the real text-editing tools in PDF Candy are as limited as with every other free PDF-editing app, everything else PDF Candy has to offer puts it head and shoulders above the other free options.
Upgrade from free version:$36 (premium), $72 (ultimate) per year
Reasons to buy
+
Web-based annotation tools are easy to understand and use
+
Page limit has increased to 100 pages
+
Impressive feature set for a free app
PDFescape is an excellent option for online PDF editing. Simple to use and available to anyone with a web browser, PDFescape may be all you need to edit and annotate PDF files.
PDFescape used to have a limit of either a 10MB or 50-page PDF file. That 10MB file-size limit remains in place, but you can now edit files of up to 100 pages for free.
PDFescape offers ample annotation tools. You can use the app to fill out forms, create form fields, insert text and web links, highlight text, add sticky notes, redact or strike out text, crop and rotate images, add or remove pages and even lock and encrypt PDF documents.
You'll have to contend with severely limited font options though as PDFescape only offers five fonts, one of which is a generic "signature" font that looks nothing like your own signature. But otherwise, you'll find a lot more tools in PDFescape than you will in the typical, bare-bones free PDF editor.
(Image credit: Apple)
3. Apple Preview
A great free option for Mac users
Specifications
Developer:Apple
Compatibility:macOS
Category: :PDF annotation; image editing
Upgrade from free version:None
Reasons to buy
+
Included with every Mac
+
Includes image-editing tools
+
Excellent annotation tools and options for adding signatures to documents
Reasons to avoid
-
Not available for other platforms
-
Markup tools aren't easy to find
-
No OCR
Apple's Preview application is built into every version of macOS. Not only is it capable for working with PDF files, but it also offers a number of other image-editing features. It is the multitool of the image-editing universe, capable of opening virtually any image file you may encounter.
The bulk of Preview's markup capabilities aren't obvious when you first open the app, although you'll find a few basic tools for rotating pages and highlighting text on the basic toolbar.Â
Preview's full set of markup tools appears when you click a small markup button that looks like a pencil tip located next to the search tool in the Preview toolbar.
Those markup tools include text-selection options; drawing tools you can use to add freehand drawings to a document; a text tool for adding additional text to a document; a tool that adds shapes and notes; and a signature tool that you can use to capture your signature using your Mac's camera, a tablet or your trackpad.
Preview is a solid option for basic PDF editing, and if you own a Mac, accessing Preview's powers is as simple as launching the app.
FormSwift offers a slightly different twist on PDF editing. While it gives you the option to upload and edit PDF files, it also offers a large library of legal and other business forms you can fill in online and obtain as a PDF file or Word document.Â
We found FormSwift's offerings to be excellent and well worth a look if you need basic business documents such as 1099s, lease agreements and business meeting minutes.
All of these forms can be filled out online and downloaded once you've added the pertinent information. Or you can obtain blank versions of the documents and enter information locally on your computer.
For PDF editing, the process is simple. Drag a file to your browser — there's a 10MB max size — then use FormSwift's tools to add new text and images; highlight, redact or erase existing text; and sign documents.
FormSwift's text tools are limited. You have four fonts to choose from, but you can resize those fonts to almost any level you want, and you can also make changes to text colors and styles. You can add a new text field to your document, enter new text and adjust the text, placing it anywhere you want on the document.Â
But there is no way to make changes to existing text, other than by redacting it. All the other tools work as expected, including a signature tool that lets you sign a document using the keyboard, your mouse or an uploaded image.
Smallpdf's free online PDF editing offering is super-basic, only making it possible to add minor changes to documents.Â
But you may find Smallpdf's other free features more compelling. These include tools for converting PDF files to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and JPEG. You can also convert each of those file types to PDF.Â
Basic as it may be, Smallpdf can add pages to or compress existing PDF documents. Additionally, there are tools for adding signatures to documents that are similar to those available with Apple's Preview application on a Mac. All of this is available with no file-size limitations, but Smallpdf lets you process only two documents per day. If you want to do more, you'll have to upgrade to the Pro plan, which gives you Smallpdf desktop applications as well as unlimited processing.
As with all online PDF editors, you begin using Smallpdf by dragging the file you want to work with directly to your browser window. For editing PDFs, you have four options to work with: Add Text, Add Image, Add Shape and Draw. You'll note that there are no options to add notes or comments, and no way to highlight existing text. If you need to add annotations or otherwise mark up a PDF document, you should look elsewhere.
Even if the four options offered seem to be enough for you, you'll still feel constrained within each of those tools. Add text, and you have only five size options and no font choices (although you can select serif, sans serif and monotype styles for your single font choice). You're also limited to seven font colors.
While Smallpdf may lack anything beyond the basics for editing PDF files, it's much more appealing for adding electronic signatures, converting or compressing files and merging documents.Â
How to choose the best free PDF editor for you
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Picking the best free PDF editor is a lot like choosing a paid version of a document editor as you first need to identify exactly what you want to do with PDF files and go for the program that offers the features needed to accomplish your goals.
This can be as simple as deciding whether you need a PDF editor that can handle document creation and design or whether you just want a program that allows you to leave comments and suggestions on a PDF.
As this is free software, you should pay attention to any limitations that are imposed on the free tier. Are there restrictions on the size of the documents you can edit or are certain tools locked behind a paywall. If you need access to these tools, then it may be worth paying for those particular features.
If you’re doing your PDF editing on a computer, first check to see if you have built-in software that can handle the job. For instance, Mac users might not realize just how good Preview is at annotating documents and adding signatures to PDFs. You can save a lot of time searching for the best free PDF editor if you already have access to all of the features you need.
How we test free PDF editors
When testing free PDF editors, we used the same process as when we test paid PDF editors. However, we make note of the limitations that can come with free software. We also considered both general PDF editors as well as applications specifically designed for annotations.
When looking at free PDF editors, we used a few different types of documents that comply with file-size restrictions. These included text-heavy files, documents with a mix of formatted images and text and simple documents with text and images inserted in a linear fashion.
While free apps often don’t include features like text recognition, we did test this feature when it was available. We also tried making changes to text, replacing and adding images and adding notations to each product we tested.
Instant access to the hottest deals available plus daily breaking news, reviews, helpful tips and more from the Tom's Guide team.
Fri, 03 Nov 2023 13:55:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-free-pdf-editorsBest free PDF editors in 2023
The best free PDF editors let you create, edit, and work together on files without any subscription fees or one-off payments.Â
We all know how important PDF files are. They literally keep millions of businesses on the same page. The best PDF editors we've tried - yes, even free versions - let you create and design seriously professional documents. There are limitations, and few free PDF editing software is as feature-packed as the likes of Adobe Acrobat. But add in e-signatures, forms, and enhanced security tools, and you do have some of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives without any subscriptions or lifetime licenses.Â
Our team of PDF experts have been hand-testing the top-rated apps and platforms to find out which is really the best. Here's what we learned and why we recommend using these apps and platforms online, on desktop, and on mobile. As part of our review process, we’ve tested out each free PDF app’s integrated tools, filetype support, collaboration and cloud storage facilities. Optional pricing upgrades are always noted, but every apps and platforms we tried here offers a completely free PDF editor.Â
Top 3 editor's picks
You may have to pay for these, but they're some the top PDF software we've tried.Â
What's the best free PDF editors in 2023?
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Best free PDF editor overall
(Image credit: PDF24)
A streamlined PDF creator and editor offered for free
Specifications
Platform:PC
Plan:Free
Developer:Geek Software
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, merging, eSign, OCR
Reasons to buy
+
Completely free
+
Fast and light
+
Lots of features for every need
Reasons to avoid
-
Occasionally a bit clunky
-
Windows-only
PDF24 Creator is our pick for best free PDF editor overall. You may find the website a tad dated, but the tool is surprisingly feature-rich.
The free PDF editor is a very small program that can easily run on older systems - ideal, then, for businesses with limited resources or a suite of low-spec computers.
When we tested the software, we rated it as one of the best free tools, going above and beyond what's expected. It’s full of features, and has everything needed to create and edit PDF documents. While we noted that it lacked more advanced features usually found in premium tools like Adobe Acrobat DC, we felt that most users will find more than enough utility within PDF24 Creator.Â
The Windows-only tool serves up a PDF editor for free document creation, PDF merging, PDF compressing, and converting PDFs into other formats. You can even optimize a PDF for the web or apply OCR to a PDF, so that you can convert scanned images to text.
PDF24 Creator has a minimalistic user interface and it’s clear that the program is designed around speed first and foremost. The interface can feel a little clunky at times, but all of the important features are easy to find and when you first open the software, you’re presented with a grid of editing options. And yes, our top choice for best free PDF editor is genuinely free and unlimited, through and through.
Free online PDF editor with something for everyone
Specifications
Platform:Web, PC
Plan:Free, Subscription, Perpetual license
Developer:PDF Candy
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, compression, merging, eSign
Reasons to buy
+
Free online editor
+
Loads of features and tools
+
OCR capabilities
+
Windows version available
Reasons to avoid
-
No Mac or mobile apps
-
Free version only allows for one task each hour
PDF Candy is ideal if you want a free online PDF editor and a way to edit PDF files in your browser. You’ll also find a desktop version available for Windows if you upgrade to the lifetime license.Â
Easily one of the best free PDF editors online, it's delightfully simple to use - everything is clean, clear, and easy to navigate. And it's absolutely packed with functionality, with an impressive 47 different tools for editing, altering, converting PDF files, and so much more. During our tests, we found PDF editing as effortless every other function in the software, delighted that "editing text in a PDF file isn’t a million miles away from editing a word processor document."
The free version places a one-task-per-hour limit - e.g., processing an edited PDF file or converting a document. This can be removed by setting up a monthly or annual subscription, or purchasing it outright for a one-off payment. The latter also grants access to the Windows-only desktop PDF editor app. If restriction is too much to bear, and you don't need everything the platform offers, try PDF24 Creator - it's fully free across the board.Â
Elsewhere, PDF Candy has a good amount of useful tools and features. This includes the option to edit PDF files online, convert documents to a variety of formats, merge and compress PDFs.Â
On top of that, PDF Candy lets you easily extract text and images, resize pages, and add watermarks.  In total, there are an impressive 47 different tools to help you manage and edit PDF files. All features are found in a handy list of buttons, so you won't spend ages looking for what you need. Overall, we found service delightfully simple, but as with even the best free PDF editors, an upgrade unlocks its full potential.  Â
The lightweight, online, conversion king of PDF editors
Specifications
Platform:Web, Windows, Android, iOS
Plan:Free, Subscription
Developer:Smallpdf
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, scanner, conversion, compression
Reasons to buy
+
Cloud-based
+
Powerful range of tools
+
Allows you to convert PDFs to other formats
+
Cross-platform (for a price)
Reasons to avoid
-
Can only process two documents per day
-
Extra cost for desktop app
Smallpdf was created with a single goal in mind: edit and compress PDFs.Â
But what sets it apart from the competition is its extensive multi-lingual support, available in 24 different languages and used in 195 countries around the world. Â
Long considered one of the best free PDF editors online - you can make all the changes you need from your browser - the user experience is excellent and incredibly easy to use. When we tested Smallpdf, we found the lightweight, cloud-based tool perfect for simple tasks, but not ideal for high-volume editing or advanced features.Â
We found using the PDF editor very straightforward. Upload your PDF via the website, and begin making annotations and taking notes. We also liked the option to add pictures, text and shapes to a PDF. Once the necessary changes are made, Smallpdf gave us the option to compress a PDF or export it as a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file.
There are restrictions, as you'll find in many of the best free PDF editors. Chiefly, you're locked to two tasks per day - so a fully free tool like PDF24 Creator or Canva might be a better choice for more consistent use.Â
If you want even more functionality, you can upgrade to Smallpdf’s premium edition. While the web version is slightly cheaper, you can pay a bit more to take advantage of the desktop version so you can work offline. Alongside a web PDF editor and Windows desktop app, users can also install the PDF editor on Android and iOS phones.
Features include:PDF editor, eSign, Google and Dropbox integration
Reasons to buy
+
Great range of signature options
+
Google and Dropbox integration
+
Wide filetype support
+
Easy to use
Reasons to avoid
-
Minor glitches were reported by some users.
-
Not made for demanding, advanced workflows
If you’re looking for a free PDF editor with signing capabilities, DocHub is worth considering. When we went hands-on with the software, we described it as “a true gem, delivering comprehensive functionality without burdening users with unnecessary expenses.”Â
The free plan has limits, but it’s relatively generous if you’re only a casual user. You’re allowed 2,000 documents, five eSignatures, three sign requests, and three email attachments per day. The pro plan, which costs $10 per user per month, lifts these restrictions for unlimited document editing. Subscribing also adds a handful of features and tools, like a wide font library and the ability to add drop-down menus to PDFs.Â
During our time with DocHub, we found it intuitive and easy to navigate, with a good line in security for businesses. You’ll find an excellent page manager, where you can rearrange, label, rotate, add, or delete pages - just right click for all the options. And field creation was equally wide-ranging, letting you add extras like text boxes and legally binding signatures. Sharing and collaboration tools, ensuring you get documents signed by others, are also plentiful.Â
But it’s not as feature-filled as dedicated PDF editors, and on the free plan, you’ll only have access to three basic fonts - Courier New, Times New Roman, Helvetica. But for getting your documents signed, it's absolutely up to job.Â
Canva’s free PDF editor is a good choice if you’re looking to create documents from scratch or re-edit an existing file.Â
Like the platform’s design app and logo maker, the browser-based editor is pure child’s play.  If you’re familiar with Canva’s other free tools, you won’t find any surprises here. And if you’ve never made or edited a PDF document before, it won’t take long to master the tools and build professional-looking assets. Select an element, drag it into position, and that’s that. It offers a decent amount of customization. You’ll also find it packed with stock images and vector graphics that can be added to your file.Â
When we reviewed Canva - one of the best free PDF editors with design capabilities - we were especially impressed with its ability to turn existing PDFs into editable documents. Upload your file and the tool smartly identifies the different elements on the page - text boxes, images, background colors, that sort of thing. You’re then free to click and modify (or delete) any of these.Â
There is also an app library for added utility. This is where you can connect your cloud storage services, add links, and even create QR codes. This is all free to use, but there is a monthly/annual subscription available, adding business-focused utilities such as brand kits, more cloud storage, premium graphics, and social media scheduling. Subscribers gain access to these across the Canva platform; it’s not limited to the PDF editing tool.
Effortless is, perhaps, the best way to describe this top free PDF editor. But while the tool excels on the design side, it lacks many of the advanced features you’ll find in full-fat software like Adobe Acrobat. There’s no OCR, for example, and no eSign integration. That makes it best for teams and marketing departments largely focused on designing their own PDF assets.Â
Features include:PDF manipulator, reader, highlighter, annotations
Reasons to buy
+
Included with all Macs
+
Image-editing tools included
+
Can annotate and add signatures to PDFs
Reasons to avoid
-
Only available for macOS
-
Lacks OCR
Apple’s Preview app is free, and as you’d imagine, only available on Apple devices like the MacBook. It’s designed to let you preview many different image formats, but its most interesting feature is its ability to view, interact with, and manipulate PDFs.
After testing our choice for best free PDF editor for Mac, we concluded that Apple’s product was a remarkably powerful editor, allowing you to perform what could be considered advanced content manipulation and note taking tools.
The basics are seamless: open a file, scroll through the pages, search for specific words, print the whole document, or just parts of it, fill in specific fields, add notes, it’s all there, and you can’t really ask for an easier-to-use PDF reader.
But Preview goes one better: you can manipulate PDFs files to a certain extent. There's no text editing, but you can reorder pages, rotate them, and even delete them.Â
On the downside, despite being one of the best free PDF editors on the market, it lacks OCR tools. But most other functions should cater for most users. For custom PDF creation, you have the option of copying and pasting pages into new documents - as long as those original PDFs allow you to copy their pages.
Features include:PDF manipulator, scanner, compression, conversion, protection, merge, OCR
Reasons to buy
+
Very easy to use
+
Mostly free online service
+
Some clever tools
+
Good for minor document manipulation
+
Multi-platform
Reasons to avoid
-
Certain features require subscription
-
Not a full PDF editor
I Love PDF is an online service that allows you to manipulate PDF files in a number of ways. You can merge files together, split a single one into multiples, and convert documents to and from the PDF format. The only thing you can't do is alter the original content of a PDF, although you can add additional text boxes, images and shapes.
So, it’s not a full PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat DC. In fact, we noted in our review of the PDF editing tool that while it lets you manipulate documents in many ways, the drawback is that you can’t actually change the existing content of these files. You can only add extra text boxes, shapes, images, and the like.Â
Despite this, it does contain a number of interesting features that are cleverly implemented. This includes being able to use your phone’s camera to scan pages, and have them appear back on your page on your computer, once done. You can easily add page numbers to every page, or even a watermark, and of course add a digital electronic signature to a document.
The online PDF editor is free, as long as you access it from a web browser. A handful of tools have limited functionality in this way, but should be suitable for most people’s needs.Â
If you require more advanced features like OCR and offline PDF editing , then you’ll need to consider subscribing. Â
Features inlcude:PDF editor, compression, conversion, protection, merge, eSign
Reasons to buy
+
No account required
+
Simple and easy to use interface
+
Uploaded files are deleted after 2 hours
Reasons to avoid
-
File size limitations
-
Time restrictions on free tier
Sejda, like PDF Candy and Smallpdf, is one of the best free PDF editors available online in your browser. You can also grab a separate free downloadable, editable PDF app for desktops.Â
What sets it apart from other similar offerings, however, are its security features. All files uploaded to the service are automatically wiped from its servers after two hours. This means you can use it to work on sensitive documents without having to be worried about your data being leaked or stolen.
Sejda as a convincingly power PDF editor - in our tests, we found that using it is incredibly self-explanatory, and it was frankly difficult to fault the tools on offer. On the other hand, we were disappointed by the lack of precision over layout and movement controls. In fact, during our time on the platform, we were noted a big flaw: "While you will find that it is possible to edit text, you're likely to find that fonts are changed, making it apparent precisely where edits have been made."
Sejda also offers a desktop version with the biggest difference being that all of the processing is handled locally as opposed to in the cloud. Regardless of which free version you choose, Sejda limits you to working on a maximum of three tasks per day, one file at a time and files can’t be larger than 50MB or 200 pages.
In addition to being able to edit PDF text, you can add new text as well as images including shapes and drawings. Sejda also lets you add annotations, create forms, whiteout sections of a document and more. However, it's worth noting that free users will get hit by the file size and time restrictions. For those that do decide to upgrade, Sejda is available as a weekly, monthly or annual subscription though there are discounts for larger teams with multiple users.
A PDF editor lets you assemble a Portable Document Format (PDF) file from scratch, as well as amend the content of existing PDF files. The format was released by Adobe in 1993 as a way to standardize documents viewed across different platforms, devices, and screens. Most PDF editors come with the ability to convert, or batch convert, common file types such as Microsoft Office’s Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to and from the PDF format. You’ll also find more advanced tools like optical character recognition (OCR) software.Â
Are the best free PDF editors good?
Whether or not a free PDF editor is best for you will largely depend on how you’ll use it, and where. While there are some free PDF desktop apps that work offline, they don’t always feature multi-platform and mobile support. Many others are only available online in your browser. You'll find some have extra features, complete with the best PDF merger tools and best PDF compressors for most home and office uses. But others are bereft of anything but the basics. So, it can be hit-and-miss. Free PDF editors can also impose usage limits, such as the amount of files you can import, or export, per day. As such, they’re often better for light users, or to get a taste for the tool.  After testing out paid-for editors, we wanted to take a look at the good and the bad of the best free PDF editors to see what's there and what's not and whether a free PDF editor is a good alternative to a paid app.Â
Should I use a free PDF editor?
Free PDF editors are popular and good for general use, though they lack the advantages and features of paid versions.Â
Many free tools impose limits that can only be unlocked with a lifetime license or subscription. If you open and editor a lot of PDF documents, you'll need to be selective choosing the best free PDF editor. This is one of the main reasons why we loved PDF24 Creator and if you're a heavy PDF user, this is the one we recommend.Â
Most free PDF editing software, however, is fine for occasional or semi-regular use. If you don't need a lot of features and fancy tools, there's plenty of options out there.Â
Where businesses may hesitate in choosing a free PDF editor over a paid app is data security. It's worth being aware of some of the reasons why organizations often tend to go premium in our guide 5 reasons why you should avoid free PDF editors
How do I edit a PDF for free?
All PDF editors are designed differently - although tools and layouts follow a similar pattern. We’ve covered several ways to alter documents in the most popular paid-for and free PDF editors with our guide How to edit a PDF.
PDF24 Creator is a completely free PDF editor. It's free of charge, free of spyware, and it's our pick for best free PDF editor overall. But there are loads of amazing free PDF editing software depending on your needs and device/platform - many also include paid-for upgrades for premium features.Â
Does Windows 10 have a free PDF editor?
Windows 10 doesn't include a built-in free PDF editor. You'll need to obtain a third-party app to create and edit any PDF files. However, like most browsers, the Windows 10 Edge browser features one of the best free PDF readers. It's a little basic, but ideal for quickly viewing and highlighting documents online.Â
How to choose the best free PDF editor for you
Trying to decide which free PDF editor is best for you? Free PDF software tends to be less feature-filled than premium counterparts like out Editor's Picks. But there are a few features to look out for.Â
Document editing Make sure you can edit documents. We've tested plenty of the best PDF readers Windows and the best PDF readers for Mac, and while some let you modify a document, they don't offer full editing capabilities. You don't want editing software that won't let you design a document from scratch.
Collaboration tools PDFs are essential in digitally minded organization - so check your free PDF editor has tools for sharing, commenting, leaving notes, and making annotations to documents.
eSignatures With uses from HR to sales, digital signatures are fast becoming business-critical. Some of the top-rated free tools include the best eSign software for collecting and securely storing legally binding signed documents.Â
Converter A really good free PDF editor will include conversion tools, letting you change a filetype from or to an editable PDF document. We've hand-tested everything from the best Word to PDF converters to the best PDF to AutoCAD converters, and we know how useful this feature is for all kinds of workflows.Â
Cloud storage Reducing and saving storage space is one of the big benefits to PDF documents, so it's worth checking whether the best cloud storage is integrated into the platform. This will mean you can easily and securely access and share documents from connected devices.Â
Optical character recognition Optical character recognition (OCR) may be a nice-to-have for some users, but it will be essential for anyone with too many paper files unsecured and taking up space. When a free PDF editor has the best OCR software equipped, it can scan and convert paper documents into digital documents, making them easy to securely store.
How we test the best free PDF editors
We've tested a host of PDF apps, including the best PDF readers for Android and the best PDF to PowerPoint converters. We take the same user-centric approach to all our testing, reviewing, and rating. We've looking for seamless user experiences, clear signposting, documentation, and support. We're also looking for toolkits that match the workflows of intended users.Â
To test for the best free PDF editors, we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a obtain or as an online service.Â
We then tested the service using a handful of PDF files to see how the PDF editor could handle editing not just text, but also images, as well as tables imported from Microsoft Excel.Â
The aim was to push each software platform to see whether it could simply and easily not just edit a range of content types but also do so faithfully and consistently without introducing formatting issues or similar problems.
Wed, 08 Nov 2023 02:00:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.techradar.com/best/free-pdf-editorBest free PDF editors in 2023
The best free PDF editors let you create, edit, and work together on files without any subscription fees or one-off payments.Â
We all know how important PDF files are. They literally keep millions of businesses on the same page. The best PDF editors we've tried - yes, even free versions - let you create and design seriously professional documents. There are limitations, and few free PDF editing software is as feature-packed as the likes of Adobe Acrobat. But add in e-signatures, forms, and enhanced security tools, and you do have some of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives without any subscriptions or lifetime licenses.Â
Our team of PDF experts have been hand-testing the top-rated apps and platforms to find out which is really the best. Here's what we learned and why we recommend using these apps and platforms online, on desktop, and on mobile. As part of our review process, we’ve tested out each free PDF app’s integrated tools, filetype support, collaboration and cloud storage facilities. Optional pricing upgrades are always noted, but every apps and platforms we tried here offers a completely free PDF editor.Â
Top 3 editor's picks
You may have to pay for these, but they're some the top PDF software we've tried.Â
What's the best free PDF editors in 2023?
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Best free PDF editor overall
(Image credit: PDF24)
A streamlined PDF creator and editor offered for free
Specifications
Platform:PC
Plan:Free
Developer:Geek Software
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, merging, eSign, OCR
Reasons to buy
+
Completely free
+
Fast and light
+
Lots of features for every need
Reasons to avoid
-
Occasionally a bit clunky
-
Windows-only
PDF24 Creator is our pick for best free PDF editor overall. You may find the website a tad dated, but the tool is surprisingly feature-rich.
The free PDF editor is a very small program that can easily run on older systems - ideal, then, for businesses with limited resources or a suite of low-spec computers.
When we tested the software, we rated it as one of the best free tools, going above and beyond what's expected. It’s full of features, and has everything needed to create and edit PDF documents. While we noted that it lacked more advanced features usually found in premium tools like Adobe Acrobat DC, we felt that most users will find more than enough utility within PDF24 Creator.Â
The Windows-only tool serves up a PDF editor for free document creation, PDF merging, PDF compressing, and converting PDFs into other formats. You can even optimize a PDF for the web or apply OCR to a PDF, so that you can convert scanned images to text.
PDF24 Creator has a minimalistic user interface and it’s clear that the program is designed around speed first and foremost. The interface can feel a little clunky at times, but all of the important features are easy to find and when you first open the software, you’re presented with a grid of editing options. And yes, our top choice for best free PDF editor is genuinely free and unlimited, through and through.
Free online PDF editor with something for everyone
Specifications
Platform:Web, PC
Plan:Free, Subscription, Perpetual license
Developer:PDF Candy
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, compression, merging, eSign
Reasons to buy
+
Free online editor
+
Loads of features and tools
+
OCR capabilities
+
Windows version available
Reasons to avoid
-
No Mac or mobile apps
-
Free version only allows for one task each hour
PDF Candy is ideal if you want a free online PDF editor and a way to edit PDF files in your browser. You’ll also find a desktop version available for Windows if you upgrade to the lifetime license.Â
Easily one of the best free PDF editors online, it's delightfully simple to use - everything is clean, clear, and easy to navigate. And it's absolutely packed with functionality, with an impressive 47 different tools for editing, altering, converting PDF files, and so much more. During our tests, we found PDF editing as effortless every other function in the software, delighted that "editing text in a PDF file isn’t a million miles away from editing a word processor document."
The free version places a one-task-per-hour limit - e.g., processing an edited PDF file or converting a document. This can be removed by setting up a monthly or annual subscription, or purchasing it outright for a one-off payment. The latter also grants access to the Windows-only desktop PDF editor app. If restriction is too much to bear, and you don't need everything the platform offers, try PDF24 Creator - it's fully free across the board.Â
Elsewhere, PDF Candy has a good amount of useful tools and features. This includes the option to edit PDF files online, convert documents to a variety of formats, merge and compress PDFs.Â
On top of that, PDF Candy lets you easily extract text and images, resize pages, and add watermarks.  In total, there are an impressive 47 different tools to help you manage and edit PDF files. All features are found in a handy list of buttons, so you won't spend ages looking for what you need. Overall, we found service delightfully simple, but as with even the best free PDF editors, an upgrade unlocks its full potential.  Â
The lightweight, online, conversion king of PDF editors
Specifications
Platform:Web, Windows, Android, iOS
Plan:Free, Subscription
Developer:Smallpdf
Features include:PDF editor, PDF reader, scanner, conversion, compression
Reasons to buy
+
Cloud-based
+
Powerful range of tools
+
Allows you to convert PDFs to other formats
+
Cross-platform (for a price)
Reasons to avoid
-
Can only process two documents per day
-
Extra cost for desktop app
Smallpdf was created with a single goal in mind: edit and compress PDFs.Â
But what sets it apart from the competition is its extensive multi-lingual support, available in 24 different languages and used in 195 countries around the world. Â
Long considered one of the best free PDF editors online - you can make all the changes you need from your browser - the user experience is excellent and incredibly easy to use. When we tested Smallpdf, we found the lightweight, cloud-based tool perfect for simple tasks, but not ideal for high-volume editing or advanced features.Â
We found using the PDF editor very straightforward. Upload your PDF via the website, and begin making annotations and taking notes. We also liked the option to add pictures, text and shapes to a PDF. Once the necessary changes are made, Smallpdf gave us the option to compress a PDF or export it as a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file.
There are restrictions, as you'll find in many of the best free PDF editors. Chiefly, you're locked to two tasks per day - so a fully free tool like PDF24 Creator or Canva might be a better choice for more consistent use.Â
If you want even more functionality, you can upgrade to Smallpdf’s premium edition. While the web version is slightly cheaper, you can pay a bit more to take advantage of the desktop version so you can work offline. Alongside a web PDF editor and Windows desktop app, users can also install the PDF editor on Android and iOS phones.
Features include:PDF editor, eSign, Google and Dropbox integration
Reasons to buy
+
Great range of signature options
+
Google and Dropbox integration
+
Wide filetype support
+
Easy to use
Reasons to avoid
-
Minor glitches were reported by some users.
-
Not made for demanding, advanced workflows
If you’re looking for a free PDF editor with signing capabilities, DocHub is worth considering. When we went hands-on with the software, we described it as “a true gem, delivering comprehensive functionality without burdening users with unnecessary expenses.”Â
The free plan has limits, but it’s relatively generous if you’re only a casual user. You’re allowed 2,000 documents, five eSignatures, three sign requests, and three email attachments per day. The pro plan, which costs $10 per user per month, lifts these restrictions for unlimited document editing. Subscribing also adds a handful of features and tools, like a wide font library and the ability to add drop-down menus to PDFs.Â
During our time with DocHub, we found it intuitive and easy to navigate, with a good line in security for businesses. You’ll find an excellent page manager, where you can rearrange, label, rotate, add, or delete pages - just right click for all the options. And field creation was equally wide-ranging, letting you add extras like text boxes and legally binding signatures. Sharing and collaboration tools, ensuring you get documents signed by others, are also plentiful.Â
But it’s not as feature-filled as dedicated PDF editors, and on the free plan, you’ll only have access to three basic fonts - Courier New, Times New Roman, Helvetica. But for getting your documents signed, it's absolutely up to job.Â
Canva’s free PDF editor is a good choice if you’re looking to create documents from scratch or re-edit an existing file.Â
Like the platform’s design app and logo maker, the browser-based editor is pure child’s play.  If you’re familiar with Canva’s other free tools, you won’t find any surprises here. And if you’ve never made or edited a PDF document before, it won’t take long to master the tools and build professional-looking assets. Select an element, drag it into position, and that’s that. It offers a decent amount of customization. You’ll also find it packed with stock images and vector graphics that can be added to your file.Â
When we reviewed Canva - one of the best free PDF editors with design capabilities - we were especially impressed with its ability to turn existing PDFs into editable documents. Upload your file and the tool smartly identifies the different elements on the page - text boxes, images, background colors, that sort of thing. You’re then free to click and modify (or delete) any of these.Â
There is also an app library for added utility. This is where you can connect your cloud storage services, add links, and even create QR codes. This is all free to use, but there is a monthly/annual subscription available, adding business-focused utilities such as brand kits, more cloud storage, premium graphics, and social media scheduling. Subscribers gain access to these across the Canva platform; it’s not limited to the PDF editing tool.
Effortless is, perhaps, the best way to describe this top free PDF editor. But while the tool excels on the design side, it lacks many of the advanced features you’ll find in full-fat software like Adobe Acrobat. There’s no OCR, for example, and no eSign integration. That makes it best for teams and marketing departments largely focused on designing their own PDF assets.Â
Features include:PDF manipulator, reader, highlighter, annotations
Reasons to buy
+
Included with all Macs
+
Image-editing tools included
+
Can annotate and add signatures to PDFs
Reasons to avoid
-
Only available for macOS
-
Lacks OCR
Apple’s Preview app is free, and as you’d imagine, only available on Apple devices like the MacBook. It’s designed to let you preview many different image formats, but its most interesting feature is its ability to view, interact with, and manipulate PDFs.
After testing our choice for best free PDF editor for Mac, we concluded that Apple’s product was a remarkably powerful editor, allowing you to perform what could be considered advanced content manipulation and note taking tools.
The basics are seamless: open a file, scroll through the pages, search for specific words, print the whole document, or just parts of it, fill in specific fields, add notes, it’s all there, and you can’t really ask for an easier-to-use PDF reader.
But Preview goes one better: you can manipulate PDFs files to a certain extent. There's no text editing, but you can reorder pages, rotate them, and even delete them.Â
On the downside, despite being one of the best free PDF editors on the market, it lacks OCR tools. But most other functions should cater for most users. For custom PDF creation, you have the option of copying and pasting pages into new documents - as long as those original PDFs allow you to copy their pages.
Features include:PDF manipulator, scanner, compression, conversion, protection, merge, OCR
Reasons to buy
+
Very easy to use
+
Mostly free online service
+
Some clever tools
+
Good for minor document manipulation
+
Multi-platform
Reasons to avoid
-
Certain features require subscription
-
Not a full PDF editor
I Love PDF is an online service that allows you to manipulate PDF files in a number of ways. You can merge files together, split a single one into multiples, and convert documents to and from the PDF format. The only thing you can't do is alter the original content of a PDF, although you can add additional text boxes, images and shapes.
So, it’s not a full PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat DC. In fact, we noted in our review of the PDF editing tool that while it lets you manipulate documents in many ways, the drawback is that you can’t actually change the existing content of these files. You can only add extra text boxes, shapes, images, and the like.Â
Despite this, it does contain a number of interesting features that are cleverly implemented. This includes being able to use your phone’s camera to scan pages, and have them appear back on your page on your computer, once done. You can easily add page numbers to every page, or even a watermark, and of course add a digital electronic signature to a document.
The online PDF editor is free, as long as you access it from a web browser. A handful of tools have limited functionality in this way, but should be suitable for most people’s needs.Â
If you require more advanced features like OCR and offline PDF editing , then you’ll need to consider subscribing. Â
Features inlcude:PDF editor, compression, conversion, protection, merge, eSign
Reasons to buy
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No account required
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Simple and easy to use interface
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Uploaded files are deleted after 2 hours
Reasons to avoid
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File size limitations
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Time restrictions on free tier
Sejda, like PDF Candy and Smallpdf, is one of the best free PDF editors available online in your browser. You can also grab a separate free downloadable, editable PDF app for desktops.Â
What sets it apart from other similar offerings, however, are its security features. All files uploaded to the service are automatically wiped from its servers after two hours. This means you can use it to work on sensitive documents without having to be worried about your data being leaked or stolen.
Sejda as a convincingly power PDF editor - in our tests, we found that using it is incredibly self-explanatory, and it was frankly difficult to fault the tools on offer. On the other hand, we were disappointed by the lack of precision over layout and movement controls. In fact, during our time on the platform, we were noted a big flaw: "While you will find that it is possible to edit text, you're likely to find that fonts are changed, making it apparent precisely where edits have been made."
Sejda also offers a desktop version with the biggest difference being that all of the processing is handled locally as opposed to in the cloud. Regardless of which free version you choose, Sejda limits you to working on a maximum of three tasks per day, one file at a time and files can’t be larger than 50MB or 200 pages.
In addition to being able to edit PDF text, you can add new text as well as images including shapes and drawings. Sejda also lets you add annotations, create forms, whiteout sections of a document and more. However, it's worth noting that free users will get hit by the file size and time restrictions. For those that do decide to upgrade, Sejda is available as a weekly, monthly or annual subscription though there are discounts for larger teams with multiple users.
A PDF editor lets you assemble a Portable Document Format (PDF) file from scratch, as well as amend the content of existing PDF files. The format was released by Adobe in 1993 as a way to standardize documents viewed across different platforms, devices, and screens. Most PDF editors come with the ability to convert, or batch convert, common file types such as Microsoft Office’s Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to and from the PDF format. You’ll also find more advanced tools like optical character recognition (OCR) software.Â
Are the best free PDF editors good?
Whether or not a free PDF editor is best for you will largely depend on how you’ll use it, and where. While there are some free PDF desktop apps that work offline, they don’t always feature multi-platform and mobile support. Many others are only available online in your browser. You'll find some have extra features, complete with the best PDF merger tools and best PDF compressors for most home and office uses. But others are bereft of anything but the basics. So, it can be hit-and-miss. Free PDF editors can also impose usage limits, such as the amount of files you can import, or export, per day. As such, they’re often better for light users, or to get a taste for the tool.  After testing out paid-for editors, we wanted to take a look at the good and the bad of the best free PDF editors to see what's there and what's not and whether a free PDF editor is a good alternative to a paid app.Â
Should I use a free PDF editor?
Free PDF editors are popular and good for general use, though they lack the advantages and features of paid versions.Â
Many free tools impose limits that can only be unlocked with a lifetime license or subscription. If you open and editor a lot of PDF documents, you'll need to be selective choosing the best free PDF editor. This is one of the main reasons why we loved PDF24 Creator and if you're a heavy PDF user, this is the one we recommend.Â
Most free PDF editing software, however, is fine for occasional or semi-regular use. If you don't need a lot of features and fancy tools, there's plenty of options out there.Â
Where businesses may hesitate in choosing a free PDF editor over a paid app is data security. It's worth being aware of some of the reasons why organizations often tend to go premium in our guide 5 reasons why you should avoid free PDF editors
How do I edit a PDF for free?
All PDF editors are designed differently - although tools and layouts follow a similar pattern. We’ve covered several ways to alter documents in the most popular paid-for and free PDF editors with our guide How to edit a PDF.
PDF24 Creator is a completely free PDF editor. It's free of charge, free of spyware, and it's our pick for best free PDF editor overall. But there are loads of amazing free PDF editing software depending on your needs and device/platform - many also include paid-for upgrades for premium features.Â
Does Windows 10 have a free PDF editor?
Windows 10 doesn't include a built-in free PDF editor. You'll need to obtain a third-party app to create and edit any PDF files. However, like most browsers, the Windows 10 Edge browser features one of the best free PDF readers. It's a little basic, but ideal for quickly viewing and highlighting documents online.Â
How to choose the best free PDF editor for you
Trying to decide which free PDF editor is best for you? Free PDF software tends to be less feature-filled than premium counterparts like out Editor's Picks. But there are a few features to look out for.Â
Document editing Make sure you can edit documents. We've tested plenty of the best PDF readers Windows and the best PDF readers for Mac, and while some let you modify a document, they don't offer full editing capabilities. You don't want editing software that won't let you design a document from scratch.
Collaboration tools PDFs are essential in digitally minded organization - so check your free PDF editor has tools for sharing, commenting, leaving notes, and making annotations to documents.
eSignatures With uses from HR to sales, digital signatures are fast becoming business-critical. Some of the top-rated free tools include the best eSign software for collecting and securely storing legally binding signed documents.Â
Converter A really good free PDF editor will include conversion tools, letting you change a filetype from or to an editable PDF document. We've hand-tested everything from the best Word to PDF converters to the best PDF to AutoCAD converters, and we know how useful this feature is for all kinds of workflows.Â
Cloud storage Reducing and saving storage space is one of the big benefits to PDF documents, so it's worth checking whether the best cloud storage is integrated into the platform. This will mean you can easily and securely access and share documents from connected devices.Â
Optical character recognition Optical character recognition (OCR) may be a nice-to-have for some users, but it will be essential for anyone with too many paper files unsecured and taking up space. When a free PDF editor has the best OCR software equipped, it can scan and convert paper documents into digital documents, making them easy to securely store.
How we test the best free PDF editors
We've tested a host of PDF apps, including the best PDF readers for Android and the best PDF to PowerPoint converters. We take the same user-centric approach to all our testing, reviewing, and rating. We've looking for seamless user experiences, clear signposting, documentation, and support. We're also looking for toolkits that match the workflows of intended users.Â
To test for the best free PDF editors, we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a obtain or as an online service.Â
We then tested the service using a handful of PDF files to see how the PDF editor could handle editing not just text, but also images, as well as tables imported from Microsoft Excel.Â
The aim was to push each software platform to see whether it could simply and easily not just edit a range of content types but also do so faithfully and consistently without introducing formatting issues or similar problems.
Mon, 23 Oct 2023 02:57:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.techradar.com/best/free-pdf-editor?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwijqaDopu3rAhU2JzQIHaj0BCcQ9QF6BAgNEAI
