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Mon, 17 Oct 2016 02:22:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.crn.com/channel-programs/dell-emc-world-2016.htmKillexams : Best free PDF reader (June 2023)
The best free PDF reader apps are perfect for viewing documents, collaborating online, and making changes to your PDF files without any subscription charges or one-off fees.
Using your browser is the easiest way to read a PDF online, but options are usually limited. To do more with your documents, both online and offline, it’s worth investing time in the best PDF editors, the best free PDF editors, or dedicated PDF reader software.
PDF readers are the ideal solution for casual users looking for easy-to-use apps and platforms. Better still, the very best free PDF readers come equipped with plenty of tools for power-users. So, look out for features like free PDF to Word converters that put you in control of your documents.
With plenty of options out there, it can be a challenge identifying which free PDF reader is best for you. To help you find the right tool for your work, we’ve tested out a range of options, exploring everything from performance with large files to cross-platform compatibility and integrated cloud storage.
Today's best PDF reader deals
The best free PDF reader of June 2023
(Image credit: Adobe)
Best free PDF reader overall
Specifications
Operating system:Windows, macOS
Reasons to buy
+
Multi-platform support
+
Handles large PDFs with ease
+
Tab view for multiple documents
Reasons to avoid
-
Relatively large
-
Regular 'upgrade to Pro' ads
-
Some tools paywalled
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a free PDF reader software for Windows and Mac (with Android and iOS PDF reader apps available, too). And it's our top choice for best free PDF reader overall - although we found features one massive downside.
The top PDF viewer is designed with two purposes in mind: the first is to enable you to read and interact with PDF files (including adding annotations and even signing a document).
The second is to convince you to upgrade to the paid version of the software (which, you’ve guessed it, has many more features, including the ability to create and edit PDF files).
If it wasn’t for the latter, Acrobat Reader would be a decent addition to your software library. It’s simple, easy to use, and comes with all the basic features you need to interact with PDF files. In our review, we reckoned that “Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is one of the best free PDF readers for anyone looking to view documents and manipulate them in some way.”
Sadly, the adware side of things is pretty much everywhere: you get ‘try now’ buttons, you’re offered to use powerful tools but later are asked to pony up some cash in order to actually use them, there’s even a ‘7-day trial’ button. If you can overlook this, it’s a great tool, but there are less obtrusive ones out there.
Foxit PDF Reader is more than just a free PDF reader – you can also create PDFs from scratch using this software. Integration with Microsoft Office allows you to easily turn documents you’re working on into PDFs. Or, you can scan a document or image and turn it into a PDF using Foxit Reader. The only thing that’s lacking in the free version is support for optical character recognition in scanned documents.
The software can be a little intimidating at first, but it’s relatively straightforward to navigate. That’s thanks to the fact that it uses the same ribbon-style menu as Microsoft Office. Tools for editing, signing, highlighting, and commenting are fairly easy to access. You can also merge or split PDFs by downloading free add-ons for the software.
Another advantage to Foxit PDF Reader is that it offers security. There’s a Safe studying mode that allows you to automatically disable Javascript embedded in downloaded PDFs.
Note that with the software's latest update, Foxit seems to have removed its PDF virtual printer driver, meaning you can no longer use the software to create PDFs.
Slim PDF is the best free PDF reader if you’re looking for something incredibly lightweight. The software get is really small, so is the perfect choice if you’re limited by hard drive space. Plus, that means that it’s able to open and load your documents faster than most of its competitors.
In our review, we called it "a sleek, minimalist PDF reader that only takes up a couple of megabytes on your hard drive." The downside to this small size is that Slim PDF is pretty basic. You can search and rotate documents, but that’s about it. There are no tools for signing, filling, commenting, or highlighting, let alone multiple studying modes. While there is a menu option to convert a PDF to a Word document, doing this requires another software download. On the other hand, if your needs are similarly simple, the free PDF reader might just be the solution for you.
As a result, Slim PDF is truly just a PDF reader. It does a good job at this, though, leaving out the toolbars that can distract you from what you’re reading. If you frequently need to print PDFs, Slim PDF is one of the fastest and most simple options available.
Best free PDF reader that's feature-rich and packed with tools
Specifications
Operating system:Windows, macOS
Reasons to buy
+
Touchscreen mode
+
Plenty of annotation tools
+
Simple ribbon-style menu
Reasons to avoid
-
No document signing or filling
The Nitro PDF Reader is another powerful free PDF reader in the vein of Foxit Reader and Adobe Acrobat DC. What makes this tool different is that it has a touchscreen mode that’s perfect if you’re working on a tablet. Touchscreen mode is especially nice for studying e-books, since you can flick the pages rather than scroll or click on a button.
While you can’t fill and sign PDFs with Nitro Reader, the software does a nice job of enabling collaboration. You can annotate documents with underlining and strikethroughs in addition to highlighting. Comments are also supported, and they appear like sticky notes that are easy to spot as you read through a document. Helpfully, the software also allows you to convert between PDF and other document formats.
The software has a ribbon-style menu that will be familiar to Microsoft Office users. The menu is pretty easy to navigate since there aren’t all that many options available in Nitro Reader. Overall, we found the app to be a remarkably powerful free PDF reader that's packed with handy features you'll use time after time, all presented in a clear, adaptable interface.
Perfect if you need a free PDF reader with built-in OCR
Specifications
Operating system:Windows
Reasons to buy
+
Optical character recognition
+
Text editing
+
Splits and extracts pages
Reasons to avoid
-
Watermarks documents
-
PC-only
Rather than just being a free PDF reader, PDF-XChange Editor is also a free PDF editing program for Windows. The interface is a little more complex than some others but gives you easy access to plenty of helpful features.
For most users, the main reason to use PDF-XChange Editor is the fact that it comes with inbuilt Optical Character Recognition (OCR). This means that if your original PDF document is a photocopy, PDF-XChange will still recognize the text and allow you to edit it. Also, PDF-XChange Editor lets you reformat text, and even convert it into fonts that aren’t already loaded on your computer.
You can use this platform to merge or split individual PDF files. The only serious downside of this powerful editor is that, if you haven’t signed up to the Pro version, a small 'Created with PDF-XChange Editor' watermark will be added at the bottom of any PDF files that you export.
During our tests, we ultimately felt that while nothing stood out as incredible, there was also nothing that stood out as frustrating or annoying either. Under the right circumstances, it's a great product that has the ability to be your one and only PDF editor without any compromise.
Cross-platform with apps for online, on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
+
Customer support is responsive
+
Plenty of editing tools
+
No sign-up to read PDFs
Reasons to avoid
-
Full toolkit requires subscription
-
Advanced tools may prove steeper learning curve than most
pdfFiller serves up a very simple free PDF reader experience. If your needs are basic, it’s quick and easy to upload your document and read it via your browser, or through the Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS apps. Not only is the PDF viewing process free, you won’t even need to sign up to read files.
However, the platform is actually a full PDF editor, with plenty of additional features for document creation and editing like fillable forms, data redaction tools, online collaboration, digital signatures, and PDF converters. After a thorough review process, we ultimately felt that the platform is “a very versatile PDF document management system” for both personal and business use.
When it comes to a straight PDF viewer, pdfFiller’s free service feels hobbled by the inability to do anything beyond studying files. You can tweak documents, but they’ll remain locked on your dashboard and unavailable as a PDF file. To really get the most from the service - and, to be fair, it offers a fair amount - you’ll need to subscribe to one of three monthly/annual subscription plans. Enterprise licensing is available, too, for teams of ten or more.
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.
When deciding which PDF reader is best to get and use, first consider which parts of your PDF file you need to change. If you’re just trying to add information to a form digitally, you’ll only need a basic editor that supports text insertion.
However, if you need to change the content of a PDF substantially, you’ll require a more powerful PDF software program that can make modifications to text or images already stored in the file. In some cases, especially if you want to change almost all the content of your file, it may be better to use a fully functioning PDF Editor or even the best PDF to Word converter instead.
What is a PDF reader?
A PDF reader is a program used to open, view, and print PDF (Portable Document Format) files. First introduced in the 1990s, PDF files are an excellent way to distribute documents containing text, images, and various other media types.
Many modern browsers can read PDF files, but the best free PDF readers still have their place. These dedicated programs supply users more ways to interact with the file and offer greater control over how the document appears on the screen.
PDF files were designed to appear and function the same on any piece of hardware, so you'll find PDF readers for Android and other mobile devices too.
Do I need a PDF editor or a PDF reader?
Deciding between a PDF editor and a PDF reader comes down to how you'll use the software. PDF readers are primarily designed to view documents - although many include online collaboration tools like commenting, highlighting, and annotating content. Altering a PDF file is often limited to small edits and manipulation. A PDF editor lets you design and create documents from scratch and make large changes. They almost always include powerful tools for power-users, like built-in OCR software and digital signature tools.
The best free PDF readers feature plenty of tools for viewing and sharing PDF files - however, they're often slightly more limited compared to paid-for counterparts. In many cases, they offer a taste of how the software works, with upgrades and subscriptions that add more tools. If you're only studying PDFs on your computer or mobile device, a browser will likely meet your needs. If you're frequently in and out of documents, making minor edits, and sharing files, a full PDF reader will likely suit you best.
How we test the best free PDF readers
We test the best free PDF readers against the factors that users care about - from the interface and experience to performance and platform availability.
We also assess each tool against its use-case. Some want a lightweight reader, others need one packed with plenty of other PDF utilities for professional use - so we look at how well the free PDF readers deliver for their intended audience.
We also ensure that free means free - no hidden charges. Any subscriptions, lifetime licenses, and upgrade fees must be clearly signposted.
As part of our overall testing process, we've also reviewed and rated free and premium platform-specific PDF readers.
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Tue, 23 May 2023 04:39:00 -0500Michael Grawentext/htmlhttps://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-pdf-readerKillexams : Best free PDF editor (2023)
The best free PDF editors let you edit, and work together on files without subscriptions or fees.
Top PDF editors offer everything you need for creating, editing, and collaborating on documents. In many cases, the best PDF editors on the market require a subscription or one-off purchase to access. But you don't need to compromise on features if you don't invest in document editing software. When you need the best PDF editor free, there are plenty of platforms that deliver advanced tools at no charge.
We’ve tested free PDF editors online and for Android, Windows, Mac, iOS, and iPad. As part of our review process, we’ve explored each PDF editor app’s integrated tools and workflows, sized up the best cloud storage offerings, and compatibility - as well as ensuring that every option is a completely free PDF editor. So, you can get on with the job at hand, whether you're designing a document from scratch, you're swapping Adobe for the best Acrobat alternative, or you just the best free PDF eader to view your files.
Today's best PDF reader deals
We’ve tested, reviewed, and rated the best PDF editors for Windows, Mac, mobile, and online. If it's in budget, we recommend these top three premium picks - bringing professional PDF editing tools into the home or office.
The best free PDF editor 2023
(Image credit: PDF24)
Best free PDF editor overall
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Canva’s free PDF editor is a good choice if you’re looking to create documents from scratch or re-edit an existing file.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you require more advanced features like OCR and offline PDF editing , then you’ll need to consider subscribing.
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.
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.
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.
When deciding which free PDF editor is best for you, make a list of the must-have feature-set needed by you and your team. Not all free Adobe Acrobat alternatives are created equally. For example, if you’re bulk-editing, a tool like PDF24 Creator will serve you better than SmallPDF.
Consider which bits of your PDF file you need to change. If you’re just trying to add information to a form digitally, you’ll just need a basic editor that supports text insertion.
However, if you need to change the content of a PDF substantially, you’ll require a more powerful PDF editor that can make modifications to text or images already stored in the file. In some cases, especially if you want to change almost all the content of your file, it may be better to use a dedicated PDF converter instead.
Other advanced features to look out for, depending on your workflow, are built-in PDF conversion, OCR software, and eSign software. Cloud storage is another factor, so check the free PDF editor supports platforms like Google Drive and Dropbox.
Most modern browsers have free PDF reader capabilities if that’s all you need
What is a PDF editor?
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.
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, like PDF merging tools and PDF compressors. 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.
Should I use a free PDF editor?
Free PDF editors are popular - but they're not always the best solution, particularly for data-conscious and data-compliant businesses. 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.
How we test the best free PDF editors
To test for the best free PDF editors, we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a get or as an online service.
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.
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, 08 May 2023 23:22:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.techradar.com/best/free-pdf-editorKillexams : Best free PDF editors 2023: Our top picks
PDF editors are an indispensable tool for those who frequently work with PDF files. 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, free PDF editors are typically browser based, meaning you won’t need to worry about platform- or device-compatibility issues.
Of course, free products won’t come with every feature of their paid 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 one of the best premium PDF editors.
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.
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.
There are daily usage limits without a subscription
Limited font options
Price When Reviewed:Free (Premium $7.50 p/m)
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.
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.
Wed, 24 May 2023 21:00:00 -0500Author: Michael Ansaldoentext/htmlhttps://www.pcworld.com/article/702374/best-free-pdf-editors.htmlKillexams : Best free PDF editors for Mac
PDFExpert for Mac from Readdle offers a seven-day full-featured free trial, which could make it ideal if you just need a solution now and don’t expect to be editing PDFs again for a while. If you do need it for longer than a week it costs $79.99/£72.99 a year on subscription, or $139.99/£119.99 if you choose the Lifetime plan.
We found PDFExpert did a good job of maintaining the fonts, style and formatting of the original PDF.
There are two options for editing that you can find in the menu at the top of the page: Annotate and Edit. Under Annotate you will find the tool to easily add text to the PDF. You can choose the font and colour of the text here.
However, you will find the better editing tools under Edit. Here you have the option to actually edit the text already on the page, add images, add hyperlinks, and redact sensitive information (you can choose to black out names, or you can search for a specific word and delete every occurrence of that.)
We were able to select text and move it around the page. But as we found with all the PDF editors here, it wasn’t possible to drag and drop text between pages (to get around this we were able to cut and paste though and still make a good-looking document).
Back to the Annotate tab. Here you will find options to highlight, underline, or strike-through text, as well as a pan tool that means you can draw freehand in any colour, as well as change the line width and opacity. There’s also a crop tool here. In Annotate you can also add sticky notes and stamps (e.g. an Approval). You’ll see a column of existing annotations on the left so its easy to see what edits have been made and when. These annotations can be exported as HTML, text or markdown.
Adding a signature is also done via the Annotate tab. You can add more than one signature and these are added via the keyboard, trackpad, or an image. To add the signature to your PDF just drag and drop from the signature pane. You an also add a watermark yourself, perhaps your company logo, rather than having one added for you as is the case with some of the other trials looked at here.
Resizing a large PDF was easy thanks to a High/Low slider that indicated the size of the resulting file. There was also the option to merge files, combine multiple documents into one PDF, or individual pages from multiple documents.
We had one PDF that was scanned on our iPhone via the Notes app (we explain how to scan a document with an iPhone here). Obviously such a document will only be recognised by the PDF editor if the editor has OCR abilities that are unlocked in the trial. PDFExpert couldn’t do this so we weren’t able to edit the text in the scanned document, although we were able to add hyperlinks to sections of that document. Obviously we couldn’t search the scanned document, or edit the text there.
We were able to search normal PDFs though, and we were able to search for a word and redact every occurrence of it either by blacking it out, or deleting it.
We were able to export the PDF into Word, PowerPoint and Excel, as well as to Text and Image.
It’s a free seven day trial, so if you need the software for longer than that and don’t want to pay up then you would have to look elsewhere. But if you don’t need something long term this trial offers everything you need.
Mon, 11 Mar 2019 04:12:00 -0500Author: Karen Haslamentext/htmlhttps://www.macworld.com/article/668866/best-free-pdf-editors-for-mac.htmlKillexams : The 13 Best Free PDF Editors (May 2023)
Use these PDF editors and online tools to change your PDF files absolutely free
Looking for a truly free PDF editor that lets you not only edit and add text but also change images, add your own graphics, sign your name, fill out forms, and more? You came to the right place: We've researched these types of apps to come up with a list of exactly what you're looking for.
Some of these are online editors that work in your web browser, so all you have to do is upload your PDF to the website, make the changes you want, and then save it back to your computer. That's the quick way—but do bear in mind that, typically, a web-based editor isn't as fully featured as its desktop counterpart, plus the file is exposed to the internet (which might be of concern if it contains sensitive content).
Because not all of these editors support the same features, and some are restricted in what you can do, remember that you can process the same PDF in more than one tool. For example, use one to edit the PDF text (if that's supported), and then put the same PDF through a different editor to do something supported in that program (e.g., to edit a form, update an image, or remove a page).
If you don't need to change the contents of the file but instead just need to change it to another format (such as .docx for Microsoft Word or .epub for an eBook), see our list of free document converters for help. On the other hand, if you have a file you created yourself that you want to save as a PDF file, learn how to print to PDF.
If you already own a modern version of Microsoft Word (2021, 2019, 2016, etc.), then skip all the suggested programs below: you have a great PDF editor at your disposal right now. Just open the PDF as you would any Word document, supply the program a few minutes to convert the PDF, and then edit away. This also works in WPS Office and Google Docs.
Sejda PDF Editor is one of the very few PDF editors that actually lets you edit pre-existing text in the PDF without adding a watermark. Most editors only let you edit the text you add yourself, or they support text editing but then throw watermarks all over the place.
Plus, this tool can run entirely in your web browser, so it's easy to get going without having to get any programs. You can get the desktop version if you'd rather use it that way.
There are some differences between the online and desktop versions that you should know about. For example, the desktop edition supports more font types and doesn't let you add PDFs by URL or from online storage services as the online editor does (which supports Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive).
Another neat feature is the web integration tool that lets PDF publishers provide a link for their users that they can simply click to automatically open the file in this editor.
All uploaded files are automatically deleted from Sejda after two hours.
This tool works no matter which operating system you use. Sejda PDF Desktop runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
PDFgear is a full toolkit for doing pretty much anything you could want to do with a PDF.
Beyond basic PDF viewing and full text editing are options to add a signature, convert the file to other formats, extract text, annotate and insert your own watermark, rotate and delete pages, add a password, compress the PDF, and more. You can even present the PDF as a slideshow if you want to.
Something we really like is the Extract Text tool. It lets you highlight any part of the page to pull out text into an easily usable text box so you can copy that content. This is great for lists and other situations where selecting PDF text is usually difficult.
Canva is a very capable website for creating unique, high-quality designs. While you could create a project from scratch or a template, another way you can use its editing tools is on a PDF.
Unlike most free tools, Canva lets you fully edit text. Click into any text area to change what the text says and to adjust the font type, size, and color. You can also add hyperlinks to text and other objects, and special fonts are available to easily type out your signature.
Of course, because this is a full graphic design platform, it has a wealth of other tools so you can also edit images, add shapes, edit and build PDF pages, include charts, etc. If you have most of your media on another site like Google Photos or Dropbox, you can connect to those services to easily copy files into your PDF.
PDFs can't exceed 15 MB or 15 pages. When you're done, you can save back to PDF or choose from various image and video formats.
PDF-XChange Editor offers some great tools, but not all of them are free to use. If you use a non-free feature, the PDF will save with a watermark on every page.
If you stick to just the free features, however, you can still do some editing to the file and save it back to your computer.
You can load PDFs from your computer, a URL, SharePoint, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can save the edited PDF back to your computer or to any of those cloud storage services.
There are lots of features, so it might seem overwhelming at first. All the options and tools are simple to understand, however, and they're categorized into their own sections for easier management.
One nice feature is the ability to highlight all the form fields so that you can easily spot where you need to fill in. This is really helpful if you're editing a PDF with lots of forms, such as an application.
Many of the features are free (like editing the text), but some are not. If you use a feature that's not covered by the free version (you're told which ones aren't free when you use them), the saved PDF file will have a watermark attached to the corner of every page. There's a comprehensive list of all the free features on the get page.
Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 users can install PDF-XChange Editor. You can get it in portable mode to use on a flash drive or as a regular installer.
Inkscape is an extremely popular free image viewer and editor, but it also includes PDF editing functions that most dedicated PDF editors support only in their paid editions.
This is a very capable image editing program. If you're not already familiar with programs like GIMP, Adobe Photoshop, and other image editors, however, it's probably a bit advanced for you.
In the context of PDF editing, though, you should consider this software only if you want to delete or edit the images or text in the PDF. We suggest you use a different tool in this list to edit PDF forms or add shapes, and then plug that PDF into Inkscape if you need to actually edit the preexisting text.
All the functions you need are available here: Edit text, add text, highlight and blackout items, include shapes and checkmarks, import the date and time, upload images, and add your signature. You can also rotate, delete, and add new pages to your document.
Files can be uploaded from your device or your Google Drive account. All edited documents can be saved back to a .pdf file.
Edit existing text and erase or redact text/images.
Can add your own custom text to the PDF.
Supports highlighting anything on the page.
What We Don't Like
No easy-to-access undo button (but you can delete what you've done).
Can upload PDFs only from your computer (not Google Drive, etc.).
FormSwift's Free PDF Editor is a very simple online option that you can start using without even making a user account (although, you'll need one when you save).
It's as simple as uploading your PDF file to the website and using the menus at the top of the page to quickly perform some basic PDF editing functions before downloading it back to your computer.
For example, you can add circles, checkmarks, and "x" icons over any text; easily type, draw, or sign on the file; and insert your own images.
When you're done editing, you can get the file as a PDF file, print it directly to your printer, or save as a .docx document.
The .pdf-to-.docx conversion didn't work for every PDF that we tried, but in those that did convert successfully, the images were formatted nicely and the text was fully editable.
FormSwift's Convert Images to PDF page lets you quickly edit or sign PDFs from your phone by taking a picture of a document. You can then share or get the PDF when you're done. It's not perfect: Most things done through a web app are spotty. It does work, however, with a little patience.
You can upload Word documents and images to FormSwift, too, if you need to edit those instead of a PDF.
All operating systems can use this since it works online.
Draw is LibreOffice's flowchart and diagram program, but it also lets you open and edit PDFs. Use the File > Open menu to select the PDF you want to edit, and then zoom up to the text to select and change whatever you want.
One of the neat things about editing PDFs with this program is that it's made for creating and manipulating objects, so you can just as easily edit non-text things, too, like images, headings, colors, etc.
When you're ready to save, don't use the typical save option; go instead to File > Export As to find the PDF option.
Documents stored in your account remain there only for 7 days.
PDFescape has quite a lot of features. It's free as long as the document doesn't exceed 100 pages or 10 MB.
You can't truly change text or edit images for free using this editor, but you can add your own text, images, links, form fields, etc.
The text tool is very customizable so that you can pick your own size, font type, color, alignment, and apply effects such as bolding, underlining, and italics.
You also can draw on the PDF, add sticky notes, strikethrough text, put white space over anything you want to disappear, and insert lines, checkmarks, arrows, ovals, circles, rectangles, and comments.
PDFescape lets you delete individual pages from the PDF, rotate pages, crop out parts of a page, reorganize the order of the pages, and add more pages from other PDFs.
You can upload your own PDF file, paste the URL to an online PDF, and make your own PDF from scratch.
When finished editing, you can get the PDF to your computer without ever having to make a user account. You need one only if you want to save your progress online without downloading the PDF.
The online version works in all operating systems. There's also an offline editor that runs on Windows, but it isn't free.
One of the quickest ways to add images, text, shapes, or your signature to a PDF is with Smallpdf.
This website allows you to upload a PDF, make changes to it, and then save it back to your computer, all without needing to make a user account or pay for any anti-watermarking features.
You can open files from your computer or your Dropbox or Google Drive account.
Importing shapes is possible if you want a rectangle, square, circle, arrow, or line. You can change the object's main color and line color, as well as the thickness of its edge.
Text size can be small, regular, medium, large, or extra large, but you can't change the font type, just the color.
When finished editing the PDF, you can decide where you want it saved; to your device or your Dropbox account. You can also generate a share link that anyone can use to get the PDF. Something else you can do is run the document through Smallpdf's PDF splitter tool if you want to extract the pages.
After editing one document, you'll have to wait several hours to keep using the site, or upgrade/pay.
This site works with all operating systems that support a modern web browser.
This website is incredibly simple, which is good or bad, depending on what you're wanting it to do.
We add this PDF editor to our list because it lets you easily sign your name on any PDF. There aren't any extra features that get in the way, it doesn't put a watermark on your document, and it's just overall very easy to use if you just need a quick way to add your signature to a PDF.
If you want to, you can also include your written name and a date.
Supports adding images, links, and custom watermarks.
The background of the PDF pages can be edited.
Headers and footers can be included in the PDF.
Supports combining several PDFs into one.
PDF pages can be cropped.
Can insert, extract, delete, and rotate PDF pages.
Editing embedded forms is easy.
Can password-protect the PDF.
What We Don't Like
Free version places a watermark on the PDF.
Requires large OCR feature download.
Must log in to save the document.
PDFelement is free, but with a major limitation: It places a watermark on every page of the document. That being said, the watermark is behind everything, so you can still see the content, and it's important to realize that it supports some truly great PDF editing features.
This program would be a truly free PDF editor if it weren't for the fact that the free edition will not save without first putting a watermark on every single page of the PDF.
Depending on what you'll use the PDF for, however, the features it supports might be enough for you to consider living with the watermarks.
When you're done editing, you can save back to PDF or any of the several other supported formats, including Word and other MS Office formats. To export or save, you have to have a Wondershare account.
PDF BOB is a free online PDF editor that requires no user account. Just upload your file, make the changes you need to, and then export it to PDF again to finish up.
There are several tools here, like a text option that lets you select a custom color and font type, an image picker, a colored pencil/marker, and a few shape tools.
It uses OCR to identify the text, so things like the strikeout and underline tool look great, and all you have to do is double-click the word you want to apply it to.
You can also use this website to delete pages from the PDF and add new ones to it. When you save, there's even a password option to secure the document.
When you're done editing, export to the PDF format or, if you log in, JPG and PNG. Files can be saved back to your computer or imported directly into Google Drive or Dropbox.
To edit a PDF on Chromebook, use a third-party app like Sejda, DocFly, or Soda PDF Online. Most Chromebooks do not come with a PDF editor app by default.
How do I edit PDFs on iPhone or iPad?
To edit PDFs on an iPhone or iPad, go to Files, open a PDF, then swipe from the left edge of the screen to open the thumbnail view. Press and hold a page to open the edit menu.
How do I make a PDF file?
To make a PDF file in Word, go to File > Save as > PDF. On Google Docs, go to File > Download > PDF Document (.pdf). On Mac Pages, go to File > Print > Save as PDF.
Tue, 04 Apr 2023 00:30:00 -0500en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-12-best-free-pdf-editors-april-2023/ar-AA18JBGGKillexams : Dell EMC Ups Its Storage Game
Dell EMC is waging an all-out assault on the storage market with significant investments, storage sales specialist hiring spree and for the first time launching new channel storage sales quotas.
Dell EMC is waging an all-out assault on the storage market, investing $2 billion in the effort, hiring 1,200 new storage sales specialists and offering new, robust, storage compensation incentives for its partners. A trio of executives leading the charge - Scott Millard, Joyce Mullen and Marius Haas - talked to CRN about how Dell EMC is putting the pieces in place to help its partners win big in storage.
10 Hot Dell EMC Storage Products CRN looks at 10 key products in the Dell EMC storage lineup, one that offers the broad capabilities to match the company's position as the world’s largest storage vendor.
Mon, 18 Mar 2019 04:59:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.crn.com/dell-emcKillexams : DELL EMC
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Tue, 11 Oct 2016 23:52:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/tag/dell+emcKillexams : Best PDF editors in 2023
The best PDF editors enable you to get even more done with PDF files but the real question is which PDF editor is best suited to your needs and workflow.
Despite their finalized appearance, Portable Document Format files can be changed in the same way you alter a text document – you just need the right software. The best PDF editors let you open up almost any PDF file so that you can edit, alter, annotate, sign or convert it to other popular file formats including Microsoft Word.
If you regularly work with PDF files as part of your job or in your free time then one of the best PDF editors will make things even 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.
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.
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.
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. genuine 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 get the edited document or upload a new document to work on. PDF Candy keeps all of your documents in a queue so you can get 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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 26 May 2023 08:57:00 -0500entext/htmlhttps://www.tomsguide.com/best-picks/best-pdf-editorsKillexams : The Best Free PDF Editors
PDFs have been around for a long while, which means they’re widely supported and you can view one on just about any device. But one of their great attractions – the fact that recipients can’t change the formatting or content – is also one their drawbacks.
What do you do if you need to make a change because of an error or some out-of-date information in a PDF?
The answer is a PDF editor. This is different from an app that merely lets you view a PDF, so if you find you need to edit one of these documents on your laptop or mobile device, there are plenty of online services (and apps), many of which are completely free.
And it’s those free ones that we’re looking at here. So without further ado, here are the best free PDF editors for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
The obvious place to start with PDFs is the company that invented them in the first place – Adobe. Its free offering is Adobe Acrobat Reader, which gives you a fair amount of features that can make working with PDF files a breeze. Using the array of tools on offer, you can drop text into documents by the quick creation of text fields, then annotate things like checkboxes or areas where you have to circle your choices, all of which is accomplished by the built-in graphic options.
If you need to sign off on a document, then you can create a digital signature via your mouse or trackpad, then drop it onto the page. It should be noted that this is different to Adobe’s e-sign service which offers a higher level of security but only comes with the paid tiers of Acrobat.
For more customisation, possibly if you’re working with others on the layout of a document, there are the abilities to highlight, strikethrough or draw attention to certain parts of the page via arrows, box outlines or simply freehand drawing. When you’re done you can save the document and then send it to your desired recipient.
There are restrictions though, as if you want convert a document to or from a PDF format, edit the genuine content of the PDF itself, compress the file size, organise the pages or anything outside the basic editing mentioned above, then you’ll need to sign up to at least the Adobe Acrobat Standard tier, which currently costs $12.99/£13.14 per month. But, if your needs are modest, then the free app should cover most of the tasks you wish to accomplish.
Canva might be more famous for its design software, which is excellent by the way, but on its site there is also a very useful PDF editor. It can do the standard stuff you’d expect, such as added text to forms, highlighting areas or annotating the document. The design background of Canva quickly becomes apparent though, as you’ll find many of the tools have a graphical element that makes them a bit more fun than the other sedate offerings you’ll find on this list.
There are plenty of arrows, frames and clip-art style graphics that you can add, not to mention tables and graphs. Admittedly, the latter is more of a visual queue rather than a highly detailed report, but if you want to show a percentage of something to aid the reader, then Canva allows that in a colorful and interesting way.
There’s also an array of fonts that can be utilised to bring a bit of a life to a document, but if you only want to fill in forms for professional purposes then you can ignore all these and just get on with the job in hand.
If you’re looking for a way to create PDFs from scratch, with a designer flair, then Canva should be your first port of call.
There’s also a Pro version which opens up even more creative elements and this currently costs $14.99/£10.99 per month.
If the colors and graphics of Canva are a bit much for you, then Sedja is a simple but powerful solution that’s well worth your time. The online version has a free tier that gives you access to all the tools you’ll need so long as you’re willing to accept the limits of up to 200 page or 50Mb files sizes, only three tasks (Edit, Compress, Fill & Sign etc.) per hour, and the files get deleted from the Sedja servers after two hours. If that’s too restrictive, then you can buy a weekly pass for $5/£5, move to the monthly plan for $7.50/£7.50 per month or take the Desktop+Web option for $63/£63 per year that also gives you access to the desktop version.
Whichever you choose, you’ll find Sedja easy to use thanks to its clean and efficient design. The tool bar sits across the top of the page, and follows when you scroll down. Here you’ll find all the features for completing a form or annotating a document. Text boxes can be dropped onto the page easily, while the shapes available supply you the ability to create questions or point out things that need to be altered or clarified.
The Forms tool provides ticks and markers for checkboxes, as well as the option to create new form fields. You can also create a digital representation of your signature by either drawing it freehand with your mouse or typing in your name and then selecting from one of the signature styles on offer which make it look more like it was written.
Sedja is a very nice editor to use and should cover enough ground for those who just want to complete a form or collaborate with work colleagues to hone a design.
If you’re after the rudimentary features of a PDF editor, such as being able to add text fields to forms, create signatures or add comments and annotations, then you don’t have to get any additional software as Preview in macOS can do all this and more.
Once you’ve opened the PDF in Preview, you can use the Tools option in the Menu Bar to access various features. With these you can annotate the document with highlights, underline certain text, and even strikethrough parts that you want to correct or have omitted from the final draft. There’s also a handy redaction tool if you need to block out sensitive information, although be aware that this permanently removes the data, so you’ll need to retain an unredacted version of the document if you need that information.
As mentioned above, you can create text boxes that allow you to fill out forms, plus you can use the Markup Toolbar icon to access more features, including creating a signature, being able to draw on the document, and insert notes. One drawback is that you can only save the amended document as a PDF, JPEG, TIFF, HEIC, OpenEXR or PNG, but not in Word or Pages format. For those kinds of features you’ll need another app.
For most people though, Preview is all you really need for working with PDFs, plus it’s already on your Mac and doesn’t cost a penny.
Another great free PDF editor for Mac is PDF Candy. This is an online service so it actually works with Windows and Chromebooks too, plus you can access it via the browser on a mobile device, so it’s something of an all-rounder.
On the home page you’re offered a seriously impressive range of options, these range from the standard editing of a PDF to converting different document types to PDF or vice versa, compressing PDF files sizes, as well as extracting text or images from an existing PDF. Pretty comprehensive.
To get started, select the feature you want, then import your existing document. Now, simply select the option from the toolbar on the left side of the screen and apply the changes to the PDF. You can use the normal features of inserting text boxes which can then be resized and repositioned, highlighting text, striking through text, adding arrows and other forms of annotation, plus creating and applying a signature. When you’re finished, simply hit the Export File option to get the amended PDF.
One thing we noticed, on the Chrome browser there were several instances where functions wouldn’t work properly, such as the site automatically repositioning text after we’d edited it. Moving to Safari cleared all of these issues and PDF Candy worked very well indeed.
Sticking with online editors, PDF Escape might have a weird name, but it also boasts some decent features on the free tier. Like PDF Candy, you upload documents to the web and work from there. It’s a little less powerful, but this is due to there being paid tiers which naturally keep some of the more useful tools back. That being said, you can still get a lot done for free.
The workspace is similar to that of PDF Candy, in that the tools are on the left and the page layout is in the central pane. You can select from three types of features – Insert, Annotate, and Page. As these suggest, each section has tools for certain types of jobs. Insert allows for text, images, hotlinks and other elements to be added to the document. Annotate is where you’ll find the highlighting, underlining, notes and similar things. While Page gives you the ability to reorder, reorientate, crop and append the pages within the PDF.
There’s a 10MB file size limit on the free tier though, and you can’t digitally sign a document, unless you’re really good with the freehand pencil option or have an image of one that you can upload. There’s also no option to edit the existing text or images in a PDF, convert to Word formats or redact information without moving up to one of the paid tiers. That will cost you $5.99 per month or $35.88 per year for Premium (around £4.80 and £29), or $8.99 per month ($71.88 per year) for Ultimate. That’s around £7 and £58 if you’re in the UK, although you’ll pay in dollars. Ultimate allows for digitally signing and sealing of a document as well as the redaction tool.
PDF Escape isn’t as good as PDF Candy (we saw a few glitches while testing it) and lacks some of features. Still, it’s does have some good tools and, since it’s free, is another option if PDF Candy doesn’t do what you want it to.
Adobe has appeared several times throughout this roundup, as the company invented PDFs and continues to offer plenty of options when it comes to editing them. The Adobe Acrobat Reader is a good choice for basic operations on Andoid, as you can import a document, highlight sections, make annotations, enter text and create a signature. It’s true that much of the power of this app is hidden behind the rather considerable pay-wall that currently costs $9.99/£8.99 per month, but if you only need the features mentioned above, then it will get the job done for free.
Should you wish to upgrade, then you’ll be able to create PDFs from scratch, edit existing text and images, convert other documents to PDF, rearrange the orientation and order of pages, not to mention combine multiple files into a single document.
Alternatively, there’s also the stripped down Adobe Fill & Sign app that does what its name suggests and allows you to quickly enter text fields in forms and create a digital signature, all for free.
Wondershare is a company that’s been providing software solutions for a good while now, with a portfolio that contains video editors, phone maintenance tools and quite a few others. PDF Element is the one that’s pertinent to us though, as it’s another app that lets you make adjustments and annotations to existing documents.
With the app you’re able to underline, strikethrough, highlight, draw and erase the text. You can also choose the Text option and edit the existing words or replace them with new ones. The shapes feature includes useful things like arrows, squares and circles that can be used to draw attention to areas of the document, and there’s also a Stamp feature that you can deploy to mark documents as Approved, Confidential or a range of other words that make it look like a secret dossier from a spy novel.
You can add a digital signature to the documents, created by using your finger to draw on on the phone, but curiously there seems to be no way to add new text fields, which would make it impossible to fill out forms. The Wondershare site does state that the iOS version is more powerful, so maybe that feature is only available on that platform.
So, if you need to mark up documents rather than fill them in, PDF Element is nice to use, has a certain charm, and is of course free.
Xodo might not be a name that’s immediately familiar, but the company has certainly put together an impressive package in the form of its PDF Reader & Editor. The layout is simple and easy to get to grips with, plus there’s a wide range of tools at your disposal.
As you’d expect, there are the standard annotation, text entering and digital signing capabilities. There’s also stamps, hyperlink support, the ability to add audio and text notes, insert images, freeform drawing, as well as dedicated icons that can be used to drop into checkboxes.
The only drawback is that the free tier only allows three ‘actions’ a day. These include editing, outputting to different formats such as Word, Merging pages, Compressing file sizes, that sort of thing. If you only need to edit the occasional PDF, then this won’t be a problem, but if it’s something you do regularly then you’ll want to move up to the Pro tier, which features unlimited actions as well as some additional features. That costs a whopping $108/£104.99 per year or $12/£11.99 each month, so you might want to see how you get on with the free version first.
If you want to edit PDFs on your iPhone or iPad, Adobe’s Acrobat Reader is a good place to start. The free tier is somewhat limited, as it’s mainly there for reading, filling in and signing PDFs. If you want to be able to edit the content of the document, use more advanced annotation tools, convert to other formats, compress file sizes, set passwords or use the OCR feature to search the text within images on the page, then you’ll need to move up to the Premium tier that currently costs $9.99/£9.99 each month.
The interface itself is quite easy to get along with. You tap the edit button to start making your changes, then tap and hold the area that you want to add text. If you need to add ticks, crosses or dots to signify a choice on a form it’s the same process, only this time you select the icon that matches what you’re after.
Boxes can be used to indicate choices or highlight parts of the text you want the reader to focus on, and these can be reshaped just by tapping and dragging the edges. You can also strikethrough text and add a digital representation of your signature.
It’s basic at best, but the simple mechanics and perfunctory tools mean you can quickly fill in a form and sign it off, so if that’s all you’re after, Adobe Acrobat Reader is the one to choose.
PDF Expert is a product by Readdle, whom many iOS users will be familiar with due to their impressive Spark email app, Documents files manager, Calendars productivity app and Scanner Pro app. Add to this PDF Expert and you’ve got a pretty comprehensive collection of software solutions to most work-related tasks.
You get some decent tools on the free tier, such as being able to enter text in forms, highlight text, underline, strikethrough, add shapes such as circles or arrows, append notes to parts of the text, plus there’s a stickers option if you want to add a bit of fun.
One of the things you can’t do on the free version is enter a digital signature, as this is reserved for the Premium plan, which is a pity as its inclusion would make this an excellent option for those who just need the basics. There’s also no facility to convert a PDF to Word, Excel or other formats without paying.
One thing worth noting is that the Premium tier (which currently costs $79.99/£72.99 per year) also gives you access to PDF Expert on the Mac, so it’s not bad value if you edit and create a lot of PDFs.
PDF Element is available for iOS as well as Android, but Wondershare seems to have given the iPhone and iPad version a bit more love as it comes with a few extra features.
The main difference is being able to add text fields, which makes it much better to use when completing forms. There’s also the standard range of features, including highlighters, free-form drawing, stamps that can make it easier to mark out areas that need signing or correction, digital signatures, comments and notes, shapes, as well as underlining and striking out text.
The only downside is that any document you save on the free tier will contain a watermark, so if you want a clean PDF at the end you’ll need to pay for it. This isn’t that much of an ask though, as it costs $6.99/£6.99 per month and you can cancel at any time.
