PDF files are incredibly convenient when it comes to sending and sharing documents, as they come with a variety of features that makes them safe, secure, and easy to send to others. However, sometimes, you may need to edit documents, even if you don’t have the services of a PDF editor. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to accomplish this. Here’s a look at 5 of the best ways to edit a PDF file.
Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat is one of the better-known PDF editors on the market, and with good reason. Their software makes it easy to edit a PDF document. This involves changing text, graphics, compressing the file, and more. Since Adobe Acrobat is specifically designed for PDF edits, this can be a great and convenient way of editing your PDF documents, or for adding comments and annotations to a file.
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word also makes it easy to edit PDF files, as you can download a file, convert it to a word document, and then convert it back to a Word file. Of course, this may present some problems: Editing a document this way means you’re not actually editing the document, but converting and then reconverting the file. This can, potentially, lead to a loss of formatting in a file. Furthermore, older versions of Word may not have this function.
Online Programs
There are many websites that allow you to upload a PDF file, edit it, and then convert it back to PDF format. Many of these websites are free, although a good amount will also charge you. While this method may work for you, it does present some challenges. Most of these are related to security: You don’t know who is at the other end of the website and who may have access to the files you are editing.
Google Docs
Google Docs allows you to edit PDF. In order to do so, you would go to “file” then “download,” and select “PDF Document.” However, like many of these methods, this is not foolproof. You may not be able to edit all PDF files, as this depends on the security level or specific format of the file. You may also lose graphical fidelity for some of the files, and formatting issues may present a problem.
Copy and Paste
If all else fails, you can always try to copy and paste a PDF file into a word processor, then make the edits there. However, there’s no question that this should be something you do only if you truly have no other option, as this method means you will likely lose quite a bit of your formatting, tables, graphics, and more. Furthermore, depending on the security level of the file, you may not even be able to copy and paste any of the content. If you can find another way, you should.
All of these PDF editors have various positives and negatives, but there is good news: All will allow you to make the edits you need.
