PDF or Portable File Document is an extensively used file format in offices and online education systems. This is because, with the digital advancement, people are inclined more toward reading online books than physical ones. PDFs offer much cheaper as well as easy-to-maintain alternatives to physical papers. Nowadays, you can see PDFs are widely available for free download. PDF files are quite easy to share through emails and present content in an easy-to-read manner. These also help in preserving the content’s structure throughout various devices. No matter what device you are using, a reader will be able to see the same layout. Another important feature of PDF files due to which these are highly popular is their security. PDF files come with an encryption feature, enabling you to password-protect your file. This way, only the allowed person can view the file; thus, your file content remains safe and secure. Besides the convenience that PDFs offer, they also have one limitation: their non-editable nature. It is possible to copy and print the content of a PDF file, but one cannot edit it. It is a compliment to its security aspect; however, sometimes, you may need to update the file. You may need to add notes to it for reference, and for that, you need the capability to write on it. Fortunately, there are several ways available that enable you to write on a PDF file. Let’s explore some of the methods using which you can write on a PDF file and update it easily.
Using Adobe Acrobat DC
Adobe Acrobat DC is a desktop-based software package that enables you to create, view, and edit PDF files as well as images. You can edit the PDF file using your desktop or mobile device. The easy-to-use editing interface enables you to write to a PDF quickly.
First, you need to download Adobe Acrobat DC from its official website.Once the download and installation are complete, open the Adobe Acrobat DC and click on the ‘File’ option.From the drop-down menu, select ‘Open’ to upload the PDF file you want to edit.Select the ‘Tools’ menu and choose ‘Edit PDF’.To edit the PDF, click on the ‘Add Text’ icon. You can use the menu bar available on the left side of the screen to edit the size, color, and format of the content.Click on the ‘Save’ option on the ‘File’ menu to save the changes. You can also rename the file before saving it.
You will need a paid version of Acrobat DC to be able to edit PDF files.
Using Preview on macOS
Preview is a PDF and image viewer software that works on a Mac operating system. Let’s explore the steps involved in editing a PDF using Preview.
Open the PDF file that you want to edit. On the Markup toolbar, you will see a ‘Text’ icon; click on it. As an alternative to this step, you can also choose Tools>Annotate>Text.You will see a text box icon in the middle of the PDF file indicated as ‘T’. Click on this icon and write the text on the black text box field. Drag and drop that text box wherever you want to add text in the file.Click on the ‘A’ icon present on the right side of the document. This will enable you to format your text the way you want.Once all the editing is complete, choose the ‘Save’ option from the drop-down list of the ‘File’ menu to save all the changes.
Using Markup on iPhone
Using the Markup option on the iPhones, you can easily make changes to the images, screenshots, and even PDF files. To edit a PDF file on your iPhone, follow these steps.
Open the PDF file on your iPhone from the Files app.You will be able to see a small ‘Markup’ icon in the shape of a marker on the top right corner of the file. Tap on this icon.You will come across different editing tools such as highlighter, scale, pen, pencil, etc. If you want to add text or explore more editing options, tap on the ‘+’ icon.You will see options like Text, Signature, Magnifier, etc. Choose the option according to your editing requirement.Tap on ‘Done’ once all the editing is complete.
Using MS Word
The PDFs that consist mostly of text are easy to edit using MS Word. Here are the steps involved in writing on a PDF using MS Word.
Open MS Word.Choose the ‘File’ menu and then the ‘Open’ button to open the PDF file you want to edit. Allow Word to edit the file.
Word will create a duplicate copy of this PDF file and open it in a displayable format. It will not make any changes to the original PDF file.
Now you can easily edit the text of your PDF file and apply the required formatting. Save the edited file as PDF or Word document.
These methods of editing a PDF file work to a great extent when you need to make minor edits. However, these have several downsides when it comes to making edits at a large scale. There may be instances when you need to fill heavy PDF forms, remove text, edit or remove image text, etc. For this, you need a dedicated software program that makes the task easier and quicker. There are several tools available that let you write on a PDF and make desired changes. Let’s Explore Some of the Good Options.
pdfFiller
pdfFiller is a wonderful PDF editing tool that enables you to edit, store, and manage PDF files. It is a cloud storage-based tool using which you can transform your static PDF file into an interactive document. It is quite an easy-to-use tool. Using this tool, you can quickly fill out any PDF form, contract, tax details, questionnaire, etc., hassle-free. pdFiller not only enables PDF editing but also allows you to share the editing files with your team. Its online library comprises around 25M fillable forms, which you can customize as per your needs. You can create a free account with pdfFiller and get access to a 30-day free trial. After a 30 days trial, you can select amongst three plans per month. All of its plans offer unlimited cloud storage.
Wondershare
Wondershare is a simple to use pdf editor tool available for Windows, Mac, web, and mobile. With this simplified tool, you can add text, photos, shapes, and sign to a PDF file. You can edit its existing content by changing size, color, font style, and more. It also enables you to add watermarks and links to your PDF file. Wondershare offers PDF editing solutions with features capable of addressing the needs of every industry. It comes in different versions for desktop, mobile, and cloud-based PDf solutions with varying features. It is also available for free download with limited features. For extended features, you can purchase its premium plans.
PDFChef
PDFChef by Movavi is a multifunctional PDF editor program that lets you make changes to the PDF in the desired manner. Using this tool, you can add or edit text or images to your PDF and also rearrange or delete pages. It is backed up with Movavi’s cloud storage that it uses to store your files. With this cloud storage, you can easily access your documents. You can also combine files coming from different applications such as Corel, Excel, Word, AutoCAD, and more. PDFChef enables you to add your signature to the PDF file and thus prepare a finalized contract quite easily. In addition to PDF editing, this tool offers free access to online PDFs such as research papers, ebooks, etc. This tool is free from any harmful virus or malware, thus ensuring the security of your documents.
Nitro
Nitro is an enterprise-ready that lets you easily create, edit, and merge PDF files. In addition to PDF creation and editing, it ensures the protection of your documents by applying user permission and encryption. Nitro enables the fact creation of PDF files with its easy-to-use PDF templates. It includes all the features frequently required for organizations, such as bulk signing, audit trails, team collaboration, etc. It is available for free with limited features. To access all the advanced features, you can purchase their paid plans.
Conclusion
So, you see, these are some excellent options for you to write to a PDF file quickly. For simple PDF editing requirements, the first four methods are great. To deal with heavy business-level PDF editing requirements, it is recommended to use the third-party tools listed above.
