How to edit PDF files

This article will show you how to edit PDF files using the paid software Acrobat Pro or by converting a PDF to DOCX file in Microsoft Word. You can manipulate (but not edit text) PDFs using Preview on macOS or the CutePDF online service. With free Acrobat Reader DC, you can insert notes or signature fields into a PDF document.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Adobe Acrobat Pro

Step 1. Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Pro

To launch Acrobat Pro, click the stylized red "A" icon. Then click File (from the menu bar at the top of your screen)> Open, select the PDF you want, and click Open.

Step 2. Click on Tools at the top of the window

Step 3. Click Edit PDF in the upper right part of the window

A menu with editing tools appears on the right side of the PDF document.

Step 4. Use the tools in the "Format" section to edit the text

Select the text you want to edit, then:

Open the first menu in the Format section to change the font.
Open the second menu in the Format section to change the font size.
Click on the colored square icon to change the font color.
Click on the Create Bulleted List menu to create a bulleted list.
Click on the Create Numbered List menu to create a numbered list.
Click one of the alignment options to align the text to the left, center, right, or width.
Click the Leading menu to increase or decrease the spacing between lines of text.
Click the Paragraph Leading menu to increase or decrease the space between (after) paragraphs.
Click on the "Horizontal Scale" menu to increase or decrease the width (in percentage) of the selected characters.
Click on the Letter Spacing menu to increase or decrease the space between individual characters.
Not all PDF elements can be edited.

Step 5. Use the tools in the Objects section to edit images and objects

Select the object you want to edit and then:

Click Flip Vertical to rotate the object about the horizontal axis.
Click Flip Horizontal to rotate the object about the vertical axis.
Click Align Objects to position multiple objects side by side.
Click Rotate Counterclockwise to rotate the object to the left.
Click Rotate Clockwise to rotate the object to the right.
Click Replace Image to replace the selected object with a different one.
Click Arrange Objects to change the object layer in relation to other text and objects.
Not all PDF elements can be edited.

Step 6. Click File (on the menu bar)> Save.

Method 2 of 5: Microsoft Word 2013 or 2016

Step 1. Open Microsoft Word

Click on the blue "W" icon.

Step 2. Click File on the menu bar at the top of the screen

Step 3. Click Open

Step 4. Select the PDF file you want to convert to DOCX format

Step 5. Click Open

Step 6. Click OK

The selected PDF file will be converted to an editable Word document.

Be aware that the converted document may look different from the original, so correct it manually

Step 7. Edit the file like a regular Word document

Method 3 of 5: Viewer (macOS)

Step 1. Open the PDF document in Viewer

To do this, double-click on the icon in the form of two overlapping images on a blue background. Now click File (on the menu bar)> Open. Select the PDF file and click Open.

Viewer is a program from Apple that allows you to view images. It is included in most versions of macOS

Step 2. Click Tools on the menu bar at the top of the screen

Step 3. Click on Note

It's in the middle of the menu.

Step 4. Select Text

This option is in the middle of the menu. A text box with the word "Text" appears in the center of the document.

A toolbar will open at the top of the window

Step 5. Drag the text box to the desired point in the document

Step 6. Press A

This icon is on the right side of the toolbar (above the document). A dialog box will open.

Step 7. Enter the text you want to add to the PDF document

Step 8. Click on the Signature icon at the top of the window to create a signature

Step 9. Click on the signature to add it to the document

Step 10. Use your cursor to place and resize the signature

Click on the document when done.

The toolbox also has tools for drawing and creating shapes, with which you can draw something in your document or insert a ready-made shape

Step 11. Click View on the menu bar

Step 12. Click on Sketches

Thumbnails of the document pages appear in the left pane.

Step 13. Drag the thumbnails to rearrange the page order of the document

Step 14. Click Tools on the menu bar

Choose one of the following options:

Click Change Color to change the color of the text.
Click on "Resize" to increase or decrease the size of the text.
Click Rotate Left to rotate the entire document counterclockwise.
Click Rotate Right to rotate the entire document clockwise.
Click Flip Vertical to rotate the object about the horizontal axis.
Click Flip Horizontal to rotate the object about the vertical axis.
Click Crop to keep the selected text or object and hide the rest of the PDF.
Not all PDF elements can be edited.

Step 15. Click File (on the menu bar)> Save.

Method 4 of 5: CutePDF

Step 1. Go to https://www.cutepdf-editor.com in a web browser

CutePDF requires a browser with Adobe Flash enabled

Step 2. Scroll down and click the blue Start to Edit Your PDF File Now - FREE

(Start Editing PDF File - FREE!).

Step 3. Click on Open File (Open file), select the PDF document and click Open.

CutePDF does not allow editing files larger than 5MB.
Click "Advanced Tool" to rotate or delete a page or move it in the document.
Click Extract Pages to save the selected pages as a separate PDF file.
Click Rotate Pages to change the orientation of the pages.
Click Resize Pages to make the pages larger or smaller.
Click Insert Blank Page to add the page to your document.
Click Delete Pages to remove pages from the document.
Click Crop Pages to remove unnecessary margins, text, or images.
Click “Security” to set a password.
Click "Merge PDFs" to merge the open PDF with another document.
Click Header & Footer to add page numbers, headings, or footnotes.

Step 4. Click OK in the lower right corner to apply the changes

Step 5. Click Save (Save)> Save to save your changes.

Method 5 of 5: Adobe Reader DC

Step 1. Open the PDF document in Adobe Reader

To launch Adobe Reader, click the white, stylized "A" icon on a red background. Then click File (from the menu bar at the top of your screen)> Open, select the PDF you want, and click Open.