6 Best Free PDF Editor Tools For Windows In 2024

July 31, 20231.1K views

In today's digital age, PDFs have become essential to our daily lives. Whether you're a student, a professional, or just someone who likes to keep things organized, PDFs are a great way to save and share documents. With so many free PDF editors for windows available on the market, it cannot be easy to know which one to choose.

This article will discuss Windows's six best free PDF editors for windows in 2023, highlighting their key features and benefits. Whether you're looking for a basic tool or a more advanced option, you're sure to find something that suits your needs on this list.

Why do ou need a free PDF editor for windows?

A free PDF editor for windows is an essential tool for any professional or personal use. Firstly, it allows easy editing and modification of text, images, and formatting within a PDF document. This is especially useful for updating important documents such as resumes or contracts.

Secondly, a free PDF editor for windows enables the creation of fillable forms, making it easier for individuals to input and submit information electronically. Lastly, a free PDF editor for windows allows for the addition of digital signatures, ensuring the authenticity and security of important documents.

Following are the best free PDF editor for windows tools for windows in 2023

1. Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is a powerful free PDF editor for windows and creator that allows users to create, edit, fill the forms, and manage PDF documents easily. It offers a wide range of features, including creating PDFs from multiple file types, adding text and images, and creating interactive forms. It also includes advanced editing tools such as redaction, commenting, and security features.

Acrobat offers both desktop software and online services. The desktop software can be installed on your computer, while the online services can be accessed through a web browser.

Pros

  • Adobe Acrobat is a well-established and trusted software, making it a reliable choice for PDF creation and editing.

  • It offers a wide range of features, allowing users to create and edit and fill the form in PDFs in a variety of ways easily.

  • The online services allow for easy access and collaboration, making it great for remote teams or individuals on the go.

Upgrade from the free version

While there is a free version of Adobe Acrobat, the paid version offers additional features and capabilities, such as editing PDFs, creating interactive forms, and accessing advanced editing tools.

System support

Adobe Acrobat is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems.

Pro Tips

  • Use the "Save As" feature to save a copy of your PDF in a different format, such as Word or Excel.

  • Take advantage of the commenting and collaboration tools to share and review PDFs with others easily.

What we like the most about Adobe Acrobat

The wide range of features and editing tools, as well as the ability to access the software both on desktop and online, make Adobe Acrobat a versatile and powerful tool for PDF creation and editing. The added features of collaboration and commenting enable a smooth flow of work.

People's reviews on G2

Adobe Acrobat has received positive reviews on G2 with an overall rating of 4.5. Users appreciate the useful pdf editing features and find the software superior to other pdf viewer options. However, some users have noted that the text recognition facility could be improved, specifically for recognizing Bangla text. Another user mentioned that the automatic form generator could miss things, and manual overrides can be difficult.

2. WPS office

WPS Office is a productivity software suite that includes a word processor, a spreadsheet application, and a presentation program. One of the key functions of WPS Office is its free PDF editor for windows. This tool allows users to easily fill the forms in PDFs, convert their documents, spreadsheets, and presentations into PDF format. The software is available as both a free and a paid version, and it can be used both online and offline.

Pros

  • WPS Office is an all-in-one productivity suite with free PDF editor for windows functionality included.

  • The interface is similar to Microsoft office, so it is easy to navigate for those familiar with that software.

Upgrade from the free version

Users of the free WPS Office can upgrade to the paid version, which includes additional features such as advanced PDF editing, encryption, and more.

System support

WPS Office supports many operating systems, such as Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Pro Tips

  • Use the built-in free PDF editor for windows to quickly convert documents and presentations to shareable, universally readable PDFs.

  • Utilize the Cloud service feature to access documents anytime, anywhere, and also collaborate with team members remotely

What we like the most in the WPS office

The free PDF editor for windows feature is very useful and easy to use. The software is available for a wide range of operating systems and offers a good balance of features and usability.

3. Foxit free PDF editor for windows

Foxit free PDF editor for windows is a powerful tool for creating and modifying PDFs. With this software, you can easily create PDFs from Office documents, emails, websites, or any file that can be printed. You can also easily view, edit, comment, fill the forms, secure, organize, export, OCR, and sign PDFs.

Foxit free PDF editor for windows is not an online tool but a downloadable software for Windows and Mac platforms.

Pros

  • Foxit free PDF editor for windows is user-friendly and easy to use, making it accessible for all skill levels.

  • The software offers a wide range of features, including adding comments, creating bookmarks, and inserting images.

Upgrade from the free version

While Foxit free PDF editor for windows is available as a free trial for 14 days, users can upgrade to the paid version to access additional features and remove watermarks.

System support

Foxit free PDF editor for windows is available for both Windows and Mac platforms.

Pro Tips

  • Use the OCR function to convert scanned documents into editable PDFs easily.

  • Use the batch processing feature to convert multiple files at once quickly.

What we like the most in Foxit free PDF editor for windows

One of the things we like the most about Foxit free PDF editor for windows is its wide range of features, from basic editing tools to advanced security options. The software is also very user-friendly, making it easy for users of all skill levels to navigate.

People's reviews on G2

Foxit free PDF editor for windows has received high ratings from its users on G2, with an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5. The user-friendly interface and intuitive design are among the features that users appreciate. The find feature is also noted as fast and efficient. However, some users have reported application crashing issues and difficulties using the cloud drawing feature. Additionally, the eSign pricing model may only be suitable for some users. Despite these downsides, Foxit free PDF editor for windows is still a responsive and productive option for editing PDFs.

4. Smallpdf

Smallpdf is a versatile and user-friendly free PDF editor for windows that allows users to convert, edit, and merge PDFs easily. As an online tool, users can access it from any device with an internet connection, and no software installation is required.

Pros

  • Smallpdf supports the conversion of various file formats, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more, into PDFs.

  • Smallpdf has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and complete tasks.

  • Smallpdf encrypts all files uploaded and processed to ensure the safety and privacy of user data.

Upgrade from the free version

The free version of Smallpdf allows users to access basic PDF creation and editing features, but upgrading to the Pro version offers additional features, such as the ability to compress, unlock, and sign PDFs.

System support

Smallpdf is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems and with mobile devices running iOS and Android.

Pro Tips

  • Use the OCR function to convert scanned documents into editable PDFs.

  • Use the batch processing feature to convert and merge multiple files at once.

What we like the most in Smallpdf

The ease of use and accessibility of Smallpdf are some of its strongest features. Its user-friendly interface and ability to perform multiple tasks in one platform make it a great tool for managing and editing PDFs. Additionally, the security and privacy feature ensures that user data is always protected.

5. Nitro PDF Pro

Nitro PDF Pro is a versatile software tool that provides users with a wide range of features for creating, editing, form filling, and manipulating PDFs. Some of its key functions include creating PDFs from various file types, converting PDFs to other formats, editing and annotating PDFs, and adding digital signatures and security features to PDFs. It's desktop software; you can download and install it on your computer.

Pros

  • Nitro PDF Pro offers a wide range of tools for creating professional-looking PDFs, including adding images, text, and multimedia to documents.

  • The software also allows you to create interactive PDF forms, which can be useful for gathering user data.

Upgrade from the free version

The free version of Nitro PDF Pro is Nitro PDF Reader, which offers a limited set of features compared to the paid version. Nitro PDF Pro provides advanced features such as creating PDFs, editing and annotating them, adding digital signatures, and advanced security features.

System support

Nitro PDF Pro is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems and can be installed on 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

Pro tip

  • You can also use the software to combine multiple PDFs into a single document, which can be useful for creating e-books or other multi-page documents.

What we like the most

One of the things we like most about Nitro PDF Pro is its wide range of features for creating and editing PDFs and its support for various file types. Additionally, the software's interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate, which makes it accessible to users of all skill levels.

People's reviews on G2

Nitro PDF Pro has received positive user reviews and has a 4.3 rating on G2. Many praise its flexibility, easy-to-use interface, and powerful document conversion capabilities. However, some users have noted issues with OCR conversion and layout inconsistencies post-conversion. Additionally, some users have suggested improvements such as additional font options and support for editing in Arabic scripts.

6. Soda PDF

Soda PDF is a comprehensive PDF software solution that provides users with the tools they need to manage any PDF file fully. With Soda PDF, you can easily edit, create, and convert your PDFs. It is fast and easy to use, making it a convenient option for personal and professional use.

Soda PDF is also available as an online tool, which means you can access it from anywhere and any device, as long as you have an internet connection.

Pros

  • Soda PDF offers a wide range of editing tools that allow you to make changes to your PDFs with ease.

  • The software is easy to use and user-friendly, so you don't need to be a tech expert to get started.

  • The online version of Soda PDF is also secure and protected, so you don't have to worry about your PDFs being compromised.

Upgrade from the free version

While the free version of Soda PDF provides a great set of features, upgrading to the paid version will give you access to even more advanced tools and features, such as the ability to password-protect PDFs and access the OCR feature.

System support

Soda PDF is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems, which makes it accessible to a wide range of users.

Pro tip

1. Use the built-in OCR feature to scan and edit the text in PDFs that have been scanned.

2. Take advantage of the batch process feature to edit multiple PDFs at once.

What we like the most in SODA PDF

One of the things we like the most about Soda PDF is how easy it is to use, even for those who need to be tech-savvy. The online version of the software is also a great feature, as it makes it accessible from anywhere. Additionally, the wide range of editing tools makes it a great option for personal and professional use.

FAQs

Are there different types of PDFs?

PDF documents can be classified into three categories based on their origin. The creation method also determines the accessibility of the contents within the PDF, such as text, images, and tables, or if they are "locked" as an image of the page.

Can you use WPS Office without Internet?

With WPS Office's cloud editions, you can access your documents and work on multiple devices simultaneously, ensuring that you never lose your data or connection while on the go. To work offline on Windows 10, you must download the offline version of WPS Office for free.

Revamp Your PDFs on Windows with These Free Editors

There are many free PDF editor for windows tools available for Windows users in 2023. However, the six tools discussed in this article stand out as the best options for creating, editing, and converting PDFs. Among these, WPS Office stands out as a top choice for its user-friendly interface, comprehensive features, and compatibility with various file formats. We recommend Windows users try WPS Office and see how it can improve their PDF creation and editing experience.

15 years of office industry experience, tech lover and copywriter. Follow me for product reviews, comparisons, and recommendations for new apps and software.