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How to Edit PDFs in 9 Free Ways (Complete Guide)

August 3, 2023 1.3K views

A PDF file format is used for formal documents. The format of the file is made so that it stays the same and no one can edit the file. How to edit PDFs for free is a question that many students, employees, and even literature writers ask.

PDF files are valuable and cannot be edited without the help of different online and offline tools. It depends if you want to edit the PDF files online for free. For example, if you are working on a project and you need to edit a few things from a case study. The case study is in PDF format, you must be thinking about how to edit PDFs. Well, here is your precise guide to how to edit PDFs for free using Adobe and other software and tools.

You may be an android user or an Apple user, the devices may vary from person to person, but the goal is the same, how to edit a PDF file? For different types of operating systems, there are various editing tools available online as well as downloadable to be used offline.

How to Edit PDF Files for Free

PDF files are an important format for documents, and they are often in abundance, so you might want to edit the PDF on a free platform without having to buy any editing software.  Follow these steps to edit PDF for free.

Step 1: Download the WPS Office and open PDF text editor.

Step 2: Open the PDF document you want to edit on the software you downloaded.

Step 3: Enter edit mode and edit text.

Step 4: Save the changes you made to the PDF document.

How to Edit Files on Mac

A Mac operating system is different from a regular desktop system. That is why editing PDF files on a Mac can be done through the following steps.

Step 1: You need to have editing software or an online website like WPS Office Software. We find it to be a good software to be used with the Mac system.

Step 2: Open the desired PDF document on the WPS software

Step 3: Highlight the text that you wish to edit.

Step 4: Click correct text if you wish to edit the text on the PDF file.

Step 5: Erase the highlighted text and write your desired/changed content in the replacement

Step 6: Save the changes you made to the PDF file.

How to Edit PDF Files on Windows 10

Windows is the oldest operating system that became commonly to be used by people. It is the easiest as well but editing a PDF on windows 10,11,9,8,7 can also be a hassle if you don’t use the right tools. Using the tools on Windows 10,  like Ms. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. is easy to get a grip on, but a PDF file is different from any of these tools. Software like WPS Office Software has made it convenient for editing PDF files on Windows.

Step 1: Open the PDF file (you can open it with WPS Office or the editing tool you are using on your Windows

Step 2: Select “edit PDF” on the tools pane.

Step 3: Change the text, image, or object that you wish to change or edit

Step 4: Save the document again as a PDF.  

How to Edit PDF on iPad

Using an iPad is like using an iPhone just the screen is bigger. So, the process of editing a PDF on an iPad is also like how to edit PDF on iPhone.

Step 1:  You will need free editing software to edit PDF on your iPad

Step 2: Open the file on the editing software or online editing website.

Step 3: Choose the text, image, or object that you want to edit.

As shown by the highlighted part in the image above.

Step 4: Erase the text, image, or object that you want to edit

Step 5: Replace the old text, image, or object with the one you want to add.

Step 6: Save the changes you’ve made to the PDF document.

How to Edit a PDF on iPhone

There is freedom in being able to do your work on the go on your handheld device, but is it possible to edit a PDF file on an iPhone without any laptop or desktop? Well, yes, it is.

The steps are very similar to how to edit a PDF file on your Mac, as the system is similar on both devices. You can also edit images and charts along with text on your PDF files. You need to have the software downloaded on your iPhone.

Step 1: Open the editing software on your iPhone.

Step 2: Download the PDF file you want to edit on the PDF editing software page.

Step 3: Highlight the text or image you wish to edit or change.

Step 4: Click on the correct text to change the text & Step 5: Erase the older text and write the edited text you want to change.

Step 6: Click on the picture you want to replace the older picture with.

Step 7 for text and image: Save the edits made to the document.

How to Edit PDF on Android

Android is the most common form of handheld device or mobile users around the world. It is easier to use and has great compatibility with different brands of android phones and devices. You can edit a PDF on Android by the following steps.

Step 1: Download and install the free version of Adobe or any other editing software.

Step 2: Open the PDF file on the software.

Step 3: Click on edit.

Step 4: Select the text, image, or object you want to edit.

Step 5: Edit the text, image, or object.

Step 6: Save the changes to the PDF document.

All these steps are like the steps discussed above.

How to Edit PDF with Adobe

Adobe is the most famous and commonly used software for editing text and images on a document. Adobe also has Adobe Acrobat that helps edit the text on a PDF document for free. You must follow the points below:

Highlight the content or the image you want to edit

Choose appropriate text and images to replace the original content

Save the changes that you have made

How to Edit PDF with Google Docs

Google docs are another very common name in the world of documents and formal articles. Even use for creating literary content all around the globe, you can use Google Docs to edit a pdf for free.

Open the correct file on Google docs

Make sure Google docs is saving the changes that you are making in the Google Drive

You can refer to the original PDF file on another tab on your Google window

How to Edit PDF Online

By using third-party online websites, you can edit PDF files. You must get access to safe and secure websites like PDF Buddy, PDFElement, etc.

Once you are on an online platform to edit a PDF file:

Step 1: Choose the correct file that you want to edit.

Step 2: Open the file on the website by loading the PDF file on the website online.

Step 3: Edit the content by erasing the original content and then making the changes you want to add on the PDF file.

Step 4: Save all the changes you have made.

Step 5: Save the changes that you have made.

3 Popular Ways to Edit without Adobe

Even though Adobe is the most trusted software when it comes to editing PDF files, there are other software and online websites that can be used for accurate editing that are also hassle-free.

There are four ways to edit the PDF file without Adobe:

1. Edit with Ms. Word

2. Edit with Google Drive (online)

3. Edit the PDF file by using other online third-party apps, you have to be careful and choose free online websites that offer the most number of documents and time limit for your convenience

4. If you are a Mac user, you can edit the PDF file for free by using Preview for content editing

FAQs 

Q1: How do I edit a PDF file?

Editing a PDF file is not difficult anymore. You can edit a PDF on your mac, android, iPhone, iPad, etc. by following a few steps. Download the software, open the PDF document on the software, and choose the text or image you want to edit and edit. But make sure to save the changes on the document.

Q2: How can I edit a PDF file for free?

Software is available online that enables the user to edit the PDF file for free. There are several choices available like; Adobe, Nitro, PDF Buddy, etc. you can download any of the software or even go to a free editing website and edit the document online.

Q3: How can’t I edit a PDF?

You can’t edit a PDF file for free if you don’t have access to editing software on your device or if you don’t have access to a reliable online editing tool like PDF Buddy, etc.

Final Thoughts about How to Edit PDFs

Editing a PDF file and knowing how to edit a PDF file for free are crystal clear and you can do it easily with the help of the information given above. There are several options available for free, online, offline and downloadable software such as Adobe.

WPS Office Software provides free editing for PDF files on your computer or any other device, including Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, Linux. You can download WPS Office Software and use it to edit the text, images, and objects on the PDF file.


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