A Complete Guide for Editing PDFs with Google PDF Editor - Google Drive

May 9, 20231.2K views

PDF documents offer amazing security with excellent formatting. But finding a free PDF editor online is a hectic task. Don’t worry if you don’t know How to Edit PDFs Using Google PDF Editor because this comprehensive guide will answer all these questions and more, providing tips and tricks for using PDF Editor and explaining its features and benefits.

Whether you're a student, a business professional, or anyone who regularly works with PDFs, this guide will help you make the most of PDF Editor.

Part 1: Google PDF Editor - Google Drive

Google Drive is an excellent tool used for storage and synchronization. Besides its core function of sharing files, you can also use it as a free PDF editor online. It is effortless and allows you to edit PDFs on Google Docs and download the file as a PDF document.

Google Docs is a free cloud-based productivity suite word processing software that you can use on any device with a Gmail ID. This application has powerful features and is compatible with all Google applications. Its features include collaborative editing, cloud storage, built-in templates, revision history, voice typing, and offline access.

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Part 2: How to Edit a PDF on Google Drive?

Follow the below-mentioned stepwise guide to learn how to edit PDF documents using Google Drive.

1. Access Google Drive on your web browser and sign in to your Google account.

2. Click on the “+” icon to upload your PDF file to Google Drive, or simply drag and drop the PDF file.

Google PDF editor

3. Wait until your file is uploaded to the Drive.

4. After that, right-click on the PDF file and select Open with Google Docs from the drop-down menu.

how to edit pdf using google drive

5. A new tab will open on your web browser, allowing you to edit your PDF document in Google Docs.

6. You can find different editing options like text editing, converting files, and printing your edited file.

how to edit pdf on Google Docs

7. Once you edit your PDF file, you can share it with your colleagues for collaborative work. Click on the Share button, and it will give you a different option for sharing the PDF document.

edit pdf on Google Docs

8. You can share it by adding an email or group to the address. Moreover, you can copy the link and share it via any source. Google Docs allows you to customize the access of your document.

9. After completing editing, click on File, scroll down to Download, and select PDF. This way, you will download the newly edited PDF document.

download edited pdf on Google Docs

10. You can share the edited PDF by clicking the Share button. There are different options that let you customize your sharing. Add emails or groups or copy the link and share via any medium.

share edited pdf on Google Drive

Part 3: Tips and Tricks for Editing PDFs with Google PDF Editor

Editing your PDF file can be a piece of cake if you can crack its shortcuts and know how to use its templates.

Keyboard Shortcuts for Faster Editing

Using keyboard shortcuts rather than a mouse cursor can save you a hefty amount of time while editing your PDF document. Below are shortcuts that will simplify your life while editing PDFs with Google Docs.

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Using Built-In Templates for Quicker Document Creation

Google Docs provides you with a variety of templates to choose from for more professional document creation within no time. Here’s how to access these templates.

1. Click on File and Create New and select “From Template Gallery,” as shown below.

how to edit pdf on Google Docs using built-in templates

2. It will take you to another page having dozens of pre-defined templates. Choose any template that you like by simply clicking on it.

Google Docs templates for PDF

3. Now, you can start editing the template with your content, and this is an easy way to create a professional document using no effort.

free pdf editor google drive

Collaboration Tips for Using Google PDF Editor

One of the best features of Google Docs is the Collaborative mechanism where you can efficiently work with others on a document to enhance productivity.

1. It is easy to share documents with your colleagues, friends, and family by clicking the Share button.

2. Using the Suggesting Mode, you can change the documents that may be accepted or rejected. To access the Suggesting Mode, click on the button below the Share button.

Google Docs suggesting mode

3. You can also use comments and annotations for feedback and suggestions. To add comments, click on the "Comment" button in the top-right corner of the screen. You can also see others' comments in this section.

add comments google drive

4. The Revision History feature is convenient for viewing and restoring previous versions of the document. Click on the Clock icon to view the Revision history.

Google Docs Revision history

Part 4: Alternatives Of Google PDF Editor

Google Drive is an excellent platform for editing PDF documents, but there are other platforms that you can use as PDF Editor online and offline.

WPS Office

It is a potent tool that is available both as a desktop application and as a web-based version. It is a complete productivity suite that contains word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Moreover, it has a potent PDF editor tool that allows you to edit text, add and delete pages, form filling, add annotations, OCR, password protection, PDF conversion, and add digital signatures. This free software works on multiple platforms like Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.

Pros

  • You can Convert PDF to multiple other formats

  • It has a user-Friendly Interface

  • The PDF Editor in WPS Office support Cloud Storage

Cons

Although WPS Office has a powerful editor, its free version has limited features.

Free PDF Editor

Free PDF Editor is an application that allows you to edit your PDF documents. You can edit, convert, add texts, images, or shapes, change font or color, or modify the page layout and collaborate on your PDF document. With the collaborative nature of this software, you can edit a document simultaneously with your colleagues. Although this application is free of cost, it comes with limited functionalities like you can’t add digital signatures and can’t add or delete pages from your PDF document.

Pros

  • Free PDF editor is free of cost.

  • It offers Collaborative features making it easy to work in teams.

  • With a user-friendly interface, it is very Easy to use

Cons

  • It has limited Editing features as compared to paid softwares.

  • When you edit PDF, it leaves it brand’s Watermarks and while editing, it shows Ads.

Part 5: Differences Between WPS Office and Google Docs

Google Docs performs well when it comes to editing PDF Online. Still, it has some limitations as compared to WPS Office. Below is a detailed comparison between Google Docs and WPS Office.

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Considering the above comparison table, WPS Office supports multiple platforms like Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. In contrast, Google Docs doesn’t support Linux and macOS. Moreover, WPS Office offers additional features like adding headers and footers, OCR, batch PDF conversion, PDF splitting and merging, and more. Also, WPS Office has desktop applications, while Google Docs are only available online. Hence, WPS Office is a better choice for PDF editing. 

How to download WPS Office free?

WPS Office has a web-based version and desktop application as well. Follow the below-mentioned tutorial to download WPS Office on your PC.

1. Visit the official website of WPS Office “https://www.wps.com/.”

2. There is a download button on the homepage of the website. Click on it.

3. It will download a 5Mb file, open it on your PC, and click Install Now. Don’t forget to tick the agreement checkbox.

4. Once you click Install Now, the application will be downloaded.

Part 6: How to Edit a PDF with WPS Office

You can use the WPS Office PDF editor to change your documents in three different ways. Below are all the three methods explained in detail.

WPS Online

1. Open your web browser and visit “pdf.wps.com.”

2. Click on PDF to Word.

free PDF editor online

3. Click on the “+” button to upload your PDF file. Wait a little until the file is uploaded properly.

upload PDF file to WPS online

WPS Docs

1. On your browser and visit “https://sg.docs.wps.com/.”

2. Click on Create New, and then select “Upload File.” Select your PDF file and wait to upload it.

how to edit pdf on WPS docs

3. Once the file is uploaded, click on it, and it will take you to another window where you can start editing your file instantly.

4. There are different editing options like annotations where you can underline, highlight, strikethrough, and change the color of your text.

5. The special function allows you to add digital signatures to your PDF document.

WPS Office PDF Editor

WPS Office Desktop App

1. Download WPS Office on your PC, install it, and then run it.

2. Click on PDF Edit and then open your PDF document.

how to edit pdf on WPS Office desktop

3. It will open the document in another tab where you can start editing the document.

WPS Office pdf editor on desktop

4. There are many editing options like adding headers and footers, watermark removal, page splitting, page numbering, background changing, cropping page, and adding pictures to your PDF.

5. Once you finish editing your PDF document, click Export PDF to export it to other formats like Word, PPT, Text, and picture.

google pdf viewer

Part 7: FAQs about Google Drive

Q1: Can I edit a scanned PDF document on Google Drive?

With the help of the OCR feature, you can edit scanned PDFs. You need to download the Chrome extension for this purpose. However, WPS Office has a built-in OCR feature for editing scanned PDF documents.

Q2: Is it possible to merge multiple PDFs on Google Drive?

Using the Merge PDF feature, you can merge multiple PDFs on Google Drive. This feature is more prominent and easy to use in WPS Office.

Q3: Can I edit PDFs on Google Drive using my mobile device?

Yes, you can edit PDFs on your mobile device. All you need is to download Google Drive on your smartphone.

Summary

Google Drive is an exceptional storage and synchronization service that offers a PDF Editing feature with the help of Google Docs. It is easy to use and doesn’t require a high-end PC. All you need is a Gmail ID and an internet connection. Editing PDF Online using Google Docs is efficient as it saves time and money because it is free.

However, other tools like WPS Office also offer PDF editing services with more advanced features. It is available for multiple platforms and contains advanced editing features like digital signatures. WPS Office is a hybrid application you can use online and offline on your PC. Try Google PDF Editor and WPS Office, and you will be more comfortable with WPS Office because of its powerful editing features for pages, text, shapes, forms, etc.

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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.