Sometimes each of us has the need to edit a PDF file. It turns out, however, that although there are quite a lot of options, not all of them work as we would like. That’s why we decided to check for you which application is worth using.
PDF editing – a problem many of you encountered
PDF is a common and universal format in which primarily text files, official forms and scans of documents are made available. Sometimes it would be convenient to be able to edit such a document to change or correct something in it. Unfortunately, it is not that simple.
PDF editing on PC
On Windows computers, the most convenient option for editing PDF files may be Word, but firstly, it is not a free application, and secondly, as in the case of the mobile version, conversion from PDF to DOCX is not always the best. On the other hand, it is not easy to find completely free solutions, one of the most interesting applications is SwifDoo PDF.
It all comes down to what you expect from the application. You can use the free SwifDoo PDF to read PDF files, rotate pages. Adobe Acrobat and Foxit also have similar capabilities, but also in paid versions.
If you are going to edit and create PDFs on a larger scale, it is worth reviewing these solutions and choosing the best one for you. Especially in terms of costs, because they can differ significantly. Many companies now prefer to charge subscription fees rather than a one-time app fee, and often the latter option can be better in the long run.
Web-based PDF editing tools
While looking for free PDF editing applications, I came to the conclusion that the best and cheapest option if we want to occasionally edit a document is to use online services. There are at least a few such applications, but they offer similar functionality and capabilities, and more importantly, most of them are free.
The only threat I see in this case is the issue of security and privacy. Not all documents are suitable for sending to unspecified servers on the Internet, especially if they contain any of our personal data.
Similar possibilities are also provided by SmallPDF, which is also an online tool and offers many possibilities not only in terms of editing, but also conversion to other formats.
Edit PDF from an Android smartphone
Paradoxically, the greatest ability to edit PDF files on Android is provided by the Microsoft Word application, which can convert a PDF document to its own format and then edit it. It’s not perfect and sometimes causes unexpected formatting errors, but it’s worth a try because it’s the most powerful free tool on Android.
Adobe Acrobat is a PDF reader and editor. Thanks to this application you can read, sign and share PDFs, add comments, and fill out forms in PDF format. Additionally, files synchronize with Google Drive and Dropbox. The authors of the application boast a very fast PDF engine, which makes working with the application convenient and fast.
Adobe Fill & Sign may not be an application for editing PDF files alone, but it is perfect for filling out forms in this format. This is a free program that allows you to quickly fill out, sign and send all forms.
PDF editing with Apple iOS
When it comes to editing PDF files on iOS, i.e. on iPhone smartphones and iPad tablets, the situation is not rosy. The vast majority of applications are paid, and even if they are free, in order to edit a file, you have to buy a subscription or pay for an additional function anyway. Among free applications that provide basic functions for free, PDF Expert looks good, as it allows you to use the full functionality for free for 7 days to test the application’s capabilities. So if you are looking for something for a quick change, this may be a good option.
In closing
Features offered by the dedicated PDF editors such as SwifDoo PDF or Adobe Acrobat include editing documents, adding interactive elements to files or inserting pages into PDF files.
Editing PDF files in ways you might not expect – from simple editing(making corrections from comments, including changing the arrangement of paragraphs and images), through changing the page layout (rotating, rearranging, deleting, inserting) and adding bookmarks, to removing hidden information in a PDF, which is often confidential.
This is one of the reasons why the PDF industry resembles an advanced combine that allows basic editing of PDF files, but also much, much more.