Portable document formats (PDFs) are opportune document types that have been of great help, especially with the increased dependency on electronic documents. They are widely used in resumes, e-books, manuals, and e-novels, among other documents.
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Of all the reasons you may have for using documents in PDF format, the greatest is that it is universally compatible with all devices and operating systems. Besides, it’s easy to add or remove texts, images, links, or any other edits you may need to do on a PDF document. Read on for a detailed guide on how to edit PDFs on Windows.
#1: Using Microsoft Word
If you have Microsoft 2013 or a more recent version, you can use Microsoft Word to help edit the PDF. It is ideal for documents that are mainly texts. Nevertheless, you will have to first convert the PDF to a Word document so you can edit it in Microsoft Word.
Here are the five steps to follow.
Step 1: Open Microsoft Word and Click on Files
Step 2: Open the PDF You Wish to Edit
Step 3: When Prompted, Click OK
As the document opens, you will get a prompt from Windows informing you that it will convert the file you are about to open into a format that Windows can display. Click OK to proceed. This process will not interfere with the original PDF document.
Step 4: Wait for the Conversion to End
After clicking OK, Microsoft will take a few seconds to convert the file into a Word document. In this format, you can now make any edits to the document.
Step 5: Save the document in the PDF format
i) Click on File and scroll down to Save As
ii) Click on Browse to select the location of the saved file
iii) After selecting your location, scroll down to Save as type and select PDF
iv) Select Save, and this will save your document as a PDF
While Microsoft Word is a good option for editing PDFs, it has some shortcomings. For instance, you may lose some images when converting your PDF. Additionally, after converting it to a Word document, you may realize that you won’t have perfect page-to-page correspondence.
#2: Using Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge is another Windows program that comes in handy when editing PDFs. It is ideal for use when you need to add text or drawings. Here is how you use it.
Step 1: Open with Microsoft Edge
Right-click on the PDF file, and select Open with, then Microsoft Edge. If Microsoft Edge is your default browser, double-click on the file, and it will automatically open.
Step 2: Select the Edits You Want to Make
On the PDF preview that opens, you’ll find editing options (at the top of the page) such as Add Text, Draw, Highlight, and Erase. Select the option that fits the edits you intend to make on the PDF document.
Step 3: Save Edited Document
After you have finished editing, you can save the document using the floppy disk icon at the top right corner of the page. It will save the changes in the original document. If you intend to save the edited document separately, use the Save as option, which is displayed as the floppy disk icon with a pencil.
#3: Using the PDF Editor Software
PDF editor software is a program you can download on your computer and use to edit PDFs. Some of this software is free, while programs are paid and have premium features. PDF editor software includes Wondershare PDFelement, Foxit PDF editor, PDF liner, and Smallpdf, among others.
Here, we’ll look at how to use Wondershare PDFelement to edit your PDF document. Using this editor software, you can edit anything in the PDF, from text to images. Moreover, you don’t need to change the document to any other format in order to edit it.
Here are the steps that you follow.
Step 1: Install Wondershare PDFelement on Windows
Step 2: Open PDF with Wondershare PDFelement
Open the editor and upload the PDF document you wish to edit. To do this, you can right-click on the document that you wish to open, scroll to Open with, then select Wondershare PDFelement.
Alternatively, you can open the Wondershare PDFelement program first, then click on the open files button to open the PDF document directly.
Step 3: Select Edit All
After opening, go to the edit ribbon and click on Edit All.
Step 4: Select Text to Edit
Click on the part that you want to edit, and there will be a blue outline around it. You can then make the necessary changes.
Step 5: Change the Page Order if You Want to
You can also edit images by clicking on the image you wish to edit. Right-click and drag the image to make the necessary changes. You will work under the page tab if you need to edit the pages, delete them, change their order, make a copy or replace them.
Step 6: Select Highlight Fields
Moreover, you can edit forms in Wondershare PDFelement under the form tab. The program will identify any interactive fields that you may need to fill. Select Highlight Fields to fill in the form.
Step 7: Save Document
When you’re done making your edits, click on Save in the top right corner, or click Ctrl+S.
#4: Download PDF Office from the Microsoft Store
The PDF Office is an editing tool available for Windows users. It is an ideal PDF editing feature, since it allows you to sign and save your PDF document. Moreover, you can write notes and set up bookmarks in the document.
However, the PDF office from the Microsoft store is not free. You need to pay to use it. Thankfully, the features you get from the program are worth the amount you pay.
#5: Use Online PDF Editors
Online PDF editors are the perfect choice when you do not need or want to download a PDF editing tool. You might be editing only a single PDF file for a long time, or working on a computer as a guest.
These online editors include DocFly, Sejda, Canva PDF editor, and Jotform PDF editor. Below, we’ll look at the Sejda online PDF editor.
Step 1: Upload PDF file to Sejda.
Upload your PDF document by clicking on the Upload PDF file option.
Step 2: Choose Editing Option
To the opened PDF file, you can add text, links, images, and shapes. Additionally, you can sign and annotate the document.
Step 3: Apply Changes
After making your edits, click on Apply changes at the bottom of the page to save.
Step 4: Download File
You can then download your document to save it on your computer. There are also options to share, print, merge, split, or crop. Use this method of editing when your PDF document doesn’t contain sensitive information.
#6: Editing PDF Using Google Docs
You can use Google Docs on your Windows PC to edit a PDF document. Much like Microsoft Word, Google Docs converts the PDF file into a .doc file. You can then download the file as a PDF and convert it into its original form. Here is how you edit PDFs in Google Docs.
Step 1: Open File in Google Docs
Open Google Docs in your web browser and click on Open file in the top right corner of your document list.
Step 2: This opens an open file Window
Click on Upload to select a document from your computer.
Step 3: Click on Browse
Under upload, click on Browse. You will be prompted to choose the file you want to edit.
Step 4: Open with Google Docs
Once the file has been uploaded, you get a preview. Click on Open with Google Docs to make the file editable.
Step 5: Edit the PDF
Google Docs will open a new tab with the PDF document now in an editable form. You can add or remove images, texts, charts, and any other changes you prefer on this tab.
Step 6: Download File as PDF
After making the changes, save your file. To save it as a PDF, go to the Docs menu bar and select Download, then PDF document (.pdf).
Step 7: Select the Folder for the Edited Document
Choose the folder you want to save the file in, then click Save. Although Google Docs is an ideal tool for editing PDFs, it isn’t perfect for documents that need special editing. If you have such documents, consider using other methods of editing PDFs.
Conclusion
Editing a PDF file is as easy as creating one. You can use any of the methods mentioned above to edit the file based on your specific editing needs. You can also choose to pay for premium PDF editing options like Adobe to get better PDF editing features.
