How to Edit PDF Files Without Adobe Acrobat [Full Guide]

While it is free to view, save, and distribute PDF documents, it is not free to modify PDF files using the Adobe Acrobat software. I’ll introduce some free PDF Editing Tools that you can use to edit PDF files without Adobe Acrobat. So without further ado, let’s get began!

Reasons For Popularity of PDF

Portable Document Format (PDF) as it is more often known, developed as the dominant format for document delivery & dissemination, mainly when Adobe Systems made it available for free in 1993.
However, the success of PDF is attributable to more than just its free availability. The reliability, and ability to perform on all devices, operating systems, & software platforms are what make PDF so popular.

1. Using the free Adobe Reader, PDF documents may open and view on any device, including Windows computers, Macs, Chromebooks, iPhones, Android phones, tablets, and e-Readers.

2. PDF documents take less space and retain their original formatting on any device.

3. PDF documents can be password protected and encrypted

Edit PDF Files Without Using Adobe Acrobat

A PDF file is simply a graphical representation or snapshot of the text; there is no text in a PDF file, despite its appearance. As a result, PDF is the ideal format for distributing “read-only documents.”

Unlike Microsoft Word or Excel files, PDF documents intend to be “read-only.” PDF documents open in the same format on all devices, and there’s no ability to change them from the screen viewer.

If necessary, you can edit PDF files with Adobe Acrobat Software. However, unlike its document reader and the PDF file format, Adobe Acrobat software for modifying PDF files is not free.

If you’re altering a significant number of files, I will advise you to purchase Adobe Acrobat Software. However, if you only need to modify PDFs on occasion, you can use some free programs available on the internet.

PDF Editor for Minor Changes

Sometimes you need to make modest modifications to a PDF document, like hiding dates, numbers, or the location of the source file, or simply highlighting areas of a document.

PDFEscape – This is an online PDF editor that allows you to use its whiteout tool to hide areas of a PDF file. Annotations can also be added to the PDF document using arrows, text boxes, and other shapes.
Even if the document is password secured, you can make these tiny adjustments. Here’s a link to PDFEscape.

Edit PDF Files by Converting to Word

Converting PDF files to Microsoft Word or Excel document format is a simple approach to edit them. These are some of the free software available for converting PDF files to Word format.

BCL Research – This free program, available at pdfonline.com, converts PDF documents to Word documents, including PDF files with tables, charts, and photos.

NitroPDF – Converts any PDF document to Word format, including those containing graphics and tables. NitroPDF, which is available at pdftoword.com, produces better results than most other software but takes longer to complete.

You must upload the PDF file to NitroPDF and enter your email address in the interface. After conversion to Word, the file will be emailed to you within 12 to 24 hours.

After converting the PDF document to Word, you may quickly change the file and convert it back to PDF format using any PDF writer, such as CutePDF.

You can also use Microsoft Office’s native feature to print or save the updated document as a PDF document.

Advanced PDF Editing Tools

It necessary to perform more advanced editing, like altering images in a PDF file, without disrupting the formatting or flow of the page.

PDF XChange – The PDF Xchange viewer and editor allows you to put images in a PDF document on any page or position you choose. It is not a web-based app; you must install the PDF Xchange software on your computer to use it.

Inkscape – An Open Source vector graphics editor with features similar to Adobe Illustrator and CorelDraw. Inkscape can also open PDF files on one page simultaneously, allowing you to modify and rearrange components on your PDF file.

Remember that Inkscape is not built primarily for editing PDF files & is not the most efficient PDF editing tool.