MakePDFFree

Edit PDF online for free

Runs on your device

or drop it here · up to 100 MB

Processed on your device. Nothing is uploaded.

This editor adds new content on top of PDF pages: text boxes, images, shapes, highlights, pen drawings and white-out. It cannot retype the words already in the file. To change existing wording, convert the file with PDF to Word, edit it there, then export it with Word to PDF. Editing runs in your browser, so the document never leaves your device.

How it works

How to edit a PDF

  1. 1

    Open your PDF

    Drop the PDF onto the page or tap Choose file. Password-protected files ask for the password, which stays on your device.

  2. 2

    Pick a tool

    Choose Text, Image, Draw, Highlight, White-out or a shape, then tap or drag on the page. Use the page strip to jump between pages.

  3. 3

    Adjust and arrange

    With Select, drag items to move them, pull the corner handles to resize, use the round handle to rotate, and double-tap text to change it.

  4. 4

    Save the edited PDF

    Press Save PDF. Your changes are written into the file on your device and the download is ready a moment later.

Edit & sign

About Edit PDF

Last updated

What can this PDF editor do, and what can it not do?

It adds new content on top of existing pages, and it cannot retype, reflow or delete the text that is already inside the PDF. That covers the small changes most people need without buying software: adding a missing address, completing a form that has no fields, stamping a logo on a letter, correcting a date with white-out or marking up a draft for a colleague. The tools below work the same with a mouse, a trackpad or a finger.

  • Text boxes with size from 6 to 96 pt, color and bold, including multi-line paragraphs that wrap to the box width.
  • Images such as logos, stamps or photos, placed and scaled with their proportions kept.
  • Rectangles, circles, lines and arrows for diagrams and callouts, filled or outlined.
  • A translucent highlighter in five colors and a smoothed freehand pen for review notes.
  • White-out boxes to hide outdated text before typing a correction.
Which tool fits which PDF editing job
JobBest routeWhy
Add a line, date or addressText tool in this editorNew text is placed on top of the page and stays selectable
Replace one word or numberWhite-out, then Text on topThe old glyphs are covered and the new ones typed at matching size
Rewrite sentences or paragraphsPDF to Word, edit, Word to PDFA word processor reflows text; an overlay editor cannot
Remove confidential detailsRedact PDFWhite-out only hides content; redaction deletes it
Type into interactive fieldsFill PDF FormValues are stored in the form fields themselves

How do I change the existing wording in a PDF?

Convert the file with PDF to Word, edit the wording in a word processor, then export the result with Word to PDF. A PDF stores text as individually positioned glyphs rather than paragraphs, so there is nothing to reflow when a sentence gets longer. The conversion rebuilds paragraphs so that Word, Pages or LibreOffice can handle line breaks and pagination for you.

For a single word, number or date, the faster route stays inside this editor. Draw a White-out box slightly larger than the old text, add a text box on top, and match the size and color with the text controls. The result looks right on screen and in print, but the old text remains underneath, so never use this method to hide confidential information.

How does the editor write changes into the file?

Each page is rendered as a background picture with pdf.js, your additions float on a layer above it, and nothing touches the original until you press Save PDF. At that point every object is converted to real PDF drawing commands in page coordinates, taking page rotation and the crop box into account, so a text box placed on a sideways scan lands exactly where you saw it.

Text is written with a standard PDF font and stays selectable and searchable in the saved file. Shapes and pen strokes become vector paths, so they print crisply at any zoom level. Images are embedded as PNG with transparency, and highlights use a multiply blend, as defined for PDF transparency in ISO 32000-2, so the text underneath stays readable.

How do I make edits look like part of the original document?

Zoom in before placing anything, match the text size and color to the surrounding lines, and nudge items into position with the arrow keys. Zoom goes up to 300 percent, which makes it far easier to line a text box up with a printed baseline or a form underline. A few more habits help the additions blend in with the page.

  • To replace a word, draw white-out slightly larger than the old text, then add the new text on top.
  • Use the arrow keys to nudge a selected item one point at a time; hold Shift for ten-point steps.
  • Undo and redo cover every move, resize and style change, so experiment freely.
  • White-out is always pure white, so on yellowed scans keep the box as small as the old text allows.
  • Changes are lost if you close the tab before saving, so save when you finish each document.

When should I use a different tool instead?

Use a different tool whenever the job is signing, filling interactive fields, rearranging pages or removing information for good. Sign PDF has a signature pad with initials and date stamps, Fill PDF Form writes answers into real form fields, Organize PDF reorders and deletes pages, and Redact PDF removes the content under a box instead of covering it. After editing, Flatten PDF is not needed, because saved edits are already ordinary page content.

FAQ

Edit PDF questions

Can I change the existing text in a PDF?

Not directly. This editor adds content on top of pages and cannot retype words already in the file. Cover the old words with White-out and type over them, or convert with PDF to Word, edit, and export with Word to PDF.

Is this PDF editor really free, without a watermark?

Yes. There is no account, no trial period and no watermark on the saved file. Every tool on the page is available from the start, and the download contains only your original pages plus what you added.

Does the editor send my document to a server?

No. Pages are drawn and edits are written into the file by code running in your browser tab. The PDF is never transmitted, so contracts, payslips and medical letters can be edited without leaving your device.

How do I edit a PDF on a Mac for free?

Open this page in Safari, Chrome or Firefox, add the file from Finder and edit it. Preview on macOS can also annotate, but this editor adds white-out and image placement and works the same on Windows, iPhone and Android.

Does white-out permanently remove the content underneath?

No. White-out draws a white box over the page, so the covered text is hidden but still in the file and can be copied or recovered. To delete sensitive information for real, use Redact PDF.

Why does my text look slightly different after saving?

Latin text is saved in standard Helvetica, which can differ a little from the preview font on your system. Text with characters outside that font, such as Greek, Cyrillic or Chinese, is saved as a sharp image so it still displays correctly.

Is there a file size limit?

Yes, files up to 100 MB can be opened. Only the page you are looking at is rendered, so long documents stay responsive, though very large scans on older phones may be slow to draw.

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