Free tool to create and edit PDFs with intuitive layout, text, and image controls
Free tool to create and edit PDFs with intuitive layout, text, and image controls
Vote (127 votes)
Program license Free
Developer LULU Software
Version 5.9
Works under Windows
Vote
(127 votes)
Developer
LULU Software
Works under
Windows
Program license
Free
Version
5.9
Pros
- Intuitive UI
- Create Shapes From Images
- Acrobat-Independent
- Changeable Margins
Cons
- Personal Editing Only
- Limited From Professional Perspective
Free PDF Editor is a piece of software that allows you to create and edit PDFs absolutely for free. PDFs are convenient files that can be read by almost any digital system, but not everyone has the ability to simply create a PDF, and even fewer people can edit PDFs due to the image-based nature of the format. Word documents and spreadsheets from Excel might be easy to change, but that's only because those file types are meant to change. PDFs aren't typically designed to be edited.
Perhaps a better name for this app would be Free PDF Creator since it primarily creates PDF files, but it does come with many editing options that you won't find in other PDF readers. The UI for the software is straightforward, and you can use it to edit text, graphics, and photos in a format that's reminiscent of digital publishing.
To create a PDF, you must drag and drop the components you want included in the blank file. You can then resize and manipulate the elements so they flow as you would like them. For instance, if you wanted to make your brand's logo appear larger, you could do so, and you could shrink the annoying fine print.
Free PDF Editor is perfect for creating promo flyers, brochures, invitations, business documents, official forms, and anything else that you can imagine. It doesn't matter why you need a PDF, if you have compatible content in another file format, you can get the job done with this software. Thanks to the free licensing of the software, you can take advantage of its power for either commercial or personal utility.
It's not difficult to figure out how to use this software since it has a lot of explanations and hints throughout. You can easily add text by searching for the option through the main menu or simply pressing the Insert Text button on the toolbar. Once you've entered your text, you can alter it in a number of ways. You can change the size of the text, the color, and the font. The software also gives the freedom to move the text for optimal placement.
With the Insert Image function, you can select photos from your system and add them to the new PDF. Most standard photo formats will work, including PNG, JPEG, JPG, BMP, and GIF. After you've positioned and altered everything to your liking, you can finalize the PDF by clicking the Create PDF button.
If you need to generate professional PDFs using an A4 size, this tool is more than capable of handling the task. You can change the layout to set up columns, and you can create PDFs with multiple pages. If you want to change any of the PDF properties, you can do so with this software.
Pros
- Intuitive UI
- Create Shapes From Images
- Acrobat-Independent
- Changeable Margins
Cons
- Personal Editing Only
- Limited From Professional Perspective
Pros
- Replaces PDF viewing software
- Lets you edit PDF files online and on your computer
- Can create new PDF files after learning how to use the program
- Allows users to add digital signatures to forms
- New tools let you add shapes and characters to files
Cons
- Will often change the format and layout of the page
- Crowded user interface is hard to use and understand
- Does not work with password protected PDF files
- May not work with all PDF files
- Only lets you make minor or basic edits
Free PDF Editor is one of the best and most affordable ways to edit PDF files and forms that you find online, and those that others send you for work or other reasons.
Many government agencies and departments use PDF files to get information from the general public. If you need to file taxes from a previous year, you can easily find 1040 forms and other forms that let you file. The problem is that those forms often require that you save and print a copy, fill it out in pen, and then mail the copy back to the department, or scan and submit a copy via email. This can take a lot of time, and if you don't have a printer at home, it may cost you money too. With Free PDF Editor, you can edit PDF forms and files online and on your computer.
Once the installation process finishes, you can actually click a button on your screen to launch the program. It lets you make minor changes to any saved files you have on your computer and to any files you come across online. As with other free programs, though, it does have some limitations. You can correct misspelled words, add notations, and make other minor edits, but you may find that you cannot make all the changes you need to make. Some actually compare it to Microsoft Word, but claim that it lacks the features found in other document editing software.
Another problem is that this program can change the original format of the file. As you make changes, it will simply add those edits to the page without any thought to the look of the page. Many find that boxes and tabs wind up in new areas and that they cannot see the original page through their edits. As it has a crowded interface, you'll likely find that you have a difficult time learning how to make edits, too.
Free PDF Editor is great for those who need to sign paperwork online. Instead of printing a form, signing it, scanning the form, and then emailing it, you can add your signature to any form and save a new copy for sending through email. Free PDF Editor lacks some of the features that you may need or want, but it does let you edit PDF files and forms.
Pros
- Replaces PDF viewing software
- Lets you edit PDF files online and on your computer
- Can create new PDF files after learning how to use the program
- Allows users to add digital signatures to forms
- New tools let you add shapes and characters to files
Cons
- Will often change the format and layout of the page
- Crowded user interface is hard to use and understand
- Does not work with password protected PDF files
- May not work with all PDF files
- Only lets you make minor or basic edits