How To Edit PDFs for Free
Adobe Acrobat subscriptions can be expensive. Did you know you can mark up PDF files for free using your web browser?
Mozilla Firefox
Firefox has built-in PDF markup and editing features, that works with both local PDF files and PDFs found on the web.
To open a local PDF file in Firefox, create a blank tab. Drag your PDF file into the tab. Or browse to the file on the web.
Towards the upper right, Firefox offers a small toolbar with icons for Highlight, Text, Draw, and Add or Edit Images. Next to that are the printer and Save (download) buttons. Simply click the desired tool, which shows available options such as a choice of color. Then click in your PDF to use the tool.
After adding your markup item, you can click on the object you added to modify it, for instance to delete it. You can also change its color, or for text and images, move it around or adjust its size.
When done click the file folder icon with the down arrow (Save) to save the document. You can save it using the same filename or a different filename.
Google Chrome
Chrome has a free plugin from Adobe that allows annotations in a PDF.
First, install the extension in Chrome: click the three-dot menu in the upper right of the Chrome window, then Settings, then click Extensions (or enter "chrome://extensions/" in your address bar). Click "Discover more extensions and themes on the Chrome Web Store." Search for "Adobe Acrobat" (you will find "Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools"), and click "Add to Chrome."
Open a PDF from a web site (not a downloaded file). The address bar will show something like "chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.example.com/filename.pdf." If you open a file from your computer, the extension's features will not be available.
Use the floating vertical toolbar towards the upper left to add a note, highlight, add text, or add a signature. When done, you can click the Download icon (down arrow) in the toolbar to save it to your PC.
Microsoft Edge
Edge has the same extension as Chrome. Install it by opening the three-dot menu in the upper right, then Extensions. Search for "Adobe Acrobat" (title: Adobe Acrobat: PDF edit, convert, sign tools), and click "Get."
July 2024
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