You have been asked to modify the content of a PDF document but, having no familiarity with IT tools, you don’t know where to start and you fear doing irreparable damage by downloading malicious programs. For this reason, you decided to rely on the Web to help you with your aim and, by chance, you ended up on this article.
Things are exactly as I described them, am I right? Come on, don’t be shy, I’m here to help you! Whether you need to add a small text or rewrite the entire paragraphs of a PDF file, with the software I am about to recommend you will be able to easily achieve your goal. Furthermore, if you do not want to download any program on your PC, you can also obtain the same result with online services that work directly from the browser or via apps that can be used on smartphones and tablets.
If the premises intrigue you, take some free time and carefully read the instructions I am about to give you on how to overwrite on PDF . The solutions I am about to show you are easy to use. Therefore, just choose the one that best suits your needs and I’m sure you will learn how to edit PDF files in no time. That said, all I can do is wish you a happy read and, above all, good luck!
Index
- How to write to PDF from PC
- Microsoft Word (Windows/macOS)
- LibreOffice (Windows/macOS/Linux)
- Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows/macOS)
- How to write to PDF online
- Google Docs
- iLovePDF
- Other services for writing to PDF online
- How to write to PDF from smartphones and tablets
How to write to PDF from PC
Do you have a device equipped with Windows , macOS or Linux ? Whatever operating system you use, below you will find the main solutions that I recommend you consider for writing to PDF from PC .
Do you have a subscription to the Microsoft 365 suite or do you have a classic copy of the Office suite ? In this case you will be happy to know that it is possible to write on PDF files using Microsoft Word , the word processing program par excellence included in the collection.
Are you asking me how to do it? Give me a minute and I’ll explain it to you in detail. First, open Microsoft Word and import the PDF you want to edit into it, using the File > Open menu .
Once this is done, click on OK within the warning that appears (about the possibility that the original layout will not be maintained), to convert the PDF document into an editable document within the program.
If you downloaded the PDF file from the Internet, it is possible that Microsoft Word, after converting it, enables the so-called Protected View , i.e. a mode that only allows the user to view the file, and not modify it, for security reasons.
To disable this protection, all you have to do is locate yourself on the yellow bar at the top of the document, click on Enable editing and immediately after on OK . Now, all you have to do is write and make changes in the file, as you wish, as if you were working on a Word file.
Once finished, choose whether to export the document as a Word or PDF file by selecting Save As from the File menu . On Windows there is also the File > Export menu which allows you to create a PDF/XPS document by pressing a specific option.
LibreOffice (Windows/macOS/Linux)
Don’t have Microsoft 365 installed on your computer or don’t have the slightest intention of signing up for a subscription to use it? Then don’t worry because, even in this case, I have the right solution for you. Have you ever heard of LibreOffice ? No? Then let me tell you about it in detail.
LibreOffice is a free, open-source productivity suite that contains word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, and database programs. In short, in short, it is an excellent alternative to Microsoft 365, as well as a more than complete solution. The good news doesn’t end there: in fact, it is compatible with all the main operating systems, such as Windows, macOS and Linux, and allows you to write to PDF for free .
How do you say? Can’t wait to start using this office suite? Then don’t waste any more time: visit the service’s website and follow the instructions I have given you in this article to download and install LibreOffice on your PC.
At this point, after having downloaded and installed the suite, regardless of the operating system used, you can start editing your PDF file by opening LibreOffice , clicking on Open file , in the window that opens, in the left sidebar, and selecting the document to edit.
Once this is done, you can modify the document as you wish by adding, removing, highlighting portions of text, inserting images and so on using Draw , the program for creating printable documents included in LibreOffice.
After completing the changes, you simply need to go to the File menu at the top right, select the Export as item , click on Export directly to PDF and choose the location and name to assign to the file. Finally, click Save to save it.
If you are willing to evaluate another program to achieve your goal, I cannot help but recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader . How do you say? Haven’t you ever heard of it? Really strange! This is the famous Adobe program for viewing and editing, albeit limited in this version, PDF format files of which Adobe, among other things, is the inventor.
To start using this software, visit the Adobe website and, depending on the operating system you are using, follow the instructions I have given you in this guide .
After downloading and installing the program, whether your operating system is Windows or macOS, all you have to do is open it, select the Menu item , at the top left, and click on Open , to choose the document to open.
Once this is done, you can use the tools at your disposal by clicking, in the tools menu located at the top right, on the speech bubble icon with the + symbol to add a comment, on the highlighter icon to highlight text, on the of the line to make a freehand drawing, on the dotted square icon to add text, fill in a box and add check marks, and on the pen icon to add a signature or add initials.
After completing the customization of your document, all you have to do is go to the Menu section , at the top left, click on Save as , choose the destination of the file and click on Save .
In case you need, for example, to modify part of the text present in the document, if possible, to add an image or so on, it is good that you know that it is necessary to subscribe to the Pro version of Adobe at the cost of 18.29 euros/month . However, it is possible to take advantage of a 7-day trial period during which you can use all the advanced features of the program for free. For more information, I recommend you read the article I wrote about how to download Adobe Pro .
How to write to PDF online
After taking a look at the solutions I have proposed, you have decided to opt for solutions that are even easier to use and which do not require the installation of any software on your computer.
That’s how it is, isn’t it? Then you will be happy to know that, in addition to the programs offered, there are solutions that can be used directly from your trusted browser . If you want to find out how to write to PDF online , then, keep reading.
Google Docs
The first solution I recommend you consider might sound familiar to you: it’s Google Docs , Google’s famous online productivity suite included in the Google Drive cloud storage service .
To write to PDF online for free , connect to the Google Drive website , click on Go to Drive and log in with your Google account . After reaching the Google Drive Home Page , drag the PDF file you want to edit into the browser window and wait for it to load.
Then, right-click on the file in question and, from the context menu, click on Open with > Google Docs . By doing so, the Google Drive editor will automatically open with all the functions useful for editing the PDF. Once you’ve finished editing, you can export the file as a Word document, LibreOffice, PDF or other formats using one of the various options available in the File > Download as menu , located at the top left. Easy as drinking a glass of water, don’t you think.
iLovePDF
If you are looking for another simple but functional solution, I present to you iLovePDF , a suite of online tools for editing PDF files in 360 degrees. Specifically, with this tool it is possible to merge, divide, compress, convert PDF files and carry out many other operations. It is free up to a certain number of files per day, after which it requires subscription to paid plans. More info here .
If you are wondering how to add text to your PDF file with this online program, all you have to do is visit the iLovePDF website , click on Select PDF file , in the center of the page, and select the PDF file to process directly. inside the window that opens.
After a few seconds, you will find yourself in the tool’s editor window where you can add text by clicking on the A icon , add images by clicking on the image icon , draw by clicking on the pencil icon , and add shapes by clicking on the shapes icon .
After completing the customization of your document, all you have to do is click on Edit PDF at the bottom right. After a few seconds, the download of the modified file will start automatically. If this does not happen, you can simply click on Download PDF .
Other services for writing to PDF online
In addition to the solutions mentioned above, you should know that there are other services for writing to PDF online . If you want to know more, keep reading, I have selected some tools that I believe are among the best in the category.
- SmallPDF — one of the most famous and used online PDF editing tools thanks to which you can write, and more, on any PDF document for free.
- PDF2Go — an online solution that allows you to add and highlight text, insert images and symbols into a PDF file quickly and easily.
- Adobe Acrobat — online tool for writing and editing PDF documents made available by the famous Californian software house, as well as the inventor of Adobe Acrobat Reader .
- PDF24 — completely free online PDF file editor with which you can perform dozens and dozens of operations on electronic documents including, obviously, writing.
How to write to PDF from smartphones and tablets
You would like to be able to write on PDF documents even on the move and, for this reason, you would like to know how to write on PDF from your phone or tablet . Whether you want to write to PDF from iPhone or Android , below I list what, in my opinion, are the best apps you should rely on.
- Foxit PDF Editor ( Android / iOS/iPadOS ) — one of the most used professional PDF file viewers with which you can read, add portions of text, highlight and perform other operations within a PDF file. It is basically free but, at a cost of 11.49 euros/year , it is possible to unlock additional features.
- AndrOpen Office ( Android ) — this is the porting of OpenOffice to Android. Therefore, it offers maximum productivity in terms of viewing, editing and writing on PDF files and more.
- Polaris Office ( Android / iOS/iPadOS ) — office productivity suite thanks to which you can also process PDF documents. Basic features, including adding and highlighting text, are free, but starting at $3.99/month , you can enjoy additional features.
- PDF Expert ( iOS/iPadOS ) — thanks to this app it is possible, for free, to read, highlight and add text to PDF files. With the premium version, which can be used for free for a 7-day trial period, the cost of which starts from $49.99/year , you can edit portions of text, add images, convert documents and sign within PDF files.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader ( Android / iOS/iPadOS ) — mobile version of the famous PDF viewer thanks to which you can view PDF files and process them, even writing on them, on the move.
- iLovePDF ( Android / iOS/iPadOS ) — app from the famous PDF file processing service that includes all the tools needed to write on PDF files and edit them.