--- title: "How to edit a PDF on Windows" description: "Need to update a PDF? Here's how to edit a PDF on Windows." image: "https://images.ctfassets.net/lzny33ho1g45/create-pdf-p-img/86d457f1b603cb90f72772c064cda867/Group_9898.png" --- # How to edit a PDF on Windows Need to update a PDF? Here's how to edit a PDF on Windows. [Creating a PDF](https://zapier.com/blog/create-pdf/) is straightforward. But editing a PDF is tricky—if you don't have the right tools.  As a freelance writer who's written extensively about PDF editing platforms, I've tested my fair share of [PDF editor apps](https://zapier.com/blog/best-pdf-editor-apps/). Here, I'll walk you through all the free tools you can use to seamlessly edit a PDF in Windows.  - [How to edit a PDF with Microsoft Edge](#edge) - [How to edit a PDF with Microsoft Word](#word) - [How to edit a PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro](#adobe) - [Other ways to edit a PDF on Windows for free](#free) ## How to edit a PDF with Microsoft Edge  If all you need to do is annotate a PDF, you can skip the fuss of downloading a plug-in or signing up for a new app. Instead, use Windows' built-in web browser, Microsoft Edge.  To get started, simply right-click the PDF file you want to edit. Then click **Open with** > **Microsoft Edge**.  Your PDF will open in a Microsoft Edge window along with a menu bar of annotation tools: highlight, draw, erase, and add text.  **Here's an overview of how to use each tool. ** - **Highlighter.** To highlight text, select the text you want to highlight, right-click it, and then click **Highlight**. Alternatively, you can click the **Highlight** tool from the menu bar, choose the color and brush thickness, and then highlight the desired text. - **Draw.** To add a sketch, click the **Draw** tool from the menu bar, and then select the color and stroke size. From here, you can draw anywhere within the borders of the PDF. - **Add text**. To add text—not a comment—directly to the PDF, click the **Text** tool, and then click the space where you want to add text. A text menu will appear above your text box, which allows you to customize your text color, size, and letter spacing. Once you've formatted your text, you can add text. Alternatively, you can type first and edit the formatting after. - **Erase annotations.** Need to erase the drawing or text you just added? Simply click the **Erase** tool, and drag your cursor over the area you want to clear. Note: This will not erase any of the PDF's original text or images. You can also add comments to the PDF, but the tool isn't visible in the menu bar for some reason. To add a comment, highlight the text that you want to add a note to, right-click it, and click **Add Comments**. Once you've added your comment to the sticky note-like box, click the checkmark (`✓`) to save it. Once you've finished editing your document, click **Save **or **Save As** from the browser menu. ## How to edit a PDF with Microsoft Word If you're more comfortable editing text or leaving comments in Microsoft Word, I've got you covered.  Before you can begin editing, you need to convert your PDF into a Word document. If there are no complex elements in your PDF file, simply right-click the PDF file you want to edit. Then click **Open with** > **Microsoft Word**. Alternatively, you can open the PDF file directly from Microsoft Word.   Now you can edit your PDF file the same way you would a regular Word document—i.e., you can add text, insert images, add shapes and drawings, modify the layout, and more.  Once you've finished editing your document, click **File** > **Save As**. By default, the file format will be set to save as a `.doc` or `.docx` (depending on which version of Microsoft Word you're using). Change this to `.pdf`, and then click **Save**.  ## How to edit a PDF with Adobe Acrobat Pro Before we get into Adobe Acrobat, there are a few notes worth mentioning:  1. **Free vs. paid subscription**. I'm using a free version of the app, which provides access to a limited set of editing tools. If you need more advanced editing capabilities, such as the ability to add images, crop files, and use password protection, you'll need to upgrade to a paid subscription. But before you do that, keep scrolling to explore other free apps that are available which offer the same features as Adobe Acrobat Pro. 2. **Web version vs. app**. The instructions in this article are based on the [web version](https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/acrobat/add-comment?x_api_client_id=adobe_com&x_api_client_location=add_comment) of Adobe Acrobat. If you're using the app, the instructions may vary slightly—but I'll let you know. To get started, click **Edit** in the menu bar, and a list of editing options will appear in three categories: _Edit a PDF_, _Organize a PDF_, and _Secure a PDF_. Let's say you select _Number pages_ from the _Edit a PDF_ section: Adobe will automatically display the relevant tools to number your pages, like _Position on page _and _Page range_, making it that much faster to complete your edits.  Choosing one category of editing actions doesn't preclude you from accessing the other categories. **Here's an overview of how to use the ****_Edit a PDF_**** tools. ** - **Select text**. Let's say you've finished highlighting a line of text. Now you want to draw a diagram beside it. First, you have to click the _Select text_ tool, click the area on the PDF where you want to draw, and then click the _Draw freehand _tool. - **Add comments**. Use this tool to add and track comments. Once you select this tool, you'll also have the option to modify the color of your comment icon to make it stand out. To view a comment, click on the icon, and the relevant comment will be highlighted in the _Comments_ pane. - **Highlight selected text**. Once you select this tool, you'll also have the option to modify the color and thickness. Need to underline or cross out text? Click the tool, and change it to _Underline_ or _Strikethrough. _ - **Draw freehand. **If you want to add a sketch to the document, use this tool. Similar to the highlighter, you can customize the color and thickness. - **Fill in form fields. **This tool contains all the tools you might use to fill in blank fields on a form: _Type text_, _Checkmark_, _Crossmark_, _Dot_, _Circle around_, and _Cross out_. - **Add your signature or initials.** You can use this tool to type, draw, or upload an image of your signature or initials. If needed, you can also change signature colors. Once you're done, click **Download**.  ## Other ways to edit a PDF on Windows for free Let's say you only need to edit a PDF once in a blue moon—but when you do, you need all the advanced editing capabilities of Adobe Acrobat Pro. It probably doesn't make sense to pay for a subscription, so here are some other apps that give you access to the same editing tools—for free.  - [PDFplatform](https://www.pdfplatform.com/) - [iLovePDF](https://www.ilovepdf.com/) - [Soda PDF](https://www.sodapdf.com/) - [Sejda](https://www.sejda.com/) - [DocHub](https://dochub.com/) - [PandaDoc](https://www.pandadoc.com/) In addition to being free, another benefit of using these tools is that you can edit directly on the web—no app downloading necessary. I've used all of these tools in the past, and I can vouch for the fact that they're all worth checking out. **Related reading: ** - [How to edit a PDF in Google Drive](https://zapier.com/blog/edit-pdf-google-drive/) - [How to use tags and labels to organize your files](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-use-tags-and-labels/) - [OneDrive vs. Google Drive: Which cloud storage option is best?](https://zapier.com/blog/onedrive-vs-google-drive/) - [How to make a PDF fillable](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-make-a-pdf-fillable) - [How to merge PDF files](https://zapier.com/blog/how-to-merge-pdf-files) - [The free Windows PDF editor that'll let you say so long to Adobe](https://zapier.com/blog/free-pdf-editor-windows/)