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Everything we’ve written about PDFs: how to do the job, why a file misbehaves, and what the terms mean. Every answer ends at a tool that runs on your device.
Latest guides
All guides- Edit PDF
How to edit a PDF
How to edit a PDF for free: change the text, add words and images, rearrange pages, fill forms and sign. What Word, Preview, Google Docs and Acrobat can do, and where each one stops. - Word to PDF
How to save a Google Doc as a PDF
How to save a Google Doc as a PDF on a computer, iPhone or Android: File, Download, PDF. Plus what to check before you send it, and how to open a PDF back in Google Docs. - PDF Privacy Scanner
Can a PDF have a virus?
Yes, a PDF can carry malware: through scripts, attached files, links, or a bug in an out-of-date reader. Here is how each one works, how to check a file, and how to open one safely. - Remove PDF Password
How to remove a PDF password without Adobe
Remove a PDF password without Adobe: what the two PDF passwords do, which one you need, and how to save an unlocked copy in your browser without uploading the file. - Sign PDF
How to sign a PDF without printing it
How to sign a PDF for free on any computer or phone: draw, type or upload your signature, place it and save. Plus what Preview, Acrobat Reader and Markup can do, and when you need a certified digital signature. - Split PDF
How to split PDF files and separate pages
Split a PDF into separate pages, cut out a range, break it into parts under a size limit, cut scanned sheets in half or split at each chapter — free, in your browser, with how to pick the right way for the job.
Guides
62 · Step-by-step answers, each ending in a working file.
- How to edit a PDF
- How to save a Google Doc as a PDF
- Can a PDF have a virus?
- How to sign a PDF without printing it
- How to send a logo to a printer as a vector PDF
- The best background color for reading a PDF
Common PDF problems
30 · Why it happens, and the fix.
- Why can’t I copy text from my PDF?
- This PDF is password protected but I never set one
- The black box I drew didn’t hide the text
- My name is in the PDF and I didn’t put it there
- The portal says my PDF is too big to upload
- Why is my scanned PDF so big?
Start here
14 · The shortest route through the jobs people arrive with.
- Send a large PDF by email
- Black out text in a PDF properly
- Open a PDF someone sent with a password
- Combine several PDFs into one file
- Turn a PDF into an editable Word file
- Get a table out of a PDF
By profession
8 · The same tools, arranged around one job.
- PDF tools for lawyers
- PDF tools for accountants
- PDF tools for students
- PDF tools for teachers
- PDF tools for HR
- PDF tools for freelancers
- PDF tools for real estate agents
- PDF tools for small business
Compress to a size
9 · What each limit costs, and what is realistic.
- Compress a PDF to 50 KB
- Compress a PDF to 100 KB
- Compress a PDF to 150 KB
- Compress a PDF to 200 KB
- Compress a PDF to 250 KB
- Compress a PDF to 300 KB
- Compress a PDF to 500 KB
- Compress a PDF to 1 MB
- Compress a PDF to 2 MB
PDF glossary
20 · What the jargon means, in a sentence.
- Redaction
- PDF metadata
- XMP
- PDF encryption
- User password
- Owner password
- Flattening a PDF
- PDF form fields
Alternatives
6 · How we compare with the popular PDF sites.
- FixMyPDFs vs iLovePDF
- FixMyPDFs vs Smallpdf
- FixMyPDFs vs Adobe Acrobat
- FixMyPDFs vs PDF24
- FixMyPDFs vs Sejda
- FixMyPDFs vs Soda PDF
Looking for something specific? The sitemap lists every page on the site, and the licenses page names the open-source engines each tool runs on.