Edit PDF: Add Text, Images and Annotations

Place new text, images, rectangles, ellipses, lines, freehand ink and highlights on top of PDF pages, then move, resize or delete them before saving. Added text stays selectable. Existing text in the PDF is not rewritten.

Drag & drop a PDF here

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PDF

Overview

What is the PDF Editor?

The PDF Editor lets you add things on top of a PDF: typed text, images, rectangles, ellipses, lines, freehand drawing and highlighter marks. Everything you add can be selected, moved, resized, restyled or deleted until you download the file.

To be clear about scope: this editor adds new content. It does not rewrite text that is already in the PDF. Changing existing words would require re-flowing the original fonts and layout, which this tool does not attempt. If you need to hide existing text, cover it with a white rectangle and type the replacement on top, or use Redact PDF when the original must be removed for privacy.

Tools

What you can add

Text boxes

Click to place, type, then set size, color, bold, italic and alignment. Text wraps to the box width and stays selectable in the saved PDF.

Images

Insert PNG or JPG files, such as a signature or logo. PNG transparency is kept. Hold Shift while resizing to keep proportions.

Shapes, ink and highlights

Rectangles and ellipses with optional fill, straight lines, freehand pen strokes, and a highlighter that tints without hiding the text.

How it works

How to edit a PDF

  1. Open the PDF

    The first page opens large, with page thumbnails on the left.

  2. Pick a tool

    Use the toolbar above the page or the keyboard: T text, R rectangle, O ellipse, L line, P pen, H highlight.

  3. Add and adjust

    Click or drag on the page. Switch to Select (V) to move objects, drag handles to resize, and use Undo or Redo at any time.

  4. Download

    Save the edited PDF. Your original file is not changed.

Examples

Examples of common edits

Task Tools to use What ends up in the PDF
Fill a printed application form Text boxes on each blank line Selectable text in Liberation Sans
Sign a letter Image (transparent PNG of your signature) An embedded image; not a cryptographic digital signature
Review a floor plan Ellipse, line and pen in red Vector shapes that stay sharp when zoomed
Mark key clauses Highlight Semi-transparent yellow drawn in multiply mode, so the text stays readable
Correct a wrong date White filled rectangle, then a text box The old date is covered visually but still exists underneath

Under the hood

Objects become real page content

While you edit, objects live in an overlay above the rendered page. When you download, each one is written into the page as standard PDF drawing commands: text with an embedded font subset, images as image objects, and shapes as vector paths.

Because the result is ordinary page content, it prints and displays the same in every PDF reader. The trade-off is that added objects are no longer separately editable later, in this tool or elsewhere. Keep your original file if you might want to change the edits.

Text
Embedded font subset; selectable and searchable.
Images
PNG kept lossless with transparency; JPG stored as-is.
Shapes
Vector paths with your stroke, fill and opacity.

Use cases

Use cases for the PDF Editor

Forms without fillable fields

Many government and school forms are flat PDFs. Type into the blanks instead of printing, writing by hand and scanning.

flat form typed answers

Feedback on drafts

Circle problems, draw arrows and add short notes on a designer's proof or a student's assignment, then send the marked-up PDF back.

proof.pdf proof-edited.pdf

Logos and stamps

Place a company logo on a quote, or a "Paid" stamp image on an invoice.

logo.png page 1, top right

Tips

Tips

  • Zoom in before placing text on small form lines; arrow keys nudge the selected object by 1 pt, Shift+arrow by 10 pt.
  • Double-click a text box, or press Enter with it selected, to edit its text.
  • The "Added objects" list jumps to any object on any page, which helps on long documents.
  • For signatures, use a PNG with a transparent background so the paper texture shows through.

Limitations

Limitations

Existing text cannot be edited

You can cover it and type over it, but the original text remains in the file and can still be copied or found by search.

Covering is not redaction

A rectangle over sensitive information does not remove it. Use Redact PDF for anything confidential.

Fonts and scripts

Added text uses Liberation Sans (Latin, Greek and Cyrillic). Characters outside those scripts appear as question marks.

Edits are flattened on save

Added objects become normal page content and are not saved as editable annotations.

Privacy

Privacy

The PDF and any images you insert are processed in your browser and are not uploaded to TryFormatter. The only extra files the page downloads are the PDF rendering engine and the font, both served from this site.

Related tools

Related PDF tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the existing text in my PDF?

No. This editor adds new text, images and shapes; it does not modify words that are already in the file. You can cover old text with a white rectangle and type over it, but the original text is still present underneath.

Is the text I add searchable?

Yes. Added text is written with an embedded font, so it can be selected, copied and found with search in any PDF reader.

Is inserting my signature image the same as a digital signature?

No. An image of a signature is a visual mark. A digital signature is a cryptographic certificate that proves who signed and detects later changes. This tool does not create digital signatures.

Can I move or change things after downloading?

Not in the downloaded file. On save, added objects become ordinary page content. Keep the original PDF if you might want to redo the edits.

Does the highlighter hide the text underneath?

No. Highlights are drawn semi-transparent in multiply mode, the way a marker works on paper, so the text stays readable and selectable.

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