The portable document format (popularly known as PDF) is one of the most popular file formats that has been around for years. It is universally used in almost all industries, and you must have come across PDF files at one point or another. For example, you might have found it online, and you need to open it or edit it. Or, you may need to create a PDF file to share it with your colleagues or friends.
PDFs have always been convenient to read, but when it comes to making changes to the text or signing a form, it can get quite tricky. However, since Windows users have Acrobat DC, they have always been able to quickly make changes to PDF files. On the other hand, Mac users have faced problems with Preview, which is the default PDF reader. Luckily, things have changed, and Mac users can now use Apple PDF editor to quickly make changes to the PDF files.
If you are not aware of everything you can do with a PDF file, the following guide will help you.
1. Open PDF files to read it online or offline
The most basic task is opening the file when dealing with a PDF file. The file can be opened online via your web browser, or you can open it offline from your desktop.
If you are going through several PDF files and don’t wish to download all of them, it will be best to open the PDFs online. One of the quick ways to open a PDF file online is using a free PDF viewer, such as DocFly.
The other option to open and read a PDF file is downloading a PDF reader so you can open the files on your Mac or Windows computer. You can choose from various free PDF readers, such as Google Drive, SumatraPDF, etc.
2. Make changes and edits to the PDF file
PDF openers allow users to read the PDF file, but you must use a PDF editor if you need to edit and make changes to the file. You will also find some PDF readers that work as PDF editors. You need to go through the features of the different PDF editors to find out which one is right for you.
If you have MS Word on your computer, it can be easily used as a PDF editor, and you wouldn’t need to download and install other third-party apps.
Even though all PDF editors are different, they allow you to do basic editing tasks like making a line where someone must sign the PDF document, create fillable forms, block out items, highlight text, add images, change the PDF text, make a new PDF from scratch, etc.
3. Convert PDF files into an image or a different file format
Converting PDFs into different formats is another task that you can do with PDF files. Sometimes, users don’t want to convert PDF documents because they are afraid of losing the formatting, and it might become harder for the other person to open them. But if it is required, you can convert the PDF files to a Word format, JPG, etc.
You can utilize document file converters, such as Zamzar, to convert your PDF files to a different format.
4. Create a PDF file from another file
The PDF editors even function as PDF makers and allow users to create PDF files from scratch. However, if you need to convert a different document or file into PDF format, you can consider using a PDF creator tool.
For instance, if you are thinking of making a PDF from a webpage or want to save an image in PDF format, you will need to print it into PDF. Here, print refers to save.
5. Password-protect your PDF files
By default, PDF files are completely open. However, you can protect your PDF documents with a password to prevent someone else from opening them unless they have the right password. PDFs are known to support the highest levels of data encryption, and therefore, provide one of the easiest ways to share information securely via commonly used methods.
Protecting your PDF file with a password will prevent someone else from printing the PDF file, disable editing, prevent the content from being copied, etc.
So, these are some of the amazing ways you can work with PDF files. From opening the PDF documents to editing and protecting them using a password, you can use PDFs as you desire.
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