Recommendation sought for free PDF editing software

[MDW1954]

I have a very occasional need to edit PDFs -- usually forms. I've got such a need now. Adobe want to charge me £19.97 a month for a subscription, and you have to enter debit card details to even access the seven day free trial.

Can anyone point me to a free PDF editor not laden with malware etc?

Cheers

MDW1954

[kempiejon]

I've done a work around before with google docs. Put PDF in GDrive, open in docs, edit in docs download as PDF. It was several years ago so have little practice and I can't comment on full functionality but for editing text was fine. Forms with tick boxes, drop downs etc I don't know.

[MDW1954]

I've done a work around before with google docs. Put PDF in GDrive, open in docs, edit in docs download as PDF. It was several years ago so have little practice and I can't comment on full functionality but for editing text was fine. Forms with tick boxes, drop downs etc I don't know.

Good suggestion, but unfortunately it mangles the form too much -- all the lines and boxes etc are missing. Just the text remains.

MDW1954

[ReformedCharacter]

Might be worth trying a modern version of Word or Libre Office, and another online suggestion here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qc68x859FA

RC

[kempiejon]

I've done a work around before with google docs. Put PDF in GDrive, open in docs, edit in docs download as PDF. It was several years ago so have little practice and I can't comment on full functionality but for editing text was fine. Forms with tick boxes, drop downs etc I don't know.

Good suggestion, but unfortunately it mangles the form too much -- all the lines and boxes etc are missing. Just the text remains.

MDW1954

I suspected that. Lumin is another google/PDF I used but I can't even remember if that was an editor. Work bought Adobe.

[chas49]

Take a look at Sejda PDF. You can download the free version (processes locally rather than in the cloud) for occasional use - limits apply - or there's a free online version as well

Just Google "Sejda PDF".

No association just an occasional user

[Watis]

If you're a Windows user, the Edge browser now has pdf editing functionality built in.

These pages should provide enough information for you to determine whether it is sufficient for your needs:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/le ... orm=MA13I2

and:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deplo ... t-edge-pdf

HTH,

Watis

[gpadsa]

Similarly firefox browser allows form-filling for some PDF files and the saved PDF retains the edits https://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/features/pdf-editor/

gpadsa

[mc2fool]

If you're a Windows user, the Edge browser now has pdf editing functionality built in.

Filing in forms, highlighting and adding notes is not editing the PDF. Pretty much any PDF reader will let you do those.

Can anyone point me to a free PDF editor not laden with malware etc?

No, but on the occasions I've needed to do that I've just looked around for an online PDF->DOC convertor, edited the .doc(x) and then saved or printed it as PDF.

Adobe even have one that I've just tried and on a cursory test seems to do a good job, and it's free, although you do have to sign up. However, how you can edit PDF forms so they stay "live" in another matter....

https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/acrobat/pdf-to-word

[mike]

I've used PDF24 Toolbox desk-top version for some time, although never tested the edit function.

The functions I have used have been those concerning page organisation and all has seemed fine.

[gpadsa]

form-filling for some PDF files

Inkscape works for editing PDF files https://inkscape.org/

gpadsa

[MDW1954]

Thanks, everyone. Some useful suggestions there. I can -- and will -- experiment with solutions like Edge and Sejda.

I've had bad experiences with converting to Word and editing, and this is a very complicated 10-page form with graphics. Didn't know that Inkscape would do it, either, and as I have to look at Inkscape in another context, I'll explore that too. Word on its own was useless. Liked what I saw of PDF24, too, as I sometimes need those sorts of capabilities, too.

The solution that I went with was one that came in half way down the thread, which I trialled and it worked very well: Libre Office.

So thank you to everyone again. I'll leave this thread open, in case other suggestions come in that would benefit other posters, but as the original OP, my original request can now be regarded as fully met.

MDW1954

[Mike4]

So thank you to everyone again. I'll leave this thread open, in case other suggestions come in that would benefit other posters, but as the original OP, my original request can now be regarded as fully met.

MDW1954

Swerving off at a spectacular tangent, is it within the gift of thread-starters to close off a thread then?

I thought all threads remained open for further comments, always.

Edit to add:
Ah but you're a mod on this board perhaps, and mods can lock or hide threads. Yes?

[MDW1954]

So thank you to everyone again. I'll leave this thread open, in case other suggestions come in that would benefit other posters, but as the original OP, my original request can now be regarded as fully met.

MDW1954

Swerving off at a spectacular tangent, is it within the gift of thread-starters to close off a thread then?

I thought all threads remained open for further comments, always.

Edit to add:
Ah but you're a mod on this board perhaps, and mods can lock or hide threads. Yes?

It's by no means unknown for threads to be closed by mods once the original question has been answered. There would have been no intention to hide it, merely close it to further additions because the question had been answered. And, in the event, I didn't do anything, so you're kind of complaining about something that didn't happen!

But you raise a good point: I'm a mod on many boards, but I don't actually know if I am on this board.

Sorry, I guess I was on autopilot.

MDW1954

PS: Having checked, I am a mod on this board.

[Mike4]

Swerving off at a spectacular tangent, is it within the gift of thread-starters to close off a thread then?

I thought all threads remained open for further comments, always.

Edit to add:
Ah but you're a mod on this board perhaps, and mods can lock or hide threads. Yes?

It's by no means unknown for threads to be closed by mods once the original question has been answered. There would have been no intention to hide it, merely close it to further additions because the question had been answered. And, in the event, I didn't do anything, so you're kind of complaining about something that didn't happen!

But you raise a good point: I'm a mod on many boards, but I don't actually know if I am on this board.

Sorry, I guess I was on autopilot.

MDW1954

PS: Having checked, I am a mod on this board.

Apologies I wasn't intending my comment to come across as a complaint. More a case of me wondering if my understanding of how this site worked wasn't quite complete!

Yes I've noticed threads being locked on DAK because the question has been answered but I've not noticed that happening on other boards.

[raybarrow]

Hi,
For very basic 'editing' I just use my Foxit PDF reader. Like another reply I've got used to adding text boxes or empty boxes to hide stuff. As long as it's not too involved it works for me. The Libre Office (LO) comment was interesting. I prefer LO to word but hadn't thought of editing PDF with it. Never too old to learn.
Ray.

[formoverfunction]

So, I have a slightly different take on this, I get a lot of PDF's.

I am more concerned about the security issues than saving money, so I have virtual machine running Fedora and a companion machine running Ubuntu on a Raspberry Pi.

The VM cost nothing and I've never found a lack of tools in Linux for working with PDF's or simply converting them to text files. Almost all of them free.

https://opensource.com/alternatives/adobe-acrobat

Do you have the space and energy to try that approach?