How to Edit a PDF Without Adobe Acrobat in 2024

PDF is a popular and widely applied file format used in electronic documents and forms. This is because PDFs are consistent on every device, which is important in today's high-tech culture. Adobe Acrobat is considered by many to be one of the best tools for managing and editing PDFs. However, it's slightly expensive, and not everyone can afford it.

Which begs the question, how do you edit a PDF without Adobe Acrobat? This article will teach you different ways of editing PDFs without Acrobat. Stick around to learn more.

Why Do You Need to Edit PDF without Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is the most famous solution for PDF editing. While Adobe Acrobat continues to be at the forefront of everything PDF, there are new players in the market today to keep an eye on. Here are the reasons why you want to edit PDF without Adobe.

• Cost efficiency: Adobe Acrobat is a premium software with a subscription-based model. If you only need to perform basic PDF editing tasks and don't want to invest in a costly subscription, there are alternative tools available that offer essential editing features without a high price tag.
• Ease of use: Some users find Adobe Acrobat's interface to be complex, especially for simple editing tasks. Other Adobe alternatives can provide a more user-friendly experience with intuitive interfaces, making it easier for users to quickly edit and manipulate PDF documents.
• Faster editing speed: In some cases, users may find some Adobe alternatives to be more lightweight and faster in terms of processing and editing documents. If you often need to make quick edits or annotations without waiting for a resource-heavy application to load, opting for a faster alternative can significantly improve your workflow efficiency. This is especially relevant for users working with large PDF files or on less powerful hardware.
• Specialized features: Depending on your specific needs, Adobe Acrobat may lack the features that you need. Some tools cater to niche requirements, such as advanced form filling, redaction capabilities, or specific annotation options. Exploring different Adobe Acrobat alternatives allows you to find one that aligns better with the unique editing tasks you frequently encounter.

There are PDF editors that allow you to edit PDFs without using Acrobat at a fraction of the cost to save you money in the long run. Also, some of the apps we'll list are just as fast, so you can do more in less time. However, if you don't have the budget to get a dedicated PDF program, here are different methods to edit a PDF without Acrobat.

Method 1: Wondershare PDFelement

Using Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor when editing PDFs retains your document's quality no matter what you do and whomever you share it with. PDFelement is one of the top-rated PDF productivity apps available today on desktop and mobile to handle all your PDFs without the steep learning curve.

Advantages of PDFelement

The key features of PDFelement cover all editing and conversion needs on all your PDF files. PDFelement also works whether you're on Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android, making it a great pick if you're looking for a budget-friendly PDF editor.

Here are some key features of PDFelement that you can immediately take advantage of.

How to edit PDFs without Adobe using PDFelement

Step 1 Download and install PDFelement. Once installed, launch the tool on your computer.

Step 2 Open a PDF file saved on your computer. Alternatively, you can use the drag-and-drop feature to open a PDF on the main program window.

Step 3 Click Add Text or Add Image to start editing. Or, click on the area you want to edit to highlight.

Step 4 Use other editing tools such as watermarks, background, or more, depending on your preference. Once you finish editing, click Apply and save your new PDF.

Method 2: Use Microsoft Word

You can also edit PDFs on Microsoft Word, albeit with some limitations. Here's how to edit PDF files without Adobe.

Step 1 Launch Microsoft Word. Click File > Open > choose your PDF file.

Step 2 Word will automatically make a copy of your PDF into a format it can display. Click OK.

Step 3 Edit the document using Word's different editing tools.

Step 4 After your edits, Click Save, choose the folder to save the document in the Save as from the menu, and click OK.

Advantages of Microsoft Word

You can edit PDFs with Word if you don't have Acrobat or any PDF editing software installed on your computer. It does have a certain limitation, however. Editing PDFs with Word works best for PDF files that are mostly text. If you intend to edit PDFs with images, or a scanned PDF, then it won't be formatted well in Word and may not display correctly.

Method 3: Use Preview

If you don't have Acrobat installed on your Mac, you can use Mac's built-in Preview tool.

Preview on Mac allows you to edit your PDFs, like doing markups, adding text, notes, signatures, and more. Here's how.

Step 1 Open your PDF in Preview.

Step 2 Click Tools > Annotate and choose from the different editing tools available.

Step 3 Save your PDF once you're done with your edits with File > Save.

Advantages of Preview

Preview is free to use and you don't need to install third-party application to your Mac. You can quickly use Preview to view, annotate, edit PDF without Acrobat on Mac.

Method 4: Wondershare HiPDF

If you don't have access to Microsoft Word or a dedicated PDF editor, you can always look for online tools to edit your PDFs when you're in a pinch. Here are some free PDF editing websites you can visit without paying any subscription fees.

Wondershare HiPDF is a free online tool to edit all your PDF workflows. HiPDF's tools allow you to convert, merge, compress, edit, split PDFs, and more with just a few clicks. It's a great alternative to Acrobat as it has up to 39 free online tools to make your tasks quick and simple.

How to edit PDFs without Adobe online

Here are the steps to edit your PDF files using HiPDF's free online tool.

Step 1 Go to HiPDF. Click Choose File or drop the PDF saved on your computer on the main program window.

Step 2 Edit your PDF file using different tools such as adding Text, Image, Shape buttons, add Signature, and more.

Step 3 Click Apply to save your changes. Wait for your new PDF file to process and save it to your computer.

Advantages of HiPDF

With HiPDF, you can easily edit PDF online without software download. It is an all-in-one platform for you to convert, compress, combine, split and edit PDF files.

Method 5: Smallpdf

Smallpdf is another free online PDF editor that can handle your PDFs quickly and efficiently. The free online tool can do up to two PDF processing per day. You can get its paid version if you want unlimited access to Smallpdf's editing tools.

Advantages of SmallPDF

SmallPDF can quickly process PDF files without Adobe. It allows you to add text, shape, highlight to PDFs. Its Pro version enables you to change or delete text in PDF. And it is much cheaper than Adobe Acrobat.

Method 6: iLovePDF

iLovePDF offers free, accessible, and a wide range of tools to modify your PDFs on the go. If you're looking for a quick solution, iLovePDF's free online tools work on major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Explorer 10+, and Safari.

Advantages of iLovePDF

iLovePDF is a free online PDF editor for you to add text and images to PDF without using Adobe Acrobat. It also allows you to convert PDF to Word, Excel, PPT, JPG, PNG, and other formats.

Edit PDF Without Adobe on Mobile

PDFelement is also available on iOS and Android if you need a reliable PDF app on your mobile phone.

Here's a step-by-step guide to starting editing PDFs on your mobile.

Step 1 Download and install PDFelement on iOS or Android. Launch the app on your phone.

Step 2 Open a PDF saved on your mobile device. With the PDF file open, tap any text on your PDF to highlight it and start editing.

Step 3 Tap Save once you're finished editing your PDF file.

Adobe Acrobat vs. PDFelement: Which One Should You Choose

With the handy comparison table below, this section will compare Adobe Acrobat with PDFelement if you're still undecided on which PDF editing software you should choose.

Final Words

Editing PDFs without Adobe Acrobat can be a nightmare if you don't know different methods. Even then, using workarounds like Word on Windows and Preview on Mac allow you to do basic editing, especially if you're in a hurry.

On the other hand, you can choose from a wide range of free online PDF editors available today if you have internet connectivity. However, it's still highly recommended to use a dedicated PDF editor like PDFelement, whether on a computer or mobile phone, to access advanced tools and make it easier to edit PDFs daily.