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Do you need to fill out a form, and the said form is in PDF? You may need to deal with checkboxes. So, you may be asking, how to put tick mark in PDF? The good news is that there are multiple ways to do this, so it's very easy. Some methods use online PDF tools, while others use offline tools like Wondershare PDFelement. Here, we will help you find a method that works great for you.

In this article
  1. Method 3. How To Insert A Checkmark in PDF for Free (Windows 10+)
  2. Method 4. Add Checkmark to PDF for Free Using PDFgear
  3. Method 5. How To Put Tick Mark in PDF Online
  4. Part 2. What Is the Best Way To Insert Tick Mark in PDF
  5. Part 3. When Would You Need to Insert Tick Mark in PDF?
  6. Conclusion

Method 1. How To Put Tick Mark in PDF Using Wondershare PDFelement

Wondershare PDFelement is an affordable desktop PDF tool. It is available on Mac and Windows. There are also versions for iOS and Android, but here, we will focus on the PC version.

Wondershare PDFelement has form features. You can use it to create or edit forms. That said, you can use Wondershare PDFelement to check existing checkboxes in the PDF. But what if there is a box, but it is not an interactive form element? You can use Wondershare PDFelement to add an interactive checkbox over it. Then, you can add the tick mark.

Here are guides on how to add check marks in PDF using Wondershare PDFelement.

  1. Open the PDF with Wondershare PDFelement.
  2. If the checkboxes are interactive, Wondershare PDFelement will automatically recognize them. Simply click the checkbox to add a tick mark.
adding a tick mark using pdfelement

3. If the box is not interactive, go to Form.

4. Click the Checkbox button.

checkbox option on pdfelement

5. Click on the box in the PDF to add the interactive checkbox. Resize the box as needed.

adding a checkbox using pdfelement

6. Click Home > click the checkbox to add a tick mark.

7. Save the PDF.

Method 2. How To Insert Tick Mark in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Unsurprisingly, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is also a tool you can use to add a tick mark to a PDF. It is as easy as opening the file and clicking the box you want to check! Coupled with Adobe Acrobat's other form tools, it makes for a very attractive solution.

Sidenote: you may be thinking of using the online version of the tool, as the desktop version can be quite expensive. Unfortunately, the online version cannot fill out forms. Thus, you have to get the paid version of Adobe Acrobat.

 With that out of the way, here is how to add a checkmark to PDF using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC:

  1. Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and open the PDF with the interactive checkbox.
  2. Click the checkbox to add a checkmark.
adding a tick mark using adobe acrobat

Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpaGuUfDs6w

3. Save the file.

Method 3. How To Insert A Checkmark in PDF for Free (Windows 10+)

If you are using Windows 10 or above, you'd be happy to know that there's a free way to add a checkmark to your PDF. Microsoft launched the browser Microsoft Edge when they launched Windows 10. And like other browsers, you can use it as a PDF editor. The best thing is Microsoft Edge's PDF editor is more advanced than other browsers. You can use this to add a tick mark to PDFs.

Here is a guide on how to do that:

  1. Right-click your PDF.
  2. Click Open with > Microsoft Edge.
  3. Click the checkbox where you want to put the tick mark.
adding a tick mark using microsoft edge

4. Click Save.

Method 4. Add Checkmark to PDF for Free Using PDFgear

Is money an issue for you? Do you need a better PDF solution than the ones built into your web browsers? If so, this is the method for you. You can use PDFgear to check a checkbox in a PDF. This is a free offline PDF solution, and it is leagues better than you'd expect from a 100% free tool. With this method, you can complete your forms without spending a dime.

Here is how to add a checkmark to a PDF using PDFgear.

  1. Launch PDFgear. Click Open File and select the PDF with the checkbox.
  2. Click the checkbox where you want to put a tick mark.
adding a tick mark using pdfgear

3. Save the PDF.

Method 5. How To Put Tick Mark in PDF Online

Another method for adding a tick mark to PDFs is using online tools. There are some online PDF tools that do have this capability. The best thing is that you can access them from any device with a web browser and an internet connection. Here, we will provide you with three options.

1. How To Make Tick Mark in PDF with PDFfiller

PDFfiller is an online PDF tool with loads of features. While some of the features are paywall-locked, you can use PDFfiller to add a checkmark to PDF for free. But note that for pre-existing ticked checkboxes, the checks are replaced by crosses. Thus, you have to replace them with check marks too.

Here is how you use this PDFfiller:

  1. Open a web browser and go to PDFfiller website.
  2. Select the place where you want to upload your PDF from and click and import it.
  3. Click Check.
  4. Click on the checkbox where you want the tick mark.
adding a tick mark using pdffiller

5. Save the edited PDF by clicking the download button.

2. How To Put Tick Mark in PDF Online for Free Using AvePDF

AvePDF allows you to fill out PDF forms for free. However, please note that the free tier allows you to process only 2 documents per 6 hours. If you're fine with that, it's a great option for you. This tool is integrated with Google Drive and Dropbox. It even lets you import a PDF using a URL. That said, you are not limited to PDFs saved on your device.

Here is a guide on how to add a tick mark to a PDF using AvePDF.

  1. Launch a web browser and go to https://avepdf.com/fill-out-pdf-forms.
  2. Import the PDF from your computer, cloud storage, or using a link.
  3. Click the checkbox you want to check.
adding a tick mark using avepdf

4. Click Save.

3. How To Insert Check Mark in PDFs Easily using Edit-PDFs

Edit-PDFs is a free online PDF tool. It is a very simple one - very child or non-tech-savvy friendly. There's nothing special to be said about it as it doesn't offer much. But it does its job well. It lets you check and uncheck checkboxes, and sometimes, that is all you need.

Here is a quite step-by-step guide.

  1. Open your preferred web browser and go to Edit-PDF's website.
  2. Click Try Edit-PDFs.
  3. Upload the PDF with the checkbox.
  4. Click the checkbox to add a tick mark.
adding a tick mark using editpdfs

5. Click Export my PDF.

Part 2. What Is the Best Way To Insert Tick Mark in PDF

Here is a comparison table to compare the 7 methods.

 

Price

Pros

Cons

Wondershare PDFelement

Yearly - $79.99

Perpetual - $129.99

  • Wondershare PDFelement can add tick marks and even checkboxes.
  • Wondershare PDFelement is an offline tool.
  • Once the free trial is over, you need a subscription to edit and save PDFs.

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Acrobat Pro - $22 per month

Acrobat DC for Teams - $1499 per license per month

  • Adobe Acrobat can easily add checkmarks to PDFs.
  • It can create new checkboxes.
  • The free version is a PDF viewer only. Therefore, you are required to pay.

Microsoft Edge

Free

  • Microsoft Edge is free.
  • It is already pre-installed on Windows PCs.
  • Microsoft Edge is not available on other platforms and Windows 8 and older versions.

PDFgear

Free

  • PDFgear is completely free.
  • PDFgear does not rely on an internet connection.
  • PDFgear cannot add new checkboxes

PDFfiller

Free

Basic - $8 per month

Plus - $12 per month

Premium - $15 per month

  • You can add the check marks wherever you want.
  • It does not require a product installation.
  • PDFfiller replaces existing ticks with crosses.
  • You need an internet connection.

AvePDF

Free

$55/year

  • You can upload from your computer, cloud storage, or URL.
  • It does not require a product installation.
  • The free tier has a PDF 128 MB size limit.
  • You can process only 2 PDFs per 6 hours in the free tier.
  • You need an internet connection.

Edit-PDFs

Free

Monthly - $42

Yearly - $128

  • Edit-PDFs is super simple and easy to learn.
  • It does not require a product installation.
  • You need an internet connection.

Part 3. When Would You Need to Insert Tick Mark in PDF?

PDF is one of the most common file types. Most businesses use this format for all sorts of documents. Some of those are forms that you may need to fill out. And checkboxes are common form elements.

Some example scenarios are when you are applying for a loan or answering a survey. There are also educators who use PDFs for exams. Checkboxes may also appear in contracts and Terms and Conditions documents.

Conclusion

How to put a tick mark in a PDF? That's actually very easy. You need a PDF solution that offers form features, and most of them do. But using Wondershare PDFelement is the best method. Wondershare PDFelement is not an online tool, meaning it does not rely on having an internet connection. Furthermore, Wondershare PDFelement can add checkboxes over boxes that are not interactive. It's super easy, too! And that is why we recommend using Wondershare PDFelement.

Elise Williams
Elise Williams Apr 02, 24
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12 years of talent acquired in the software industry working with large publishers. Public speaker and author of several eBooks on technical writing and editing.