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Best free PDF editors in 2023

The best free PDF editors let you create, edit, and work together on files without any subscriptions or fees. 

We all know how important PDF files are. They literally keep millions of businesses on the same page. The best PDF editors we've tried - yes, even free versions - let you create and design seriously professional documents. There are limitations, and few free PDF editing software is as feature-packed as the likes of Adobe Acrobat. But add in e-signatures, forms, and enhanced security tools, and you do have some of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives without any subscriptions or lifetime licenses. 

Our team of PDF experts have been hand-testing the top-rated apps and platforms to find out which is really the best. Here's what we learned and why we recommend using these apps and platforms online, on desktop, and on mobile. As part of our review process, we’ve tested out each free PDF app’s integrated tools, filetype support, collaboration and cloud storage facilities. Optional pricing upgrades are always noted, but every apps and platforms we tried here offers a completely free PDF editor. 

You may have to pay for these, but they're some the top PDF software we've tried. 

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

A streamlined PDF creator and editor offered for free

Platform: PC

Plan: Free

Developer: Geek Software

Features include: PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, merging, eSign, OCR

Completely free

Fast and light

Lots of features for every need

Occasionally a bit clunky

Windows-only

PDF24 Creator is our pick for best free PDF editor overall. You may find the website a tad dated, but the tool is surprisingly feature-rich.

The free PDF editor is a very small program that can easily run on older systems - ideal, then, for businesses with limited resources or a suite of low-spec computers.

When we tested the software, we rated it as one of the best free tools, going above and beyond what's expected. It’s full of features, and has everything needed to create and edit PDF documents. While we noted that it lacked more advanced features usually found in premium tools like Adobe Acrobat DC, we felt that most users will find more than enough utility within PDF24 Creator. 

The Windows-only tool serves up a PDF editor for free document creation, PDF merging, PDF compressing, and converting PDFs into other formats. You can even optimize a PDF for the web or apply OCR to a PDF, so that you can convert scanned images to text.

PDF24 Creator has a minimalistic user interface and it’s clear that the program is designed around speed first and foremost. The interface can feel a little clunky at times, but all of the important features are easy to find and when you first open the software, you’re presented with a grid of editing options. And yes, our top choice for best free PDF editor is genuinely free and unlimited, through and through.

Read our full PDF24 Creator review 

Free online PDF editor with something for everyone

Platform: Web, PC

Plan: Free, Subscription, Perpetual license

Developer: PDF Candy

Features include: PDF editor, PDF reader, conversion, compression, merging, eSign

Free online editor

Loads of features and tools

OCR capabilities

Windows version available

No Mac or mobile apps

Free version only allows for one task each hour

PDF Candy is ideal if you want a free online PDF editor and a way to edit PDF files in your browser. You’ll also find a desktop version available for Windows if you upgrade to the lifetime license. 

Easily one of the best free PDF editors online, it's delightfully simple to use - everything is clean, clear, and easy to navigate. And it's absolutely packed with functionality, with an impressive 47 different tools for editing, altering, converting PDF files, and so much more. During our tests, we found PDF editing as effortless every other function in the software, delighted that "editing text in a PDF file isn’t a million miles away from editing a word processor document."

The free version places a one-task-per-hour limit - e.g., processing an edited PDF file or converting a document. This can be removed by setting up a monthly or annual subscription, or purchasing it outright for a one-off payment. The latter also grants access to the Windows-only desktop PDF editor app. If restriction is too much to bear, and you don't need everything the platform offers, try PDF24 Creator - it's fully free across the board. 

Elsewhere, PDF Candy has a good amount of useful tools and features. This includes the option to edit PDF files online, convert documents to a variety of formats, merge and compress PDFs. 

On top of that, PDF Candy lets you easily extract text and images, resize pages, and add watermarks.  In total, there are an impressive 47 different tools to help you manage and edit PDF files. All features are found in a handy list of buttons, so you won't spend ages looking for what you need. Overall, we found service delightfully simple, but as with even the best free PDF editors, an upgrade unlocks its full potential.   

Read our full PDF Candy review

The lightweight, online, conversion king of PDF editors

Platform: Web, Windows, Android, iOS

Plan: Free, Subscription

Developer: Smallpdf

Features include: PDF editor, PDF reader, scanner, conversion, compression

Cloud-based

Powerful range of tools

Allows you to convert PDFs to other formats

Cross-platform (for a price)

Can only process two documents per day

Extra cost for desktop app

Smallpdf was created with a single goal in mind: edit and compress PDFs. 

But what sets it apart from the competition is its extensive multi-lingual support, available in 24 different languages and used in 195 countries around the world.  

Long considered one of the best free PDF editors online - you can make all the changes you need from your browser - the user experience is excellent and incredibly easy to use. When we tested Smallpdf, we found the lightweight, cloud-based tool perfect for simple tasks, but not ideal for high-volume editing or advanced features. 

We found using the PDF editor very straightforward. Upload your PDF via the website, and begin making annotations and taking notes. We also liked the option to add pictures, text and shapes to a PDF. Once the necessary changes are made, Smallpdf gave us the option to compress a PDF or export it as a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file.

There are restrictions, as you'll find in many of the best free PDF editors. Chiefly, you're locked to two tasks per day - so a fully free tool like PDF24 Creator or Canva might be a better choice for more consistent use. 

If you want even more functionality, you can upgrade to Smallpdf’s premium edition. While the web version is slightly cheaper, you can pay a bit more to take advantage of the desktop version so you can work offline. Alongside a web PDF editor and Windows desktop app, users can also install the PDF editor on Android and iOS phones.

Read our full Smallpdf review 

Edit, share, and sign documents

Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, Android, iOS

Plan: Free, subscription

Developer: DocHub

Features include: PDF editor, eSign, Google and Dropbox integration

Great range of signature options

Google and Dropbox integration

Wide filetype support

Easy to use

Minor glitches were reported by some users.

Not made for demanding, advanced workflows

If you’re looking for a free PDF editor with signing capabilities, DocHub is worth considering. When we went hands-on with the software, we described it as “a true gem, delivering comprehensive functionality without burdening users with unnecessary expenses.” 

The free plan has limits, but it’s relatively generous if you’re only a casual user. You’re allowed 2,000 documents, five eSignatures, three sign requests, and three email attachments per day. The pro plan, which costs $10 per user per month, lifts these restrictions for unlimited document editing. Subscribing also adds a handful of features and tools, like a wide font library and the ability to add drop-down menus to PDFs. 

During our time with DocHub, we found it intuitive and easy to navigate, with a good line in security for businesses. You’ll find an excellent page manager, where you can rearrange, label, rotate, add, or delete pages - just right click for all the options. And field creation was equally wide-ranging, letting you add extras like text boxes and legally binding signatures. Sharing and collaboration tools, ensuring you get documents signed by others, are also plentiful. 

But it’s not as feature-filled as dedicated PDF editors, and on the free plan, you’ll only have access to three basic fonts - Courier New, Times New Roman, Helvetica. But for getting your documents signed, it's absolutely up to job. 

Read our full DocHub review 

Design and edit PDFs right in your browser

Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android

Plan: Free, Subscription

Developer: Canva

Features include: PDF editor, reader, designer

Incredibly easy to use

Free with very few limits

Ideal for designing documents

Lacks advanced tools

Browser-based only

No OCR and eSign tools

Canva’s free PDF editor is a good choice if you’re looking to create documents from scratch or re-edit an existing file. 

Like the platform’s design app and logo maker, the browser-based editor is pure child’s play.  If you’re familiar with Canva’s other free tools, you won’t find any surprises here. And if you’ve never made or edited a PDF document before, it won’t take long to master the tools and build professional-looking assets. Select an element, drag it into position, and that’s that. It offers a decent amount of customization. You’ll also find it packed with stock images and vector graphics that can be added to your file. 

When we reviewed Canva - one of the best free PDF editors with design capabilities - we were especially impressed with its ability to turn existing PDFs into editable documents. Upload your file and the tool smartly identifies the different elements on the page - text boxes, images, background colors, that sort of thing. You’re then free to click and modify (or delete) any of these. 

There is also an app library for added utility. This is where you can connect your cloud storage services, add links, and even create QR codes. This is all free to use, but there is a monthly/annual subscription available, adding business-focused utilities such as brand kits, more cloud storage, premium graphics, and social media scheduling. Subscribers gain access to these across the Canva platform; it’s not limited to the PDF editing tool.

Effortless is, perhaps, the best way to describe this top free PDF editor. But while the tool excels on the design side, it lacks many of the advanced features you’ll find in full-fat software like Adobe Acrobat. There’s no OCR, for example, and no eSign integration. That makes it best for teams and marketing departments largely focused on designing their own PDF assets. 

Read our full Canva PDF Editor review 

Read, take notes, and much much more

Platform: Mac

Plan: Free

Developer: Apple

Features include: PDF manipulator, reader, highlighter, annotations

Included with all Macs

Image-editing tools included

Can annotate and add signatures to PDFs

Only available for macOS

Lacks OCR

Apple’s Preview app is free, and as you’d imagine, only available on Apple devices like the MacBook. It’s designed to let you preview many different image formats, but its most interesting feature is its ability to view, interact with, and manipulate PDFs.

After testing our choice for best free PDF editor for Mac, we concluded that Apple’s product was a remarkably powerful editor, allowing you to perform what could be considered advanced content manipulation and note taking tools.

The basics are seamless: open a file, scroll through the pages, search for specific words, print the whole document, or just parts of it, fill in specific fields, add notes, it’s all there, and you can’t really ask for an easier-to-use PDF reader.

But Preview goes one better: you can manipulate PDFs files to a certain extent. There's no text editing, but you can reorder pages, rotate them, and even delete them. 

On the downside, despite being one of the best free PDF editors on the market, it lacks OCR tools. But most other functions should cater for most users. For custom PDF creation, you have the option of copying and pasting pages into new documents - as long as those original PDFs allow you to copy their pages.

Read our full Apple Preview review 

An effective tool to modify PDFs online

Platform: Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, Web

Plan: Free, Subscription

Developer: iLovePDF

Features include: PDF manipulator, scanner, compression, conversion, protection, merge, OCR

Very easy to use

Mostly free online service

Some clever tools

Good for minor document manipulation

Multi-platform

Certain features require subscription

Not a full PDF editor

I Love PDF is an online service that allows you to manipulate PDF files in a number of ways. You can merge files together, split a single one into multiples, and convert documents to and from the PDF format. The only thing you can't do is alter the original content of a PDF, although you can add additional text boxes, images and shapes.

So, it’s not a full PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat DC. In fact, we noted in our review of the PDF editing tool that while it lets you manipulate documents in many ways, the drawback is that you can’t actually change the existing content of these files. You can only add extra text boxes, shapes, images, and the like. 

Despite this, it does contain a number of interesting features that are cleverly implemented. This includes being able to use your phone’s camera to scan pages, and have them appear back on your page on your computer, once done. You can easily add page numbers to every page, or even a watermark, and of course add a digital electronic signature to a document.

The online PDF editor is free, as long as you access it from a web browser. A handful of tools have limited functionality in this way, but should be suitable for most people’s needs. 

If you require more advanced features like OCR and offline PDF editing , then you’ll need to consider subscribing.  

Read our full I Love PDF review 

Best free PDF editor for data security

Platform: Web, Windows, Mac, Linux

Plan: Free, Subscription

Developer: Sejda

Features inlcude: PDF editor, compression, conversion, protection, merge, eSign

No account required

Simple and easy to use interface

Uploaded files are deleted after 2 hours

File size limitations

Time restrictions on free tier

Sejda, like PDF Candy and Smallpdf, is one of the best free PDF editors available online in your browser. You can also grab a separate free downloadable, editable PDF app for desktops. 

What sets it apart from other similar offerings, however, are its security features. All files uploaded to the service are automatically wiped from its servers after two hours. This means you can use it to work on sensitive documents without having to be worried about your data being leaked or stolen.

Sejda as a convincingly power PDF editor - in our tests, we found that using it is incredibly self-explanatory, and it was frankly difficult to fault the tools on offer. On the other hand, we were disappointed by the lack of precision over layout and movement controls. In fact, during our time on the platform, we were noted a big flaw: "While you will find that it is possible to edit text, you're likely to find that fonts are changed, making it apparent precisely where edits have been made."

Sejda also offers a desktop version with the biggest difference being that all of the processing is handled locally as opposed to in the cloud. Regardless of which free version you choose, Sejda limits you to working on a maximum of three tasks per day, one file at a time and files can’t be larger than 50MB or 200 pages.

In addition to being able to edit PDF text, you can add new text as well as images including shapes and drawings. Sejda also lets you add annotations, create forms, whiteout sections of a document and more. However, it's worth noting that free users will get hit by the file size and time restrictions. For those that do decide to upgrade, Sejda is available as a weekly, monthly or annual subscription though there are discounts for larger teams with multiple users.

Read our full Sejda review 

A PDF editor lets you assemble a Portable Document Format (PDF) file from scratch, as well as amend the content of existing PDF files. The format was released by Adobe in 1993 as a way to standardize documents viewed across different platforms, devices, and screens. Most PDF editors come with the ability to convert, or batch convert, common file types such as Microsoft Office’s Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to and from the PDF format. You’ll also find more advanced tools like optical character recognition (OCR) software. 

Whether or not a free PDF editor is best for you will largely depend on how you’ll use it, and where. While there are some free PDF desktop apps that work offline, they don’t always feature multi-platform and mobile support. Many others are only available online in your browser. You'll find some have extra features, complete with the best PDF merger tools and best PDF compressors for most home and office uses. But others are bereft of anything but the basics. So, it can be hit-and-miss. Free PDF editors can also impose usage limits, such as the amount of files you can import, or export, per day. As such, they’re often better for light users, or to get a taste for the tool.  After testing out paid-for editors, we wanted to take a look at the good and the bad of the best free PDF editors to see what's there and what's not and whether a free PDF editor is a good alternative to a paid app. 

Free PDF editors are popular and good for general use, though they lack the advantages and features of paid versions. 

Many free tools impose limits that can only be unlocked with a lifetime license or subscription. If you open and editor a lot of PDF documents, you'll need to be selective choosing the best free PDF editor. This is one of the main reasons why we loved PDF24 Creator and if you're a heavy PDF user, this is the one we recommend. 

Most free PDF editing software, however, is fine for occasional or semi-regular use. If you don't need a lot of features and fancy tools, there's plenty of options out there. 

Where businesses may hesitate in choosing a free PDF editor over a paid app is data security. It's worth being aware of some of the reasons why organizations often tend to go premium in our guide 5 reasons why you should avoid free PDF editors

All PDF editors are designed differently - although tools and layouts follow a similar pattern. We’ve covered several ways to alter documents in the most popular paid-for and free PDF editors with our guide How to edit a PDF.

We've also highlighted the best method in Sedja PDF editor in our guide How to edit a PDF for free.

PDF24 Creator is a completely free PDF editor. It's free of charge, free of spyware, and it's our pick for best free PDF editor overall. But there are loads of amazing free PDF editing software depending on your needs and device/platform - many also include paid-for upgrades for premium features. 

Windows 10 doesn't include a built-in free PDF editor. You'll need to download a third-party app to create and edit any PDF files. However, like most browsers, the Windows 10 Edge browser features one of the best free PDF readers. It's a little basic, but ideal for quickly viewing and highlighting documents online. 

Trying to decide which free PDF editor is best for you? Free PDF software tends to be less feature-filled than premium counterparts like out Editor's Picks. But there are a few features to look out for. 

Document editingMake sure you can edit documents. We've tested plenty of the best PDF readers Windows and the best PDF readers for Mac, and while some let you modify a document, they don't offer full editing capabilities. You don't want editing software that won't let you design a document from scratch.

Collaboration toolsPDFs are essential in digitally minded organization - so check your free PDF editor has tools for sharing, commenting, leaving notes, and making annotations to documents.

eSignaturesWith uses from HR to sales, digital signatures are fast becoming business-critical. Some of the top-rated free tools include the best eSign software for collecting and securely storing legally binding signed documents. 

Converter A really good free PDF editor will include conversion tools, letting you change a filetype from or to an editable PDF document. We've hand-tested everything from the best Word to PDF converters to the best PDF to AutoCAD converters, and we know how useful this feature is for all kinds of workflows. 

Cloud storage Reducing and saving storage space is one of the big benefits to PDF documents, so it's worth checking whether the best cloud storage is integrated into the platform. This will mean you can easily and securely access and share documents from connected devices. 

Optical character recognition Optical character recognition (OCR) may be a nice-to-have for some users, but it will be essential for anyone with too many paper files unsecured and taking up space. When a free PDF editor has the best OCR software equipped, it can scan and convert paper documents into digital documents, making them easy to securely store.

We've tested a host of PDF apps, including the best PDF readers for Android and the best PDF to PowerPoint converters. We take the same user-centric approach to all our testing, reviewing, and rating. We've looking for seamless user experiences, clear signposting, documentation, and support. We're also looking for toolkits that match the workflows of intended users. 

To test for the best free PDF editors, we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. 

We then tested the service using a handful of PDF files to see how the PDF editor could handle editing not just text, but also images, as well as tables imported from Microsoft Excel. 

The aim was to push each software platform to see whether it could simply and easily not just edit a range of content types but also do so faithfully and consistently without introducing formatting issues or similar problems.

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Designing A Coach Training Program For AI Transition In HR

Thomas Lim is an AI+Web 3.0 Coach & Trainer. Dean with Thrive Consulting and Vice Dean of SIM Academy; He is an author and game designer.

The workplaces of our world have entered the Fifth Industrial Revolution, where AI is changing the game and businesses are dealing with a whole new level of complexity. The way we work is evolving, and it is bringing two important things to the forefront: the game-changing power of coaching and the crucial role HR plays in tackling complex challenges with systems thinking. These two forces are coming together to usher in a new age of organizations that are agile, constantly learning and harnessing the potential of AI to keep evolving.

The workplace coaching intervention which had hitherto been deemed a "nice to have," has firmly established itself as a vital tool for nurturing autonomy and motivation in employees. And when we bring AI into the mix, it takes coaching to a whole new level of workplace efficacy. Nonetheless, the fear of AI displacing jobs is very real, and HR personnel represent the first line of defense against AI resistance, even as they themselves might feel threatened.

I have seen substantive gains when HR professionals are coached and trained to coach while being given adequate AI training and tools. A crucial element in this adaptation is coach training programs tailored to help navigate the AI-enabled HR organizational development (HROD) agenda effectively.

To facilitate this transition, the Wheel of Work for HR can serve as an invaluable tool. This framework, consisting of interconnected topics pertinent to HR in the AI era, can guide internal workplace coaches in their efforts to support HR personnel. Here are some broad themes that might spark HR coaching conversations.

• AI Integration And Ethical Considerations: This theme deals with AI in HR, data privacy and ethical AI use. Coaches can help HR professionals understand the potential of AI in HR processes, emphasizing data-driven decision-making while also addressing ethical concerns and privacy issues. A practical example might include workshops on ethical AI algorithms for unbiased recruitment.

• Technology Adaptation And Skill Enhancement: Here we deal with topics such as digital literacy, continuous learning and adaptability. The focus is on upskilling HR personnel in digital competencies and fostering a mindset of continuous learning. Coaches can conduct sessions on leveraging new HRIS (human resources information systems) platforms, ensuring smooth adaptation to AI tools.

• Strategic HR And Leadership: This area of work is all about strategic planning with AI, leadership in digital transformation and change management. The application focuses on coaching systemic and strategic thinking for leaders in the context of AI deployment within organizations. For instance, this workstream can be designed to guide HR leaders through AI-impacted planning processes and change management brought by digital transformation.

• Talent Management And Development: This is a mainstay of HR, and the areas of concern are AI in talent acquisition, employee development with AI and performance management. Coaches can assist HR teams in effectively integrating AI into talent management, from AI-assisted recruiting tools to AI-driven performance tracking systems.

• Diversity And Inclusion: This emerging area of AI for D&I initiatives, bias prevention in AI and inclusive workplace cultures is coming to the fore. The HR Wheel of Work application could be useful here for coaching around using AI to promote diversity and inclusion, such as with tools for identifying and mitigating biases in hiring processes or creating inclusive employee programs.

• Feedback And Employee Relations: We now come to AI in feedback mechanisms, managing employee relations and conflict resolution. The practical usage afforded by coaching is in the training of HR professionals to use AI tools for gathering and analyzing employee feedback or managing relations and resolving conflicts in a digital-driven environment.

• Future-Readiness And Innovation: This final grouping deals with fostering innovation with AI, preparing for future HR trends and AI in learning and development. This theme is about preparing HR for future trends. Coaches can facilitate workshops on incorporating AI into learning and development initiatives or fostering an innovative culture within HR.

When designing coach training programs for HR professionals, several considerations are paramount, from the job role point of view and from adopting a larger vision of business transformation by systematically considering what the HR AI-enabled workforce can achieve for the workplace of tomorrow.

1. AI Literacy And Application: Coaches need to understand how AI tools are used in HR management (HRM)—from recruitment bots to AI-driven analytics. This knowledge is vital to support HR professionals in effectively leveraging these tools.

2. Change Management: Embracing AI necessitates significant changes. Coaches should be equipped to guide HR teams through this transition, addressing resistance, fear and uncertainty.

3. Ethical And Data Privacy Training: AI raises questions about ethics and data privacy. Coaching programs must prepare HR professionals to address these concerns proactively.

4. Soft Skills Development: Despite AI's rise, human-centric skills like empathy, communication and ethical decision-making remain irreplaceable. Coaches must foster these skills to balance AI's efficiency with human touch.

Consider a scenario where an HR professional is struggling with the deployment of an AI-driven recruitment tool. A coach, using the Wheel of Work framework, can guide them to not only understand the technical functionalities of the tool (AI integration and data analytics) but also address any fears or resistance they may encounter among the team.

In another instance, an HR professional might be concerned about the ethical implications of AI in performance management systems. Here, the coach can play a critical role in navigating these complexities (ethical AI use and regulatory compliance) and aid in strategizing their use without compromising on fairness and employee trust (strategic AI deployment and process optimization).

The evolving business tapestry demands an orchestration of strategy, foresight and technology. In this symphony, coaching and HR, empowered by AI, can become harmonious melodies. This trifecta is a revolutionary alliance, propelling organizations into a future of agile improvements. The Wheel of Work for HR emerges as a valuable framework in this journey, offering a structured approach for coaches to help HR professionals navigate the multifaceted challenges of an AI-driven future workforce.

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