Introduction:
In order to remove unwanted white space and margins, we need to crop the PDF. To accomplish this task, a PDF editing tool is needed. You know that you can let Adobe Acrobat help you. However, it requires a subscription to use its editing feature. If you want to know how to crop PDF without Acrobat for free, then just take a few minutes to read this article to get the method!

Can You Crop a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?

The answer is Yes! While Adobe Acrobat is a great tool for cropping PDF files, there are many other tools that can help you with cropping as well.

  • If you still prefer to use a professional PDF tool, then you can choose one of the best Adobe Acrobat alternatives.
  • If you want to finish cropping as soon as possible and don't want to take the time to download any app, then you can take advantage of your browser or an online PDF editor to help you.

Next, I'll show you how to use these tools to crop PDF files. Each tool has its advantages and disadvantages, you can choose one to follow according to your needs.

How to Crop PDF without Acrobat but via SwifDoo PDF

SwifDoo PDF is one versatile PDF tool for Windows users. The tool provides all the conveniences for users to work with PDFs. Whether you want to crop pages, edit text/images, add annotations, or add/delete pages, you can get the job done in one or two clicks. As for PDF cropping, below are its outstanding features.

⭐ Crop PDF in the way you like. You can drag the mouse to crop any part or constrain the proportions to crop out the white margins.

⭐ Batch Cropping. You can set the range of pages that need to be cropped for batch cropping to save time and energy.

SwifDoo PDF has a clear interface and anyone can get started right away. Let’s see how to crop PDF without Acrobat but via this tool.

1. Download, install, and launch SwifDoo PDF.

Click to Get the Powerful PDF Cropper

2. In the home interface, click Open to select your PDF file. Or you can drag and drop the file into the SwifDoo PDF workspace.

3. Click Edit from the menu bar and choose Crop.

4. Now you are ready to crop.

  • When you click Audio Selection, SwifDoo PDF will automatically select a section that it thinks needs to be cropped.
  • When you click Adjustments, you can set the margins.

  • You can also drag the dotted box to select the desired section.

5. If you need to do batch cropping, then you can click Page Range to set it up.

6. If everything is OK, click Apple Changes.

7. To save the file, click the Save button in the upper-left corner.

Pros: Easy-to-use; Custom cropping; Batch cropping; 7-day free trial

Cons: Only available on Windows

How to Crop PDF without Acrobat but via Online Tools

Instead of using a desktop PDF tool, you can also use an online tool to help you crop PDFs. The advantage of this method is that you don't need to spend time downloading and installing tools, but what you need to know is that most online tools have file size limitations. In addition, it is not recommended to use online tools to deal with a PDF file that contains sensitive information, as the network is always not secure.

Anyhow, let me show you how to crop a PDF without Acrobat but via online tools. Here we use PDFResizer. PDF Candy, Sejda PDF Editor, and EasePDF are also good choices.

1. Open your browser and go to https://pdfresizer.com/crop.

Note: You can only crop one page at a time. Therefore, you should split the PDF file in advance.

2. Click Choose Files to select your PDF file > Click Upload files! button.

3. Select Crop to selection, Autocrop, or Extend margins based on your needs. After that, click Crop it! button and save the file to your computer.

Pros: No need to spend time downloading software

Cons: Requires a stable internet connection; There is a file size limit

How to Crop PDF without Acrobat but via Your Browser

What many people don't know is that most major browsers have a built-in PDF reader, which allows users to view PDFs, do some simple editing, print PDFs, etc. The printing option allows you to adjust the paper size and scale. You can take advantage of this feature to crop PDF. Here we take Google Chrome as an example to show you how to crop PDF with Acrobat but via Google Chrome.

1. Right-click the PDF file > Choose Open with and select Google Chrome.

2. Click the Print button at the upper right corner.

3. Select Microsoft Print to PDF > Click More settings and then you can change the size and scale.

4. Click Print and save the file.

Pros: No tools or network required

Cons: Cannot make precise cropping

How to Crop PDF without Acrobat but via Preview App

If you are using a Mac computer, then there is no need to spend time looking for PDF software. With Preview, the built-in image & PDF editor, you can easily crop PDF files. Just read on to see how to crop a PDF without Acrobat on Mac.

1. Open the Preview app > Choose File > Open to open your PDF file.

2. Click Tools and then choose Rectangular Selection.

3. Drag the mouse to select the cropping area.

4. When it’s OK, click Tools > Crop to confirm.

Pros: Easy to use; No need to download a PDF app

Cons: Only available on Mac computer

Final Words

That’s all about how to crop PDF without Acrobat. You can choose to use a desktop program or an online tool to do you a favor. But in general, a professional tool can make things easier. If you want to customize the crop or need a precise crop, SwifDoo PDF will be a better choice. Within a few clicks, you'll get the page you need! Don’t forget to give it a try.

SwifDoo PDF
  • 7-day free trial
  • Custom & batch cropping
  • Modify, add, delete, or replace text/image 
  • Merge and split PDFs to create the one you need
Free Download
Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP

Lena

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