The answer is Yes. Although heaps of PDF software ask you to purchase its pro version to use, there are some enabling you to make changes to PDF files without a free trial and subscription. Here in this post, we’ve introduced the 7 best free PDF editors compatible with Windows, and you can choose the best fit.
- SwifDoo PDF
- Inkscape
- PDFelement
- Sejda PDF Desktop
- PDFsam Basic
- PDFescape
- Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
1. SwifDoo PDF
SwifDoo PDF is a free PDF editor that Windows users can’t miss. It offers various editing tools to help alter or delete existing text or images, and add new text, links, or backgrounds to your PDF files. Annotating a PDF is also included with its wide range of capabilities. Besides, the PDF editing software is equipped with advanced features for converting, compressing, and splitting PDF documents. For completed PDF tasks, it’s also worth considering if you are looking for a budget-friendly all-in-one application.
Thanks to the program’s smooth loading and intuitive interface, you can quickly find the target tool across a set of PDF editing features. It takes up a small space on your computer. This best free PDF editor on our list can be free downloaded for Windows 10, 8.1, 7, XP, and the most recent Windows 11.
Pros:
- Outstanding free editing features for adding, changing, erasing, formatting text, and inserting images in PDF.
- Free PDF annotating.
- Create, convert, merge, compress, organize, and translate PDFs.
- Fast and easy to use.
Cons:
- Only the Windows version.
- Edit old and new content in PDF files
- Convert, merge, split, organize, and compress PDFs
- Small and fast
Windows 11/10/8.1/7/XP
2. Inkscape
Inkscape is one of the best free PDF editors for Windows that is open source and also installable on other operating systems. The latest version of the free PDF editor runs on Windows 10, 8 and 7, and users having Windows Vista or XP should use the older version of the software. The open-source software can make a PDF editable so you are able to change the text and images as easily as in Word. It also comes with PDF annotating tools for you to highlight and draw on PDFs.
If you are looking for a completely free PDF editor to use on your Windows device, Inkscape is no doubt the ideal choice. It won't let you upgrade or subsribe to any plan.
Pros:
- Open-source free PDF editor for Windows and other multiple platforms.
- It has PDF highlighter, and PDF drawing tools and allows you to view PDFs in different modes.
- It allows you to create documents from the templates it provides.
Cons:
- You can only open and edit one page each time.
- No PDF splitting, organizing or other features.
3. PDFelement
Wondershare PDFelement is another free PDF editor that Windows devices support. The software can perform a plethora of PDF editing tasks. You can use it to alter existing content, add images, text, comments, and more elements to a PDF document. The basic editing and annotating features are free. In addition, it contains tools for rearranging, inserting, extracting, and OCR PDF pages.
When needed, the program’s integrated converter lets you transform a variety of files into high-quality PDFs. You can free download the free PDF editor for the latest Windows OS (including Windows 10, and 8.1) and macOS. If you hope to edit a PDF without Adobe Acrobat - the leading PDF editing software on the Mac, it’s a stellar option.
Pros:
- Full set of tools to edit PDF documents.
- Ability to add comments to PDFs.
- PDF converter, PDF creator, and more roles.
- Modern graphical user interface.
Cons:
- Output files will be watermarked in the free version.
- A little slow in processing PDF files.
4. Sejda PDF Desktop
The third best free PDF editor that Windows users can pick is the Sejda PDF Desktop editor. The software has both desktop and online versions. It is perfect for people with no PDF editing experience, as all the features are free and straightforward to access. The PDF editing software helps replace original text and images, insert new content and pages, and do more with your PDF files. It is also one of the best PDF creators for creating PDFs from multiple types of files.
Whether you are a Windows 10/11, or older Windows 8/7, Mac, or Linux user, the PDF editor can be free downloaded to work with.
Pros:
- Free service for editing, rotating, converting, splitting PDF files, etc.
- Form filling feature to rework and add fillable fields.
- Resize, highlight, protect PDFs.
- Clean and simple to learn.
Cons:
- Limitations on every kind of task.
5. PDFsam Basic
If your purpose of editing a PDF is to merge or split PDF pages to create new PDFs, take a look at the freeware, PDFsam Basic. This free PDF editor, developed for Windows, Mac, and Linux OS, is an open-source software application. It is also designed with a PDF page extractor and rotator for giving your PDF files a professional look. You can utilize the program to process PDF files individually or in batches.
As a completely free solution, PDFsam Basic deserves to be rated as the best free PDF editor for Windows 10 and other users. If needed, you can free download the PDF editor’s full version with this PDF page remover, and more editing tools.
Pros:
- Rotate, combine, separate, and extract PDF pages.
- Batch processing supported.
- Small footprint.
Cons:
- Lack many functions such as adding new, or editing existing text in PDF.
6. LightPDF
Similar to Sejda PDF, LightPDF also comes as a desktop application and an online tool. It can be free downloaded as your best free PDF reader and editor for nearly all Windows computers, such as Windows 10. The application makes editing and organizing PDF files no longer tricky. A library of tools enable you to add shapes, images, form fields, and other objects to a PDF. Cropping, deleting, or rotating PDF pages with the PDF editing software is also not a problem for Windows users.
If you are struggling to make a PDF editable, the free offline PDF editor available on Windows is worth trying. Here’s a look at some highlights and downsides of the program.
Pros:
- A series of editing options in the software.
- Add passwords, signatures, and watemarks to PDF files.
- Come with a PDF translator.
- Smooth and quick to use.
Con:
- Files saved from the free PDF editor are watermarked.
7. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
As both a free PDF viewer and editor, Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is a world’s famous PDF application available on Windows. It incorporates the ability to add text, highlights, and shapes to PDF documents. You can secure and digitally sign your PDF to ensure its integrity and security with the software. The free top PDF editor can be free downloaded but is heavy, so you should take your storage space into consideration to adopt it.
Pros:
- Capable of annotating PDF documents with a suite of tools.
- Allow you to add digital signatures to a PDF.
- Protect PDFs with passwords.
Cons:
- No capability to change the previously created text in a PDF.
How We Test a Free PDF Editor for Windows
A free PDF editing application or program should let you make a PDF different from the original version. You can add or remove content from PDF files. Some of them may play more roles in managing PDFs on Windows, not just a free PDF text editor. The best free PDF editors that Windows computers can run in this article have some of the following features.
- PDF editing
- PDF annotation
- PDF creation and conversion
- Smooth and quick to use
If you just need to view and annotate PDF files, there are so many best PDF reader apps recommended on WindowsReport.com to help. These apps may also allow you to bookmark your PDFs and do something else for free.
To Sum Up
No more worrying about what to use to edit a PDF for free. Any mentioned free PDF editor obtainable on Windows or other OS might be a path to completing your work. One thing you have to do is review and confirm your needs so as to choose the most suitable one. If possible, you can switch between these different applications to use as many PDF editing tools as possible so that features not available in one software can be accessed in another.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 100% free PDF editor?
There are completely free PDF editors allowing you to do a few basic tasks with PDF files, such as online and open-source software. In the early stages of software release, developers may also provide free services for marketing. Except for that, nearly all applications are partially free with limitations.
What is the best free PDF reader for Windows?
It’s easy to find a lot of free PDF readers, and SwifDoo PDF might be one of the best with multiple reading modes and annotating feature.
Does Microsoft Office have a PDF editor?
Microsoft Office doesn’t have a dedicated PDF editor, but you can open and edit a PDF file in Microsoft Word. The MS Office mobile app allows you to scan, sign, and create PDF files from images, Excel, and other files.
Does Google have a free PDF editor?
You can edit a PDF in Google Chrome for free with an installed extension – Free PDF Editor. The Chrome extension enables you to create, fill out PDF forms, add text to, and protect PDF files.
