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Save Article Icon A bookmarkPDFs are one of the most widely used document formats, but it isn't always clear how to add text to them.
Fortunately, there are several methods available depending on the device you're using.
Quick tip: You can also sign a PDF document on any device, without the need for a printer or scanner.
Here's how to type on a PDF, whether you're using a Mac, PC, mobile device, or Microsoft Word.
AdvertisementPreview is the default option for viewing PDFs on Macs, and it has a built-in ability to type on those documents.
1. Double-click on the PDF you want to open. As long as you haven't designated another option as the default PDF-viewing option, it will open in Preview. Otherwise, right-click the file and select Open with and then Preview.
2. Click the markup icon, located in the top toolbar of the preview window — it looks like a marker within a circle.
3. Navigate to the page you want to add text to, and then select the Text icon (it looks like a "T" inside of a rectangle). A text box will then appear on the page.
4. Click into the text box and add the desired text, then drag the box to the desired placement.
5. You can change the font and text color by clicking into the text box, selecting the text, and then clicking the Aa button in the top toolbar. Or, if your document already has text fields, you can simply click into those and type.
AdvertisementIf you have Adobe's Acrobat Reader DC (which is free to download) on your computer, you can use it to type on PDFs.
1. Open Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and select Fill & Sign.
2. Click Select a File and choose your desired PDF.
3. Specify who needs to sign and fill out the PDF.
4. Scroll down to the page you want to add text to and hover over the desired area. You may see a highlighted text box appear, in which case you can simply click into it and start typing.
5. If you don't see a highlighted text box and you want an outline as well as text, click the oval-shaped icon in the top toolbar. Then click the area where you want to add a text box and adjust as desired.
6. Click the "Ab" icon in the top toolbar and click near, but not on, the area you just created.
7. Click into the new text area, add your text, and reposition as needed.
AdvertisementThose with an iPhone or iPad can use the built-in Markup tool to add text to a PDF.
1. Open your PDF (you can access these via your email, cloud account, or by using AirDrop to send the document to your device.) If given the option, select Files — you won't see Markup listed as an option — as the opening method.
2. Scroll down to the desired page and select the Markup tool in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Select the plus (+) sign icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen and select Text.
4. Adjust your text box as needed.
5. Tap the text box and select Edit.
6. Add your text to the box and tap out of the box when complete. You can readjust the placement at this point as well.
7. Tap Done when you've added all desired text to the PDF.
AdvertisementIf you have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app installed, you can type on PDFs on your Android device.
1. Open the Adobe Acrobat reader app and select Files in the bottom toolbar.
2. Find the PDF you want to type on and tap to select it.
3. Scroll to the desired page and select the pencil icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen
4. Tap Fill & Sign and then select the "Ab" icon.
5. Tap the area of the page you want to add text to and then select the desired text size and type out your text.
6. Select the check mark in the top-left corner of the screen to finish the process.
AdvertisementMicrosoft Word is another easy option to modify a PDF, though it will involve converting the PDF into a Word document, which can disrupt stylized formatting. For this reason, it's best to use Word for text-only PDFs.
1. Right-click your PDF, select Open With, and select Microsoft Word. You may see a message noting the appearance of your PDF may change — select Yes to continue.
2. Click into the document and type to edit it as you would any other document.
3. When finished, select File in the top-left corner of the window and then select Save As followed by PDF.
Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @devondelfino.
