<strong>How to use Microsoft Word as your PDF editor</strong>

As a Google Suite campus, we often forget about the “other” word processing application Microsoft Word and some of the great features that are built in. One of these great features is the ability to edit PDFs.  Yes, I said that correctly; you can edit a PDF document in Microsoft Word without paying for additional software like Adobe Acrobat Professional or its new replacement, FoxIT.

So for those of you who would like an alternative that is 1- FREE, 2- NOT FoxIT, and 3- available anytime from anywhere (because Microsoft Word- Office 365 is browser-based); you should continue reading, and I will help you utilize Microsoft Word as your PDF editor.

*Note you cannot edit PDFs directly in PDF format within Microsoft Word. You CAN open a PDF in Microsoft Word, make edits, and still have a PDF when you are done. Here are the instructions on how to do this:

  • Open up Microsoft Word (from your computer or a web browser by logging into Office 365 and launching Microsoft Word)
    • Go to File > Open
    • Navigate to the PDF document you wish to edit/make changes in
      • Microsoft Word will automatically convert the PDF back into an editable Word (.docx) file
      • Once the file has opened you can make any edits you may need to
      • Once finished with your edits go to File > Save As
      • Choose “Save As Type” in the drop-down menu, and choose PDF
      • Now you have an updated/edited PDF document you can share

What PDF editor is available for Apple IOS?

With so many apps being developed every day, finding the time to test and review applications that will best fit your needs can be pretty challenging.  Luckily, I have done this for you when finding a PDF editor for an IOS device.

PDF Expert wins my vote (and it has for a few years now). This editor is one of the best I have ever used, with an easy-to-use interface. It offers an extensive feature set (editing, annotating, highlighting texts, adding notes quickly, embedding signatures, merging or extracting PDFs, adding images, etc.) that can handle large and small PDFs and integrate and connect with cloud storage easily. If you are looking for a PDF editor that works fast, is easy to learn, and has a full Mac version, this may be just what you are looking for.