A selection of quick PDF solutions for all occasions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In this article, you will find ready-made solutions for the vast majority of problems that arise when creating, working and editing PDF documents on a PC and smartphone. The review presents a wide range of programs and web services that significantly speed up and simplify working with PDF.

For more than two decades of its existence, the cross-platform PDF file format has turned from an unknown pioneer into a prominent party leader in electronic document management. Why? PDF is comprehensive! You can cram text, vector / bitmap graphics, multimedia content, interactive links, JavaScript scripts, and 3D modeling objects into it.

While most of us may not use the full power of PDF to its fullest, everyone has to deal with this versatile file format from time to time. Therefore, I suggest that you familiarize yourself and save a cheat sheet with quick recipes for working with PDF on any device that has access to the Network.

How to create PDF without Adobe Acrobat

For many years, Adobe has been developing a specialized program for creating PDF files, Adobe Acrobat. This extremely functional solution is distributed for a lot of money and takes up a decent amount of space on the hard drive. If you don't have to create PDFs of mind-boggling complexity and are aiming for a regular workflow, it's better to get acquainted with the simpler tools.

For example, the Chrome browser can generate PDFs from any web page you open. To do this, you just need to select "Print" in the browser menu (or press the key combination Ctrl + P). In the window that opens, go to the "Printer" submenu and click on the "Save as PDF" option. You will be prompted to set the page orientation, margins and cancel saving headers and footers.

Let me remind you that Google's web browser can open a variety of file types. For example, graphic images. This way, you can drop a picture into Chrome and quickly save it as a PDF for the secretary of a successful organization that does not accept any other file types.

You may not have noticed, but Google Docs, as well as its competitor, the Microsoft Office suite of office utilities, is able to save the results of your work directly to PDF.

For users of other popular browsers, I can advise you to look for extensions that are geared towards saving PDF files. For example, Firefox lovers should pay attention to the Save as PDF add-on. Similar to Chrome, it allows you to save PDFs based on your open site in a couple of mouse clicks.

Admirers of the Windows environment have probably heard about the so-called virtual printers - special utilities that create PDF files from any programs installed on the system. For example, BullZip PDF Printer is distributed free of charge and boasts good functionality.

How to create PDF quickly on mobile

Many office suites for the Android mobile platform have a built-in tool for saving files in PDF format. For example, the well-known Kingsoft Office copes with this task with ease.

If you do not have an office suite installed, and it is difficult to download it, the pdfconvert.me web service will come to the rescue. The web tool can convert message text, links to web pages and attached files into PDF format. To do this, send a message to [email protected], write a text, provide a link or attach a Word, Excel or PowerPoint document, and after a while the service will send you a response message containing the revised PDF file.

How to convert PDF to another format

If you have an urge to make a text document from a PDF file, the easiest way is to use the services of Zamzar. This powerful online file format converter can also save PDF to TXT or DOC. Upload your PDF file via the web interface to the service server and receive a link to the result by email.

How to translate PDF from unfamiliar language

Got a contract in Zulu? No problem! Google Translate will be able to digest a language so far from understanding for you. And yes, there is no need to retype the text from the sent PDF document: you can download the file directly and as a result get a finished translation.

How to edit a PDF document online

If you need to cover up the number in the invoice, highlight a fragment of the additional agreement for agreement with a lawyer, add your comments or attach a seal - feel free to go to PDFzen.

The web service has a light, beautiful interface and will help you cope with simple editing of PDF documents.

How to extract text from a scanned PDF online

A huge number of office workers are sincerely tormented by the question: why can you select text in some PDF files, but not in others? I will leave the question without a direct answer, just pointing out the little-known function of Google Drive.

Go to your cloud drive, click on the settings gear, select Boot Settings and pay attention to the second option.

For converting text from PDF-files and images is responsible for the proprietary OCR-engine from the Corporation for Good. All naughty PDF documents are subject to this setting.

How to combine multiple PDFs

In the vastness of the Web, you can find many services that allow you to combine several PDF files into one. But I like PDF Joiner. How? Preview of downloaded files and the ability to shuffle them in free order.

And everything is done in a simple and visual form. With the help of the web tool, it will be easy for you to staple up to 20 documents related to one contract, for example.

How to remove restrictions from a PDF file

PDF's system of restrictions from copying text, making changes and printing is actually very easy to get around. The Internet is teeming with narrowly focused services that remove such restrictions from PDF documents. For example, I would recommend PDFUnlock. The web tool removes restrictions from PDFs located both on your computer and in the popular cloud storages Dropbox and Google Drive.

How to remove protection from a PDF file

A more complicated situation arises if the creator of the PDF file has set a password to open the file. Such protection is encrypted, and to bypass it, you need to install special programs. The trouble is that with the proper complexity of the password, the process of guessing it (and this is exactly how the unlocking mechanism works) can take a huge amount of time. It may well happen that the game will not be worth the candle. But if you are full of confidence in your abilities (you are sure that the password uses only numbers or consists of three or four characters, for example), try Appnimi PDF Unlocker.

How to fill out a PDF form online

If you need to fill out an application, declaration or report provided in PDF form, do not hesitate to go to PDFfiller for help.

The web service converts your file into a picture, allows you to print text over it, and then produces the result of combining the two layers.

How to add a handwritten signature and your photo to PDF

Does your partner require handwritten signature of the submitted documentation? FillanyPDF will satisfy his desire with a minimum of your efforts.

Plus, the web tool allows you to embed any photo into your document, for example your selfie.

How to extract individual pages from PDF

If your potential client does not want to see the entire multivolume commercial proposal, send him only specific sheets. For these purposes, PDF Split! Looks like an ideal option. It is enough to specify the range (s) of the cut pages, and the web service will save the specified pages in separate files or combine them into a smaller, compared to the original, squeeze.

How to password protect PDF

Do you want to be sure that the PDF will not be read by an unauthorized person? Password protect your document with PDF Protect !.

The web service offers to select the type of encryption, set a password to open the file, restrict access to some PDF functions.

In this article, I focused specifically on network resources that facilitate certain manipulations with PDF documents. Every service offered has online competitors. If you know good alternatives, post them in the comments.