Edit Texts in PDF’s – Tech Guru: How to fix errors

Table of Contents

Add, change, format, delete or highlight text

Set the default font for editing and adding text

Adding text in a PDF, Acrobat, by default, picks up the font attributes nearby for the new text. In the same manner, when you start editing any existing text in a PDF, sans any font being available in your system, the font falls-back by default to any specific font in a particular script. Example, the font gets back to ‘Minion Pro’ in script fonts that are Roman. This can be the cause of the fonts appearing inconsistent in any PDF. For the required consistency in all PDF’s you need to make a choice of a specific font for editing and adding text. This can be done by using the ‘Font’ options under ‘Content Editing Preferences’.

In Acrobat on ‘Edit’ menu, make a choice of ‘Preferences’, this box then is displayed. (You can also press Ctrl + K keys on Windows or the Command + K keys on the MacOS)
Click on ‘Content Editing’ in the dialog box. This is under ‘Categories’. Here you find a display of the different font options available.
Select a font in the lists of ‘drop-down’

Fallback font for Editing
Default Font for Font Size and Add Text

Click on ‘OK’ for saving the changes and close the dialog box of ‘Preferences’

Edit text – change, replace, or delete text

Edited text leads to the text reflowing within the text box for accommodating the changes. Each of the text boxes is independent. Inserting of the text in one block does not, in any way, push down the text box that is adjacent or even reflow to the next page.

Choose ‘Tools > Edit PDF > Edit
Select the specific text to be edited. The text-box becomes blue in color once selected. At the top of the box that is selected, you find a rotation handle.
Edit the text by doing one of the listed

You can type new text for replacing the text that is selected, or press ‘Delete’ to erase it.
Use the rotation handle for rotating the text box that is at the selected text box’s top
Use list control for managing list items (numbered and bulleted) in the ‘Format’ panel on the right-side. You can convert an existing paragraph to list items, create list items, convert a list item into a paragraph or even convert from a list to some other list.
Select a specific font, size of the font, or any other options for formatting in the ‘Format’ panel on the right-side. Use the ‘Advanced’ format options for character spacing, line spacing, stroke width, horizontal spacing and also color.

Note: You need to purchase a specific font and have this installed on the system for legal reasons. You can then revise the text using this font.

You are allowed to edit the text if the font that is used in the text is installed in the system. If the font is only embedded in the PDF and is not installed in the system then you can only change the size and color of the font. If the font is neither embedded nor installed you are not able to edit any text.

Click outside the ‘selection’ to deselect it and start all over again.

Format text – Change size, font, line and character spacing, stroke width, horizontal scaling or color

Choose ‘Tools > Edit PDF > Edit
Select the text to be changed
In the ‘Format’ panel on the right-side, select a font, font size, or any other options. You can also make use of the ‘Advanced’ format options. This includes character spacing, line spacing, horizontal scaling, color and stroke width.
Click outside the selection and de-select. Start over.

Add New Text

You can insert or add new text into any PDF by making use of any of the fonts that are installed in the system.

Select ‘Tools > Edit PDF > Add Text’
To define the exact width of the text block you need to drag.
Right-click on the text box for vertical text. Choose ‘Make Text Direction Vertical’.
The tool for ‘Add text’ can detect the listed properties of the text

Line spacing, character and paragraph
Font size, name and color
Horizontal scaling

The properties of the text are applied automatically to the text added at the point of click.

You can use the options under ‘Format’ in the right pane for changing any properties of the text.

Type text
Resize the text box by dragging the selection handle
For moving the text box, you need to place the pointer over the specific line of the bounding box. Avoid the different selection handles. Cursor will change to ‘Move’ pointer. Drag the box to the location. For maintaining alignment with the other items on the list, press ‘Shift’ as you are dragging.

Move, rotate or Resize a textbox

You can rotate or move the text boxes on the page. Each of the text box is outlined by the ‘Edit Text and images’ tool. This indicates the text that is affected. Edits are only for ‘that’ page. Dragging a text box to another page cannot be done. You cannot rotate or move individual characters or even words within a text box. You are able to copy text boxes and paste these on any other page.

When you resize a text box, the text reflows within the boundaries of the new text box. There is no change in the text’s size. With any other text edits, resizing is only for the current page. There is no flowing of the text to the next page.

Select ‘Tools > Edit PDF > Edit
Click the specific text box that is to be moved, resized or rotate
Do any of the listed

Move: The pointer is to be placed over the bounding box’s line (avoid the handles for selection). Drag the box to the location when the cursor changes to the pointer ‘Move’. Hold down the ‘Shift’ key for constraining the vertical and horizontal movement.

Rotate: Click and hold on the ‘Rotation’ pointer and drag in the direction you need this to rotate

Resize: The pointer is to be placed on any selection handles that is circular, the handle needs to be dragged for resizing the text box.

Highlight, strikethrough or underline text

If you need to mark the text selected with highlight, underline or strikethrough, you need to make use of the ‘Comment’ tool. There is no change in the actual text of the PDF. The markups indicate how and where the text needs to be edited in the source.

Add Annotations and drawing markups to highlight text

You can make use of the annotations and drawing markup tools for adding comments. This means, notes and drawings that can provide feedback and communicate ideas for the PDF. You can use the ‘Sticky note’ tool for typing a text message, or you can make use of a drawing tool to add a circle, line or any other shape and then type the required message in pop-up note.

Add or Edit a Numbered or Bulleted list

You can add different items in a bulleted or numbered list, convert the existing paragraph to the list item, create list items and also convert from one list to another.

Select ‘Tool > Edit PDF > Edit

Note: Acrobat can detect paragraphs and lists separately. Thus, the list and the paragraph appear in the same box when editing. After you save as the changed file or save and reopen this, the list items and paragraph are displayed in separate boxes.

Do the listed:

For removing or adding items from a bulleted or numbered list,

You remove or add items to the specific list at all the nested levels by making use of the familiar controls that are used in the MS office. You can press ‘Enter’ at the list’s end for inserting a new row. You can also press ‘Backspace’ for removing the new row and the cursor is positioned back to the end of the list item that is previous.

To create a bullet or numbered list

The cursor needs to be placed in the document in that location where the list needs to be added.
Choose the list type that is apt(numbered or bulleted) under ‘Format’ placed in the right pane.

To convert an existing paragraph to any list item

After you place the cursor in that paragraph, you need to make a choice of the list type(numbered or bulleted) under ‘Format’ placed in the right pane.

To convert a list item into a paragraph

Select all the items in the list. The apt type of list is highlighted in the ‘Format’ in the right pane
Click on the list type that is highlighted.

To convert from one list to another

The cursor is placed in the list item or you can also select all the items listed
Choose the apt type of list, (numbered or bulleted) under ‘Format’ in the right pane.

Note: You can add a list item with the keyboard. Before any paragraph you can type number “a” followed by the closing parenthesis ) and add one space. This starts a numbered list that starts with “a)”

Edit a PDF Form

Add, edit or even move text in a PDF form

You can make use of the ‘Fill and sign’ tools to add the required text or even symbols anywhere in the PDF form.

Create or Edit a PDF form

You can distribute, create, track, sign, and fill PDF forms with Acrobat.

Rotate, delete, move, extract or renumber the PDF pages

Organizing pages in a PDF is easy if you are permitted to edit the specific PDF.

Update headers, background, footers, or watermarks

Add or Update Headers or Footers

You can add footers or even headers in Acrobat throughout the PDF. These headers or footers can be automatic page numbering, date, title and the author or even Bates numbers for any legal documents.

Add, edit or replace a background

You are able to apply a background selectively to specific page ranges or pages in PDF’s. You need to know that only one background is supported by PDF, per page. The backgrounds can be different on each page.

Add Watermarks

A watermark is an image or text that appears in the front of an existing content of a document or even behind this. You are apply a watermark of ‘Confidential’ to pages that have sensitive information. You are able to add more than one watermark in one or even more PDF’s. You need to add each watermark separately.