Editing Text with the Edit Text Tool

The Edit > Modify > Edit Text tool allows you to make minor text revisions to a PDF document, including modifications to attributes, font type, size, fill color, etc. If the PDF document is secured to prevent editing, this tool is not available unless you get permission from the author. See Digital ID Settings.

You can only change text and properties if the related fonts are available in your system or embedded in the document. See Embedding Fonts.

Make limited text edits, even over multiple lines of text.

Notes

Editing should be kept to a minimum because the PDF format is mainly for document exchange, distribution and publishing, not for large-scale text revision.   

Text editing may not succeed on text where only a subset of the original font is embedded.

Larger modifications to PDF page content are better made using the Advanced Edit mode.

The Edit Text tool cannot be used with form fields.

Using this tool might change how the document reflows and may make the document less accessible to the visually impaired.

To edit text with the Edit Text tool

1. Select Edit > Modify > Edit Text.
2. Click in the text you want to edit. A bounding box outlines the text area where edit actions can be done.
3. Press <Ctrl> + <a> (Select All) to select all the text in the bounding box, or drag the cursor to select characters, spaces, words, or even several lines within the box.
4. Do any of the following to edit the text:

1. • Type new text to replace the selected text.

   • Right-click the text for a shortcut menu to access many commands related to clipboard and spelling.

   • Press <Delete> or <Backspace> to remove the text.

5. Click outside the selection to deselect it and start over.

To add new text to a blank area on a PDF page, use the Typewriter tool. Text can be added as an annotation using the Text Box tool.

You can use the Edit Object tool to modify embedded pictures and other objects.