Edit PDF

Add text, shapes, and highlights to a PDF

Your files are deleted after about an hour

Editing a PDF after creation is one of the most requested document tasks. You need to fix a typo in a finalized report, update a phone number on a published brochure, redraw an org chart, or insert a missing signature block before sending to a client. PDFs are designed to be immutable after creation, which is what makes them reliable for sharing—but it also makes editing non-trivial.

Online PDF editors let you add text boxes, insert images, draw shapes and annotations, highlight and cross out text, and fill in form fields. For truly complex edits (major text rewrites, reformatting), going back to the source document and re-exporting is often more efficient—but for targeted small fixes, in-document editing is the fastest path.

How to Edit a PDF Online

  1. 1

    Upload Your PDF

    Drop your PDF into the editor or click to upload. The file is sent over a secure HTTPS connection and processed privately — no one on our team can access your document content.

  2. 2

    Make Your Edits

    Add text boxes, annotations, highlights, and comments directly onto your PDF pages. Draw freehand, add shapes, or insert sticky notes. The editor gives you a clean visual workspace to mark up the document.

  3. 3

    Save and Download

    Download your edited PDF with all annotations and additions permanently embedded. The file is removed from our servers within one hour of your session.

How PDF Editing Works

PDF editing works by adding new content on top of existing page content rather than modifying the original content streams (which are binary-encoded and complex to parse). New text boxes are implemented as Form XObjects or direct text elements appended to the page content stream. Existing text 'corrections' are typically done by placing a white filled rectangle over the original text (visually covering it) and then adding the corrected text on top—the original text remains in the file but is visually hidden.

Annotation-type edits (highlights, sticky notes, stamps) use the PDF's annotation layer: a separate XML-like structure that references page coordinates and contains annotation data. These are stored independently from the page content and can be shown, hidden, or deleted without affecting the underlying page.

Why Use FileCrank to Edit a PDF

  • ✓ Add text boxes, highlights, sticky notes, shapes, and freehand drawings to any PDF
  • ✓ Annotate and comment on documents for review, approval, or collaboration workflows
  • ✓ All edits are saved permanently into the PDF — viewable in any PDF reader
  • ✓ Files are uploaded over HTTPS and automatically deleted within one hour
  • ✓ Free to use with no account or registration required
  • ✓ No watermarks added — your edited PDF is clean and professional

Features & Specs

Max File Size
Up to 100 MB
Privacy
Files deleted after about an hour
Price
Free, no signup
Processing
Server-side
Your PDF content is never read, logged, or shared. Files travel over HTTPS encryption and are automatically purged within 60 minutes. We read nothing, we keep nothing.No account, no email, and no sign-up required. Open the editor and start annotating immediately.PDF editing and annotation is completely free. No premium tiers, no per-document charges, no watermarks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit the existing text inside a PDF?

True inline text editing of existing PDF content requires the PDF to have been created with editable text layers, which most scanned or exported PDFs do not have. Our editor lets you add new text boxes on top of any page, which is the most reliable way to add or correct content in a PDF.

What kinds of annotations can I add?

You can add text boxes, highlighted regions, underlines, strikethroughs, sticky note comments, freehand pen drawings, rectangles, arrows, and other shapes. All annotations are compatible with Adobe Acrobat and other major PDF readers.

Will my annotations be visible in other PDF viewers?

Yes. Annotations are saved using the standard PDF annotation format, which is supported by Adobe Acrobat, Preview on Mac, Foxit, Chrome PDF viewer, and virtually every modern PDF reader.

Is my document safe when I upload it for editing?

Yes. We read nothing, we keep nothing, and the data is safe and secure. All file transfers are encrypted with HTTPS. Your document is automatically deleted from our servers within one hour and is never accessed by our team.

Can I edit a scanned PDF?

You can add text boxes and annotations on top of scanned PDFs. To edit the actual scanned text content, use our OCR PDF tool first to extract and recognize the text, then work with the resulting searchable PDF.

Do I need to install any software?

No. The PDF editor runs entirely in your browser. There is nothing to download or install. It works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, and Android using Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

Online PDF Editor vs. Dedicated PDF Software

Online editors are fast for simple targeted edits: fixing a word, adding a logo, inserting a text box. Dedicated tools like Adobe Acrobat offer more precise control—reflow editing of paragraphs, font replacement, table editing, advanced form creation. For production-quality edits to complex documents, Acrobat remains the standard. For quick fixes without installing software, FileCrank's online editor is the practical choice.

FileCrank's online PDF editor allows users to add text boxes, highlights, annotations, shapes, and freehand drawings to any PDF page directly in the browser, with all edits permanently embedded into the output file and documents deleted securely within one hour.

Advertisement

Ad