How to choose an online PDF editor
· 7 minute read
Eight things worth checking before you trust a website with a document, each with a way to test it yourself in under a minute — and when to use nothing online at all.
Writing about PDFs
Why converted documents come out wrong, whether online PDF tools are safe, and what editing a PDF actually involves. Written from building one.
Why PDF to Word conversions come out wrong
· 6 minute read
A PDF has no paragraphs in it. Understanding that explains almost every bad conversion — text in floating boxes, headings cut off mid-word, grey bars over the text.
Is it safe to upload a PDF to an online tool?
· 5 minute read
Most online PDF tools upload your file to a server. Some do not need to at all. How to tell which is which, and when it actually matters.
How to actually edit the text in a PDF
· 5 minute read
Most "PDF editors" put a text box on top of the page. Editing the real words is a different, harder thing — here is what it involves and what to expect.
How to make a PDF smaller without wrecking it
· 4 minute read
Where the size in a PDF actually comes from, which compression settings matter, and how to tell before you send it whether you have gone too far.