Best Free PDF Editors: Adobe Acrobat Alternatives for Windows

You need to fill out a form, sign a contract, merge a few PDFs or fix a typo in a document someone sent you, and Adobe asks you to subscribe to Acrobat Pro. For most of these jobs, you don’t need to pay. Here are the best free PDF editors and Adobe Acrobat alternatives for Windows, organized by what you’re trying to do.

Know what kind of editing you need

“Editing a PDF” can mean very different things:

• Annotating: highlighting, comments, drawing.
• Filling and signing forms.
• Organizing pages: merging, splitting, rotating, deleting.
• Converting: PDF to Word or images, and back.
• Editing existing text and images inside the PDF, which is the hardest part for free tools.

Most free tools handle the first four very well. Truly editing existing text is where paid software still has an edge, though a few free options get close.

The best free PDF editors

1. Microsoft Edge (built into Windows)

Best for quick annotations, forms and signatures.

Edge opens PDFs by default on Windows and lets you highlight, add text, draw, fill in forms and sign with your mouse or pen. Click the save icon to keep your changes.

• Pros: already installed, fast, no account needed.
• Cons: can’t edit existing text or reorganize pages.

2. PDF24 Creator

Best all-in-one free desktop toolbox.

PDF24 Creator is a free Windows program with dozens of tools: merge, split, compress, convert, rotate, add page numbers, OCR and more. It works offline, which matters when you handle private documents.

• Pros: free, many tools, works offline.
• Cons: editing existing text is limited; the design is functional rather than pretty.

3. PDFgear

Best for editing text inside PDFs for free.

PDFgear offers editing of text and images, conversion, forms and signatures in a clean interface, available for Windows, Mac and mobile.

• Pros: text editing in a free tool, modern design.
• Cons: complex layouts may not edit perfectly; check its current terms on the official site.

4. LibreOffice Draw

Best free way to change text in simple PDFs.

LibreOffice Draw, part of the free LibreOffice suite, can open a PDF and let you click on text boxes to edit them, then export back to PDF.

• Pros: free, offline, part of a full office suite.
• Cons: fonts and layouts can shift, especially in complex documents.

5. Online tools (Sejda, iLovePDF, Smallpdf)

Best for occasional tasks without installing anything.

These sites handle merging, compressing, converting and basic edits in the browser. Free use usually has daily limits or file size caps.

• Pros: nothing to install, easy.
• Cons: you upload files to a third party. Avoid them for contracts, IDs, medical or financial documents.

Which tool for which job?

• Fill and sign a form: Microsoft Edge.
• Merge, split or compress: PDF24 Creator.
• Fix text in a PDF: PDFgear or LibreOffice Draw.
• Quick job on someone else’s computer: an online tool, with non-sensitive files only.

How to edit a PDF’s text with LibreOffice Draw

1. Install LibreOffice from its official website.
2. Right-click the PDF and choose Open with > LibreOffice Draw.
3. Click the text you want to change and edit it.
4. Go to File > Export as > Export as PDF to save a new copy. Keep the original just in case.

If the document was originally a Word file, ask the sender for the .docx version. Editing the source and exporting a new PDF always gives cleaner results. Our list of free alternatives to Microsoft Office covers programs that do this well.

Privacy and safety tips

• Use offline desktop tools for sensitive documents.
• Download PDF software only from official sites. Fake “free Acrobat” downloads are a common source of malware, so keep your protection active (see the best free antivirus for Windows).
• To truly hide information, use a proper redaction tool. Drawing a black box over text doesn’t remove the text underneath.

FAQ

Can I edit a PDF for free in Windows?

Yes. Microsoft Edge lets you annotate, fill forms and sign. For changing existing text, free tools like PDFgear or LibreOffice Draw work for many documents.

How do I combine PDF files for free?

PDF24 Creator can merge files offline: open it, choose Merge, add your PDFs, arrange the order and save. Online tools also do this, but avoid them for private files.

Is Adobe Acrobat Reader free?

Yes, Acrobat Reader is free for viewing, commenting, filling and signing PDFs. Editing text, converting and organizing pages require a paid Acrobat subscription.

Why does my PDF look different after editing?

PDFs store text in a fixed layout, and free editors may substitute fonts they don’t have. Installing the original fonts or editing the source document instead usually fixes it.