Edit PDF text and objects

This article shows you how to change existing text in a PDF, move or delete images and shapes, and add new text, images and drawings.

Requires Pro edition or higher

Edit Text, Edit Object and Replace in search require the Pro edition or higher. Typewriter, Add Image, Drawing and Find Text are available in every edition.

The Edit tab

Open a PDF and click the Edit tab. The commands for changing content are in the middle: Edit Text, Edit Object and Find Text, followed by Typewriter, Add Image and Drawing. Apply Changes is on the far right.

Edit text

1. Click Edit › Edit Text. Each text block on the page gets a thin outline.
2. Click the block you want to change. An edit box appears directly over the text.
3. Type the new text. Press Enter for a new line.
4. Press Ctrl+Enter or click outside the box to save the change. Press Esc to cancel.

The change is written to the PDF right away. Use Undo (Ctrl+Z) to reverse it. Press Tab to save and move to the next block, or Shift+Tab for the previous block.

To move a text block, drag the four-way arrow icon on its left side. You can also use the arrow keys; hold Shift to move 10 points at a time.

How Farino PDF handles fonts

• The font style (sans, serif or monospace), bold, italic and size come from the original text.
• Text and background colors are sampled from the page, so the edit blends in.
• Longer text, text with line breaks, or characters outside ASCII are reflowed with an embedded font.

Replace the original text

For more control, use the line editor:

1. With Edit Text active, click Replace original text under Text editing in the right panel. You can also hold Alt and click the text.
2. Click a line of text. The editor opens in the right panel.
3. Type the new text and choose a font: Auto, Sans, Serif or Mono.
4. Choose how to save it:
   • Replace original replaces the original text in the file with embedded Unicode text. It works only for clear standard-font text; complex font encodings are checked first.
   • Visual overlay covers the old text and draws the new text at the same size and color.

Edit objects

Edit Object works on images and shapes that are already in the PDF. Click the arrow on Edit Object and choose a mode:

• Edit All: every editable element.
• Text Elements: text and notes you have added.
• Images: images on the page.
• Shapes: lines, boxes and other vector shapes.

After choosing a mode, click an object on the page. The selected object gets a dashed outline and eight handles.

• Move: drag the object. You can also drag it to another page.
• Resize: drag a handle. Images keep their proportions when you drag a corner; hold Shift to resize freely.
• Nudge: press an arrow key to move 1 point, or Shift+arrow to move 10 points.
• Delete: press Delete.
• Right-click: choose Properties… to enter position and size in points, or Move to Page… to move it to another page.

Object changes are written to the PDF right away and can be reversed with Undo.

Add text

1. Click Edit › Typewriter. The Typewriter panel opens.
2. Set Font, Size (pt), bold (B), italic (I), underline (U), Text colour and Line spacing.
3. Click on the page and start typing. Press Enter for a new line.
4. Press Esc to finish typing, or Ctrl+Enter to apply the text right away.

The Font list contains Arial / Helvetica, Times New Roman, Courier New and the Office-style fonts installed on Windows. The selected font is embedded when you save the PDF, if the font license allows it.

To edit added text before you apply it, click Edit Text and then click the text. To move or resize it, choose Hand.

Add images and shapes

Add Image opens the Windows Open dialog. Choose an image, then drag it to move it and drag its corner to resize it.

Drawing contains Arrow, Rectangle and Pencil. Arrow and Rectangle each have a gallery of seven colors. Rectangles come filled or as an outline only (Stroke).

1. Choose a shape and a color.
2. Drag on the page to draw. Pencil draws freehand as you move the mouse.
3. Choose Hand to move or resize the shape. Right-click it for object actions such as Copy, Bring to Front, Align, Rotate or Delete.

Find and replace text

1. Click Edit › Find Text or press Ctrl+F.
2. Type the word you are looking for. The number of results appears next to the box, for example 1 / 1.
3. Press Enter for the next result or Shift+Enter for the previous one.
4. To replace text, click Replace or press Ctrl+H. Fill in Replace with…, then click Replace selected.

Replace selected replaces only the current result. If a result spans several text elements, use Edit Text instead.

Apply changes

Added text, images, shapes and markings stay editable until you apply them. The number of pending changes appears on the Apply button in the tab bar, for example Apply · 1.

1. Click Edit › Apply Changes.
2. All pending items are written permanently into the PDF pages.
3. Save the document with Save (Ctrl+S).

After you apply them, the items become part of the page content. Use Undo (Ctrl+Z) if the result is not right. Save also includes changes you have not applied yet.

To mark up text with highlights, notes and stamps, see Comments and markup.