All Online PDF Tools

How to choose a PDF tool

Start from what you want to end up with: a different format, fewer or reordered pages, a smaller file or changed content. The tabs above group the 28 tools the same way, and each one handles a single job. If a task needs two steps, such as converting a file and then shrinking it, run the tools one after the other on the same document.

Convert to and from PDF

To edit a document someone sent you as a PDF, convert PDF to Word; for bank statements and price lists, PDF to Excel brings the tables back into a spreadsheet. Going the other way, Word to PDF fixes the layout before you send a CV or a letter, and JPG to PDF turns phone photos of receipts into one tidy file. Scans with no selectable text become searchable with PDF OCR, which is worth running before you convert a scanned letter to Word.

Organise pages

Merge PDF files to build one application pack, split a PDF to send only the pages someone needs, or remove pages you don’t want. Pages scanned the wrong way round can be fixed with Rotate PDF, and Organize PDF lets you drag pages into a new order before you send the file.

Compress

When a file is too big for email or an upload form such as a GOV.UK service or a UCAS application, compress the PDF first. Scans and slide decks usually shrink the most.

Edit and sign

Edit PDF changes the text itself, Annotate PDF adds highlights and comments, and Sign PDF puts your signature on a contract or form without printing it.

Other tools

Protect a PDF with a password before sharing payslips or tax documents, add page numbers or a watermark, or embed files in a PDF, such as the spreadsheet behind a report. If a form arrives with locked fields, the form tool unlocks them so you can type your answers in.

Free and Pro

Every tool in the catalogue is free for files up to 100 MB, up to 30 times a day, with no sign-up and no watermark. Files are used only to process your request, and we don’t keep them.

BadPDF Pro, coming soon, will remove the daily limit and the 100 MB cap, add batch processing, unlimited OCR for scans, no ads and priority in the queue.

PDF tools: common questions

Is every tool in the catalogue free?

Yes, all 28 tools are free for files up to 100 MB, up to 30 times a day, without an account. Pro, coming soon, will remove these limits and add batch processing.

Which tool should I use to edit a PDF?

Use Edit PDF to change the text, Annotate PDF for highlights and comments, and Sign PDF for a signature. For heavy rewrites of a long document, converting it with PDF to Word is often easier.

How do I combine or separate PDF files?

Merge PDF joins several files into one, in the order you choose. Split PDF does the opposite, and Organize PDF lets you rearrange pages inside a single document.

What should I use for a scanned document?

Run PDF OCR first, so the text becomes searchable and can be copied or converted to Word. If one scan holds several photos, the photo splitter finds them and saves each one separately.

Do the tools work with files from Google Drive or Dropbox?

Yes. You can upload from your device, Google Drive, Dropbox or a link, and download the result straight to your computer or phone.