Add text to a PDF
Click where the words should go and type. The text is saved as real text in the PDF, on typed documents and scans alike.
- Free to use
- Works on any device
- Nothing to install
- Type straight onto the page
- Images, shapes and signatures
- Pages added or removed
- Saves a real PDF
Drag & drop file here
or choose a file from your device
Choose the PDF to add text to
PDF files only
Deleted after processing. Up to 200 pages and 50 MB per file.
Everything the PDF Editor can do
Change what is on the page: the words already printed there, images, shapes, signatures and the pages themselves.
Text on the page
- Click any line and retype it in place
- Keeps the document's own embedded font while you edit
- Start a new text box anywhere on the page
- Sixteen typefaces and twenty sizes, Bangla included
- Bold, italic, underline, text colour and highlight
- Left, centre or right alignment, plus case changes
Images and signatures
- Place a PNG or JPEG anywhere on a page
- Draw a signature and drop it where you want it
- Knock out a white background in one click
- Halve opacity, duplicate, and change layer order
Drawing and marks
- Rectangle, circle, line, arrow, checkmark and crossmark
- A freehand pen and a highlighter
- Whiteout to cover anything already printed
- An eraser that removes text, shapes and drawings alike
Pages
- Reorder, rotate and duplicate pages from thumbnails
- Delete pages, or insert blank ones anywhere
- Watermark, header and footer on the same toolbar
While you work
- Undo and redo with Ctrl+Z
- Zoom from 50% to 300%
- Read every page in a preview before downloading
How it works
Add text to PDF in three steps
Open the PDF
Drop it in. Typed documents and scans both work.
Click and type
Click an empty spot on the page and type. Set the font, size and colour on the right; drag the handle to move the text.
Review & download
Check the pages, then download the PDF with your text in it.
Add text to PDF: a visual walkthrough
Three pictures of the job on our sample agreement: the file going in, a received date typed into the blank space beside the letterhead, and the saved copy with the new line in place.
Choose the PDF
Drop the file on the box or press Choose File. The editor opens with Edit text already selected, so a click on the page is all it takes to start typing.
Click a blank spot and type
We clicked the empty space to the right of the letterhead and typed Received 24 Oct 2026. The panel on the right picked a size close to the heading beside it and shows the font the words will be saved in.
Review & download
Review & download builds the file and shows it before you save it. The new date sits where it was typed, and the rest of the page is exactly as it was.
Text we added, read back from the saved files
We clicked on empty space in two of our own files on this page, typed a line, pressed Review & download and opened the saved PDFs to look for the new words. Measured on October 24, 2026.
| File | Text typed | Found in the saved PDF | Size before → after |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-page typed letter, Times 12 pt | Ref. RO-2026-207, approved 24 Oct 2026 | Yes, selectable, in Times 12 pt like the letter | 6,246 → 5,877 bytes |
| 1-page colour scan, no text layer | Received 24 Oct 2026 | Yes, the only selectable words on the page, in Helvetica 16 pt | 654,584 → 655,163 bytes |
The letter came back a little smaller because the editor writes a clean copy of the file. The scan grew by 579 bytes, the weight of the new words: its 2550 × 3300 pixel picture was left as it was.
On the scan the added line is the only searchable text, because the rest of the page is a picture. To make the whole scan searchable, run it through OCR PDF.
New words, or changing words that are already there?
This page is for new words: a form with printed lines and no boxes, a date or reference number, a note in the margin. Click on empty space and type.
To change words already in the PDF, click on them instead: the line opens for editing in the document's own font. Our page Edit PDF text in the same font tests that in detail, and White out a PDF covers hiding words without retyping.
Making the text sit right
A few settings on the right do most of the work:
- Size: match the surrounding text. Most letters and forms use 10 to 12 pt.
- Colour: black or dark blue for answers on forms, red for a correction.
- Background: a colour behind the words makes a note stand out, like a sticky label.
- Position: drag the ⠿ handle to move the text where it belongs.
Limits worth knowing
A PDF that needs a password to open has to be unlocked first. If a form has real fillable boxes, type in the boxes rather than over them: the answers then stay in the form's fields. Fonts that are not on the list can be uploaded with Pro.
Read next: Edit PDF text in the same font · White out a PDF · Add an image to a PDF
Frequently asked questions about Add text to PDF
How do I type on a PDF for free?
Open the PDF here, click where you want the words and type. Review & download then saves a new PDF with your text in it.
Can I add text to a scanned PDF?
Yes. Click on the scan and type. In our test the new line became real, searchable text on top of the scan picture, and the picture itself was not touched.
Will the added text be searchable?
Yes. It is saved as text, not as a picture, so search finds it and you can copy it.
Can I change the font and colour?
Yes, from the panel on the right: font, size, bold, italic, underline, colour and a background colour.
How do I add text on a phone?
The same way: tap the page where the text should go and type. Edit PDF on iPhone shows what we tested at phone size.
Does it leave a watermark?
No. The downloaded PDF has your text and nothing else added.
Add text to PDF guides and articles
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