How to Edit a PDF for Free Before a Paywall or Watermark Gets in the Way

You can utilize a free PDF editor to shrink, merge, edit and sign a PDF at no cost. You will need to find a free PDF editing tool that does what you need and see how much of the file it is going to allow you to work on for free before you choose which product to use. Many free PDF editing apps have a free version that either allows you to keep your document locally on your computer or sends it to a third party (typically a company that provides their services). Additionally, there are many free PDF editing apps that don’t mention any kind of restrictions on how many documents you can download. For example, according to Smallpdf, editing existing text within the document is a Pro feature, but on PDFgear’s desktop application, editing existing text is free.

The information below regarding each free PDF editor’s capabilities and limitations is based on the tools’ documentation as of 29/09/2026 and has not been verified through any type of real testing, so be sure to check the PDF editor’s output for yourself before depending on it for any purposes. These companies may change their plans without notice, but you need to be sure of the free plan’s limitations.

Which free PDF editors actually edit text without a watermark?

There are two different types of PDF editors, those that add text to a document and those that modify existing text. Most of the free PDF editing tools allow users to add a text box to their document. However, there are fewer tools that allow users to click on text already in their document, and then type over it to modify that text. If you want to fix a typo on a name or change a date, you will need a tool that modifies existing text.

There are three tools mentioned on the vendor pages that state they will modify existing text in a PDF for free. According to PDFgear, the desktop version of their program allows users to change the text of an existing PDF file while keeping the original formatting, and that any files exported from PDFgear will not have a watermark. They also state that you cannot modify existing text using their online editor, only with the desktop version of their program. Although Sejda’s online editor states that you can click on any existing text in a PDF and start editing it, there are also limitations based on the current usage accounts, which will be covered in a later section of this article. Sejda Desktop and Sejda Online both state the same thing about adding, changing or moving text in a PDF. None of the vendor pages for Sejda mention adding a watermark.

Although PDF24 is a free PDF editor, it does not have a way to modify existing text. PDF24 says its tools are free “without restriction” and provides their editing tools free of charge to users with restrictions in place from advertisers. On the PDF24 help forum, one user suggested a workaround for modifying existing text by converting the PDF to a Microsoft Word document, editing it, and converting it back to PDF. This method has been verified by a user on the forum that it does work, but users should always check that their documents maintain their formatting through the entire process of converting to Word and back to PDF. The edit page suggests this approach.

The PDF-XChange Editor has a watermark feature that may surprise users. The PDF-XChange Editor, according to the company, has a free version that can be used both personally and commercially, free for private and commercial use. Of the 402 features available, 257 are free. However, for features that have been marked as licensed, users will see the watermark that comes from the use of the licensed features, and the company has stated that the removal of these watermarks will require a paid license. In addition, the company recommends creating a copy of the document before trying any licensed features, which is also a good practice to follow with any of the other tools on this list. In reviewing the pages related to PDF-XChange Editor, users will not see which of their text-editing tools are free, so they will need to look for the licensed-feature symbol prior to clicking any of the buttons.

As part of its free, open-source suite, LibreOffice Draw is a free tool that can open PDFs and allow users to edit them, although the outcome will depend on what is inside the PDF. On an r/libreoffice thread on Reddit, a user stated, “Draw looks at PDF text like separate objects, just waiting to be moved around.” Other users replied to that post and said that the PDF text sometimes arrives as one line per box, and a scanned PDF is simply an image, so there is no text to edit. Because of that, it is reasonable to assume that LibreOffice Draw can be effective for small edits, but authors will struggle attempting to rewrite entire paragraphs.

Actual users have requested this in the past. One user on the r/pdf thread asking for a free text editor without watermarks posted about the need for a free text-editing tool that would not leave a watermark. One response suggested using PDFgear, which is one response to one thread and therefore not conclusive evidence that PDFgear will not put a watermark on a PDF. The strongest form of supporting evidence is PDFgear’s own documentation supporting their no-watermark claim.

The sign-up requirement: which free tools work without an account

The issue of needing to create a user’s account is completely distinct from the notion of cost. If someone is unwilling to provide their email address for something that will only take 2 minutes of time, then it matters whether or not an account is required.

Two vendors say plainly that no account is needed. Sejda’s pricing page lists “No signup required” for its free plan. PDFgear says both its online tools and desktop app are free with “no sign-up, no registration”, and its merge tool says you can combine and download files without an account or payment details. PDF24’s FAQ says its online tools run directly in the browser without installing anything. The pages reviewed don’t say whether any PDF24 feature asks for an account.

Smallpdf’s site is not as straightforward with its requirements to create a user account. The interface text prompts visitors to “create a free account to share” a document. Therefore, creating an account is necessary for sharing functionality. The pages reviewed do not clarify if users must have an account to perform other basic tasks such as compressing PDFs or combining multiple PDFs. The iLovePDF pages reviewed were also unable to determine whether users would be required to have an account for basic functionality or not.

Although not requiring an account is better than requiring an account, being able to utilize Sejda’s features without the need to sign up for an account does not mean there will not be restrictions or limitations on how much usage can occur in a given time period; this limitation will be noted in subsequent sections of the review. Privacy, specifically where files are stored, is a separate issue and will also be addressed below.

Merging, signing, and compressing: where each free tool draws the line

Merging two or more PDFs

While free plans allow users to merge a limited number of files at one time, there are different maximum limits. With iLovePDF’s plan comparison, free users can merge up to 25 files simultaneously, but there is also a limit of 100 MB per merge task. The interface of Smallpdf states that adding more than 25 files is a Pro feature. The free tier of Sejda Desktop allows users to merge up to 30 individual files and 50 pages. According to PDFgear’s online merger, the program can combine files in your browser without uploading any of them and will not add any watermarks.

Signing a PDF

Signing documents will depend on whether or not you need a signature that has been certified, as well as how much you are willing to pay for a certified signature. According to PDFgear’s signing page, a basic electronic signature is simply an overlay of your handwritten signature on the page, while a digital signature is an officially managed certificate signed and verified by a trusted authority, which will also indicate whether any changes to the original document occurred after signing. For the most part, the free options listed for online signatures provide basic electronic signatures only. However, if you need a certified digital signature as documentation for your bank, employer, or government agency, check with them for acceptable forms of certification before signing anything.

As for the limits associated with free tiers, they differ from one provider to another. For example, as indicated on the pricing page of Smallpdf, the free Sign.com account allows users to create only two documents each month; in addition, the interface states that adding multiple signatures and initials to your document is a pro feature. With iLovePDF, the free column allows users to sign three individual files at a time, and each file must not exceed 50 MB in size, while PDF-XChange lists its new FreeSign tool, although still in version 11, as a free feature.

Compressing a large file

All file diminishment results in some level of quality compromise; thus, determining the amount of this effect is key. According to the PDF24 compression webpage, “normal” mode reduces file size through lower resolution and image quality, while using “lossless” mode maintains all image quality, but at the same time produces a smaller amount of reduction in overall size. The PDFgear online compressor provides three different levels of compression (low, medium, and strong) for files up to 100MB. The low and medium levels are claimed to yield no loss in quality, while strong compression may produce marginal degradation in resolution and image quality for the resulting files. For their Pro version only, Smallpdf provides “strong compression” rates. The iLovePDF tool only supports free users for a maximum of 2 compressed files at a maximum of 200 MB. Before sending off a compressed file created with one of these tools, ensure you open the end result and zoom in on photographs or small text; this will allow for an accurate evaluation of the end product prior to creating and distributing.

The free-tier limit table: where each tool stops

In the table below are the free plans offered by each vendor covered on 29/09/2026, based upon their websites. The term “Not Stated” indicates that the pages assessed failed to mention this information, thus precluding a definitive determination about whether the answer is positive or negative.

The data sources supporting the rows include PDFgear’s software page, the [online editor/[compressor;](https://www.sejda.com/pdf-editor)](https://www.pdfgear.com/edit-pdf/) PDF24’s FAQ, tools home page, and Creator page; Sejda’s online editor and desktop page; Smallpdf pricing pages; iLovePDF plan comparison; and PDF-XChange product page.

When limits apply to any given process, they may affect the use and performance of the tool. The Smallpdf interface states “You are out of free download opportunities”, and also provides Pro level users the option of unlocking downloads with Pro “or wait” a specified period of time between the various downloads of completed work. Therefore, it appears that once the free limit has been reached, the limit starts when the completed work has been processed for download. In the case of PDF-XChange, the watermark appears on the finished product, rather than as a result of using the tool. In order to avoid problems with the use of any tool, it is recommended that a complete job is trialed, by opening the document and downloading it with a file copy of something that will not create liability if used improperly, checking through each page on the downloaded copy prior to using the tool with something valuable.

The privacy question: what happens to your file on an online PDF editor

A large number of PDF documents are personal items such as bank statements, ID scans, payslips, signed contracts and will likely be treated as such by any other party you give access to your personal information. Therefore, check to ensure you can legally provide access to any third party you are going to that will hold your information and if you feel confident about that third party and the terms of how they handle files. If the answer is no to either question, then you should consider using an application or service designed for the purpose of file-sharing from your own device.

Here is what each online service says about deleting uploaded files:

• PDF24 says files are deleted from its processing servers within one hour, transfers are encrypted, and all its processing servers are in the EU.
• Smallpdf says files from its free tools are deleted after one hour and that its servers are in Ireland.
• iLovePDF says processed files are deleted within two hours, but it keeps signed documents for up to five years.
• Sejda’s online editor says uploaded files are deleted automatically after two hours.

As a reminder, if you plan to sign anything that may contain sensitive information, you should be especially cautious about any iLovePDF exceptions.

Each tool used in conjunction with PDFgear has a unique combination of capabilities, with certain functions available based on the tool selected. The online editor and signing tool indicate that files are being edited and signed from within the user’s browser and are not uploaded anywhere else. Whereas, PDFgear indicates that files uploaded via the online compressor to Amazon Web Services in the United States. PDFgear also indicates that while (1) files are deleted from the server the moment the user downloads them, (2) PDFgear indicates they are deleted from the server when the browser is closed or refreshed.

All of this information is provided by PDFgear based on the company’s own internal policies as opposed to an independent, third-party audit process; therefore, no matter how long the company maintains that the deletion process has been followed, you need to recognize that your information has travelled to another company’s server. For documents that should only reside on your computer and never leave it, there are programs that allow you to manipulate the document without uploading it. For example, PDF24 Creator maintains that all edited files remain on the user’s PC and are not uploaded. Sejda Desktop maintains that files are processed on the user’s computer rather than the Sejda server.

For users with a technical background, there is an additional option available to them. A free self-hosted version of Stirling PDF can be created for up to five users that allows access to all PDF operations. This will allow you to run the software on your own server so that all of your files will remain in-house and not shared with any outside organization. However, you will need to manage the installation and maintenance of the software on your own.

Desktop vs. online: which free PDF editor fits your Windows PC

To choose a desktop application for creating and editing PDFs on Windows, you need to consider three questions: Can you install software on the device? Is the hardware of the device capable of running the application? Is the document you want to create or edit sensitive?

Several desktop programs have confirmed their compatibility with Windows. PDFgear offers support for Windows 11 or 10; a minimum of 512 MB (1 GB recommended) of RAM; a minimum of 500 MB of free space on your hard drive; and at least a processor speed of 1 GHz. While these requirements are minimal by today’s standards, they come from the vendor and do not reflect real-world performance comparisons. PDF24 Creator only supports Windows 10 and 11, but their most recent release (11.30.1) was created on April 21, 2026. Both the PDF-XChange Editor and LibreOffice require Windows 10 or later, while LibreOffice’s latest release (26.8) is now available.

For situations where you cannot install software, such as if you use a work laptop that does not have administrative rights, online tools are often the best choice. Also, you can access online tools on smartphones. For more details on how to add its tools to an Android or iPhone home screen from your browser, please refer to the PDF24 website.

Make use of this decision tree as a method to help determine which tool is right for you. It simply summarizes the vendors’ terms; it does NOT provide a ranking order based on any performance testing.

• Does the file contain personal, financial or confidential information?
  • Yes: use a desktop tool (PDFgear desktop, PDF24 Creator, Sejda Desktop, LibreOffice Draw or PDF-XChange Editor), or PDFgear’s in-browser editor, merge or sign tools, which say they don’t upload files. Skip the upload-based tools.
  • No: any tool below is an option. Move to the next question.
• Do you need to change text that is already in the PDF?
  • Yes, and you can install software: PDFgear desktop says it does this free. Sejda Desktop also does it, within 3 tasks a day.
  • Yes, but you can’t install anything: Sejda Web edits existing text within 3 tasks an hour and 200 pages or 50 MB.
  • No, you only need to add text, fill a form or sign: PDFgear online, PDF24 or Sejda will do.
• Are you merging many files?
  • More than 25: iLovePDF and Smallpdf free both stop at 25. Try PDFgear or PDF24 instead.
• Are you compressing a file with photos or scans?
  • Yes: PDF24 lets you pick lossless or normal mode. Open the result and check the images before you send it.
• Are you using PDF-XChange Editor?
  • Yes: avoid any tool marked with the licensed-feature symbol, or the output will carry a watermark you can’t remove without paying.

The Quick Version

An appropriate free PDF tool will work great as long as the tool fits your project needs and the limits placed on the tool will appear on the pages you review for your project (for example, text editing, download limits, file size limits, and use of licensed features). To find the free tools available for the specific task you wish to perform with your PDF file, read through all of the Terms & Conditions of the free plan that are listed on the web pages of each free tool before using the tool. After reading through each free tool’s Terms & Conditions, run a test job through the free version of the free tool (save your file when prompted) and open the downloaded file before relying on it. By performing these two checks, you can avoid the potential disappointment of discovering at the last stage of your project that your final PDF file has been restricted in some way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PDFgear really free?

According to PDFgear, both the desktop and web-based versions of their product are free from any form of watermarks or ads, and they do not require a user account. These statements come directly from the company itself and have not been verified by an independent third party. With regards to editing features offered via the web editor, users only have the ability to insert additional text boxes; in other words, users cannot edit any existing text. The only way that a user has the ability to edit any existing text is through the desktop application.

Can I remove a PDF-XChange trial watermark later?

In order to be able to do so, the user must first purchase a license. PDF-XChange has stated that the evaluation version of their product places watermarks on any document processed by their program, and therefore they recommend that users create copies of any documents that contain licensed feature to evaluate rather than use the original document for evaluation purposes.

Why does my PDF text break into single lines in LibreOffice Draw?

The way that Draw opens PDFs results in text opening as a collection of boxes instead of a single block of text. The actual number of boxes created depends on how the document was formatted (e.g., from a scan of a physical sheet) as well as the amount of text on each line.

Does compressing a PDF make it look worse?

However, it is still technically possible to edit the text of a scanned PDF. PDF24 contains two modes for saving scanned documents to PDFs; the standard mode saves scanned documents with a reduced image resolution to enable smaller files, while the lossless mode preserves image quality but produces larger files. Text-only PDF documents typically require less space than those containing images.