PDF is one of the most widely used file formats for storing and sharing documents. You can open a PDF file in browsers like Chrome, and you can also use a dedicated PDF viewer like Adobe Reader. However, those pieces of software usually only allow you to view PDF documents.
This is where Microsoft Edge beats the competition. You can not only use Edge to view PDFs, but also do some basic editing. Before we discuss its PDF editing features, let’s see how you can open a PDF file in Edge.
How to open PDF files in Microsoft Edge
Locate the PDF file you want to open and right-click on it. Now hover over To open with to choose microsoft edge from the list of options.
You can also set Microsoft Edge as the default PDF viewer on your Windows device. To do so, go to settings on your PC and search default apps. Once there, search PDFclick on the current default PDF application and change it to microsoft edge. You can also change the default app on Mac.
Notable Features of Edge PDF Editor
PDF editing is a built-in feature in Edge, which means you don’t need third-party extensions or plugins. Note that the features it provides are quite basic, so you will need a dedicated PDF editor for complex editing. Still, it can be very useful when you need to add one of the following to your PDF file:
1. Text editing
Adding text is one of the main PDF editing tasks, and Edge lets you do it quickly natively. You need this feature if you want to add a note or missing text or fill out a form.
In Edge, you can add text anywhere in the document. Just click on the add text (the one with a T) in the top bar and click anywhere to start adding text. It also allows you to change the text color and font size, and increase or decrease the text spacing.
2. Drawing
You can annotate your PDF document in Edge by drawing shapes on it. Click on the To draw (pointy pen) to activate the freehand drawing tool. You can also click on the Arrow next to that icon to adjust the tool to suit your needs.
This feature is useful if you want to circle an important point or draw a diagram next to the text. You can use different colors for different annotation elements. And if you draw something by mistake, choose the Erase tool on the top bar and delete any annotations you want.
3. Highlight
In the top bar, next to the To draw tool, is the Stand out tool (the icon with a marker). By default it is a freehand highlighter, but you can restrict it to highlighting text only by clicking Highlight text only in the tool settings under the Arrow beside Stand out icon. You can also change the highlight color and thickness according to your preference.
Some PDF files do not have editable text, so you need the freehand highlighter for such documents. For editable files, it’s better to switch to Highlight text only. And finally, you can erase any highlighting with the Erase tool.
Adding comments is different than adding text. Text appears in the document itself, while comments can be viewed and minimized, without the need for additional space. You can easily locate a comment as it appears as a highlighted item.
To add a comment, select any text in your document where you want to add a comment, right-click, and select Add comment. A box appears where you can type your comment or note. He three points menu in this box allows you to Erase either Edit your comment.
Use Edge as your PDF editor
If you are using an older PC where you want to save space by installing as few apps as possible, you can replace the PDF viewer and editor app with Edge. You can not only save space, but also streamline your workflow within an app.
So go ahead and give Edge a try as it can serve as a complete PDF solution for you. If you’re still not convinced, there are other online PDF editors you can try.