How to Create and Edit PDF Files

PDF, or Portable Document Format, allows users to create documents that can be viewed anywhere and on any platform. PDF documents also preserve the original document's formatting. Adobe created the format, and its Acrobat application is the standard for creating PDF files. Acrobat, combined with dozens of compatible word processing, layout and spreadsheet applications, makes creating and editing PDF files easy.

Things You'll Need

• Adobe Acrobat software

Instructions

Creating a PDF from the Application

1. Open the document you want to use to create the PDF file (for example, a Word document or Excel spreadsheet).

2. Click the "Adobe PDF" button in the application's toolbar.

3. In the "Save Adobe PDF File As" window, enter a name for the PDF file and select a location to save the file.

4. Click the "Save" button to save the file as a PDF.

Creating a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat

1. Launch Adobe Acrobat.

2. Select "Create," then "PDF From File" from Acrobat's toolbar.

3. In the "Open" window, select the file.

4. Click the "Open" button to import the file and generate the PDF.

Editing the PDF in Adobe Acrobat

1. Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the PDF file.

2. Select "Tools," then "Advanced Editing," then "TouchUp Text Tool" from the menu bar.

3. Click the text to insert a cursor and edit the text as necessary.

4. Select "Tools," then "Advanced Editing," then "TouchUp Object Tool" from the menu bar.

5. Use the mouse to select an object---a text block or graphic---to move it somewhere else in the document.

Editing the PDF in the Original Application

1. Open the original document.

2. Edit the document as necessary.

3. Click the "Adobe PDF" button in the application's toolbar.

4. In the "Save Adobe PDF File As" window, enter a name and select a location to save the file.

5. Click the "Save" button to save the edited PDF.

Tips & Warnings

• When you install Adobe Acrobat, it adds a "Create PDF" button to the toolbars of all compatible applications you have installed on your computer.

• Creating a PDF in Acrobat creates the same file as creating a PDF using the "Create PDF" button in the document's application.

• Select "Edit," then "Preferences" from the Adobe Acrobat menu bar to set the various options for generating a PDF, including color management, fonts and security.

• You can perform only simple edits within Adobe Acrobat. For more complex edits, edit the original file and create a new PDF.

References

• Adobe Acrobat