How to edit a PDF on a Chromebook

Edit a PDF on a Chromebook with Quick PDF

1. Open Quick PDF in Chrome Go to quickpdfapp.com/edit-pdf in Chrome and sign in with your Google account or with an email and password.
2. Choose your PDF Click Choose PDF. The Files app opens, showing My files, Downloads and Google Drive in the left column. Pick the PDF, or drag it from the Files app onto the page.
3. Edit existing text Click Edit text, then click the line you want to change and type. Choose Sans, Serif or Mono, Bold, size and colour so the change matches.
4. Type, sign or add images Use Add text to type in blank spaces, Sign to draw or type your signature, or Image to place a photo or logo from your Files app.
5. Check your work Zoom in, compare the edit with nearby text and use undo if anything is off. Drag items to adjust their position.
6. Download the edited file Click Download. The PDF is saved to Downloads in the Files app, where you can move it to Google Drive or attach it to an email.

Open Edit PDF

Built-in PDF tools on a Chromebook

ChromeOS opens PDFs in the Gallery app or in a Chrome tab, depending on your settings. Recent versions let you draw, highlight and fill in some fillable forms there, and those tools are worth trying for a quick markup. They can't:

• Change text that is already printed in the PDF.
• Black out private details so they are removed from the file.
• Combine several PDFs, split one up or shrink a large file.
• Add a password.

For those jobs, Quick PDF runs in the same Chrome browser, so there is nothing to install. It also works the same way if you later switch to a Windows laptop, a Mac or your phone.

Files, Downloads and Google Drive

Everything on a Chromebook goes through the Files app:

• Downloads holds files you saved from Chrome or Gmail.
• Google Drive appears in the left column when you're signed in with a Google account, so you can open a Drive PDF directly from Choose PDF.
• Google Classroom assignments usually live in Drive. Find the PDF there, edit it, download the result and attach it back to the assignment.
• USB drives and SD cards show up in the Files app too.

Tip: when you download from Quick PDF, the new file lands in Downloads, not back in Drive. Drag it into the Drive folder in the Files app if you want it there.

Signing a PDF on a Chromebook

Signing is one of the most common Chromebook PDF jobs, for permission slips, leases and work forms. In Quick PDF, click Sign and choose one of three ways:

• Draw with your trackpad, a touchscreen or a stylus.
• Type your name and pick one of six script fonts.
• Upload a photo of your signature taken with the Chromebook's camera or your phone.

Pick black, blue or dark red ink, click the page to place it, then move and resize it. Tick Save for next time to reuse it. This is an electronic signature: an image of your signature on the page. For more, see how to sign a PDF.

Editing worksheets and school forms

Teachers often hand out PDFs that aren't fillable. To complete one:

1. Open it with Choose PDF.
2. Click Add text and click each blank line to type your answers.
3. Use Draw to circle answers or sketch a diagram.
4. Use Highlight on reading assignments.
5. Download and upload the finished file to Classroom or email it.

If the worksheet is a photo or scan, that's fine: Add text works on any page. See also how to fill out a non-fillable PDF.

Chromebook troubleshooting

• The PDF opens in Gallery instead. Close it, then use Choose PDF on the Quick PDF page, or drag the file in from the Files app.
• A school Chromebook blocks the site or a sign-in. Managed devices can restrict websites and accounts. Ask your school's IT team, or use a personal account where allowed.
• Clicking a line does nothing. The page is likely a scan. Use White-out and Add text instead of Edit text.
• The edited file isn't in Drive. Downloads go to the Downloads folder. Move the file to Drive with the Files app.
• The trackpad signature looks shaky. Try the typed signature, or upload a photo of a signature written on paper.

Questions people ask