PDF editor troubleshooting
Most problems with opening or editing a PDF come down to a handful of causes. Find your situation below and follow the fix.
Step by step
The PDF is password-protected
If the file asks for a password or will not open, remove the protection with pdfty's Unlock PDF tool (you need the password), then open the unlocked copy in the editor.
The file is damaged
If the editor cannot read the file or pages look broken, run it through pdfty's Repair PDF tool and open the repaired copy.
The file is larger than 20 MB
The editor opens PDFs up to 20 MB. Make it smaller with pdfty's Compress PDF tool, or cut it into parts with Split PDF and edit each part.
There is no selectable text
Scanned pages are images. Run OCR (O) to recognize the text, and then search, highlight or edit it.
Only PDFs can be opened
Word documents, images and other formats need converting first. Use the matching pdfty converter, then open the PDF here.
Tips
- If a font looks different after editing a line, the original font did not contain the characters you typed and a similar standard font was used.
- Paragraphs do not reflow after editing, so keep replacement text close to the original length.
- Open from URL needs a direct, public link to a PDF, not a page that contains the PDF.
Frequently asked questions
I do not know the PDF's password. Can I still edit it?
No. You need the password to remove the protection. Ask the person who sent the file for an unprotected copy.
My edited text appears in a different font. Why?
The original font is often embedded with only the characters used in the document. When you type new characters, a similar standard font, or Noto Sans for non-Latin text, is used and a notice tells you so.
I lost my edits after closing the tab. Can I get them back?
Open the editor again in the same browser and check Recent files. Edits are autosaved there unless the browser data was cleared or you used a private window.
Why is the editor slow on my file?
Very long documents and large scanned images take more memory to render. Compressing the file or splitting it into smaller parts helps.
Related guides
Looking for something else? Browse all editor help articles.