Make PDFs Editable With Google Docs

Do you have a PDF file that contains text you want to edit? While you can't edit the file itself, you can use Google Drive to extract the text from a PDF file and place it into a normal document, which you can then edit and format it however you please. You can also connect apps for Google Drive that will allow you to add text, drawings, and notes to PDF documents.

Steps

Using Drive's Converter

  1. Log into the Google Drive website. You can upload PDF files to your Google Drive account and have Drive attempt to make them editable. This process is very finicky, and many PDF files will not convert properly. Regardless, you won't actually be editing the original PDF file. Instead, Google Drive will create a separate Google Documents file that will contain the text it was able to extract from the original.[1]
    • You'll need to do this from the Google Drive website. It's not possible to convert files using the Google Drive app on your smartphone or tablet.
  2. Upload the PDF file to Google Drive. There are a couple of different ways you can do this using the Google Drive website:
    • Click and drag PDF files into the browser window to upload them to Drive immediately.
    • Click the "NEW" button and select "File upload." You can then browse your computer for PDF files to upload.
  3. Right-click on the uploaded file. Once the file has finished uploading, right-click it in the Drive window.
  4. Select "Open With" → "Google Docs." A new tab will open, and Google Docs will begin processing the file. This processing time can take a fair amount of time, especially for larger PDF files.[2]
  5. Edit your new Google Doc file. Your new Google Doc will open with all of the text that Drive was able to extract from the PDF. You may notice some garbled characters and errors, especially if the original file used a hard-to-read font.
    • In many cases, Drive will not be able to convert the PDF into editable text.

Using a Drive PDF Editor App

  1. Click "My Drive" at the top of the Google Drive window. You can try a PDF editor app to add content to your PDF files or delete pages. You won't be able to edit any of the text that's already on the PDF, but you can add text, drawings, and annotations of your own.
  2. Select "More" → "Connect more apps." This will load the Drive app store.
  3. Search for "PDF editor." This will return a list of apps that can edit PDF files.
  4. Find an app that will meet your needs. Browse through the results to find an app that can perform the edits you need. None of the apps will allow you to edit any of the text or manipulate the objects in the original PDF, but they will let you add more content.
  5. Click the "Connect" button to install the app. You'll be prompted to make your new app the default app for PDF files, which you can allow or deny.
  6. Confirm that you want to link the app to your account (if asked). Some apps may require access to your Google+ profile, which you'll be prompted to confirm.
  7. Open the PDF file in your new app. If you set the app as your default, just double-click the PDF file in Drive to launch the new app. If you didn't, right-click on the PDF file, select "Open With," and then select your new app.
  8. Make your edits. You'll find any available editing tools along the top of the document viewer. These usually include new text boxes, drawings, or importing other images. You won't be able to edit any of the existing text.

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Sources and Citations

  1. Jump up ↑ http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000124.htm
  2. Jump up ↑ https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/drive/JpYwdAEuOME
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