How to Edit a PDF in Word

A PDF is a secure and reliable file format to relay any kind of document over the internet. But, you sometimes get issues with the placement of images and formatting after a file is changed into a PDF. Fortunately, it is now possible to edit a PDF file.

Even though you cannot edit a PDF directly, you can use Microsoft Word to do so. The process is also relatively simple.

Note: When you import PDF to MS Word, you might lose the formatting of the original PDF document. This change could be minimal but it includes changes in page breaks, margins, and tables. 

With that, let’s look at how you can edit a PDF in Word.

Step 1: Open PDF in Word

When you edit a PDF file in Word, it changes the document into a version you can edit. It is only a copy of the original PDF. This means that the changes you make will not show in the original document. So, you need to save the newly edited document as a PDF file again.

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Click on Open.
   
3. Browse for the PDF you want and double-click on it.
4. Click OK on the pop-up and then make your edits.
   

Alternatively, you can use drag and drop to open a PDF. This process takes a little less time than the aforementioned method. You can follow these steps to do so.

1. Open Microsoft Word. 
2. Drag the PDF you want into the homepage and release.
3. Click the OK button. 

Step 2: Edit PDF File

Since it is possible that you may lose the original page-to-page correspondence of the images and text in Word, you make the necessary edits after importing it to Word. You can edit images, margins, header and footer in the document.

Here’re the steps to edit images.

1. Right-click on the image you want to edit.
2. Go to Size and Position to change the size, text wrapping, and position of the image.
   
3. Alternatively, you can go to Format Picture to add effects to the image as well as crop it.

You can also edit the margins of the document by following these steps.

1. Double-click on the layout menu.
2. Click on the Page setup icon.
   
3. In the Page Setup window that opens, you can change the margin size, paper size, and orientation as well as the Layout. Press the OK button when you’re done.
   

To change the header and footer, you can simply double-click on the topmost part of the page and make your edits. 

Step 3: Save PDF File

Once you edit a PDF file in Word, you need to save it again as a PDF to save any changes you made. You can do that by following these steps. 

1. Click on File.
2. Click on Save As.
   
3. Select the location to save your file.
4. Give your file a name.
5. Besides Save as type click on the dropdown menu and select PDF.
   
6. Word will save your changes.

Note: You can keep the original name when you save the new document as a PDF. But this will replace the original file. If you save the document with a new name, the older version of your PDF file will remain. 

How to Edit PDF in Microsoft Office Mobile App? 

You can also use the Microsoft Office mobile app to convert a PDF file into a Word file. You can then edit this in Microsoft Word. To do so, follow these easy steps.

1. Open the Microsoft Office app.
2. Click on Apps in the bottom right corner.
   
3. Go to PDF to Word > Browse and select your file.
   

After you make your edits, you can export the edited document as a PDF again.

1. Click on the three horizontal dots at the bottom right corner and tap on Print.
   
2. Select Save as PDF from the drop-down menu.
   
3. Tap on Save or PDF icon.
   
4. Select a location, give your file a new name if you want and click on Save.