How to edit text in a PDF

Updated October 25, 2026

Click the text you want to change and type, even on a scanned page, thanks to text recognition that runs on your device.

Why PDF text is hard to edit

A PDF is designed to look the same everywhere, not to be edited. Text is stored as positioned pieces, often split into separate words or even letters, and a scanned document contains no text at all, only a photo of the page. PDF One works around both: it groups pieces of text back into lines you can edit, and it can recognise the words in a scanned page.

Editing text in a digital PDF

  1. Open the PDF in PDF One and choose Edit Text.
  2. Click any text on the page. It becomes editable in place, in the same position.
  3. Type your change. PDF One matches the original font when it is available and suggests a similar one when it is not.
  4. Use the bold, italic, size and colour controls if needed, and drag the text if it needs to move.
  5. Click Done, check the page, then Save a copy.

Editing a scanned page with OCR

For scanned pages and photos, first run text recognition (OCR) from the editor. PDF One finds the lines of text on the page using a recognition engine that is bundled with the app and runs entirely on your device; nothing is sent to a cloud OCR service. After recognition, click a line to edit it just like a digital PDF. Recognition is very good on clear, straight scans and less reliable on handwriting, low-resolution photos or decorative fonts, so always read the result.

What happens to the page when you edit

Only the text you change is replaced. PDF One covers the old words and draws your new text in their place; the rest of the page, including images, stamps and signatures, stays exactly as it was. This keeps the document looking original and avoids the reflow problems you get when converting a PDF to a word-processor file and back.

Good to know

  • Edited text should be checked carefully, especially numbers, names and amounts.
  • Large rewrites are easier in the original source document if you have it; PDF editing is best for corrections and updates.
  • Do not use text editing to alter documents in ways that mislead others, such as changing official records you are not entitled to change.

Open the PDF One editor

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