# Freeware .pdf editor? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644 "2007-03-27T03:44:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/1 "2007-03-27T03:44:06Z")
I have downloaded a form in .pdf format. I need to fill it out and then print it. It’s just typing with no special formatting or images or anything. Is there a free application that will do this? ETA: I have Foxit Reader, which will let me edit, but without the pro pack, it says the document will have evaluation marks. (?) TIA ---
**Author:** ![Strain\_of\_Thought](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3be4f8/32.png) [@Strain\_of\_Thought](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strain_of_Thought)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/2 "2007-03-27T03:51:13Z")
Why can’t you print it and then fill it out? ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/3 "2007-03-27T03:54:15Z")
[QUOTE=Strain of Thought] Why can’t you print it and then fill it out? [/QUOTE] The form needs to be typed. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/4 "2007-03-27T04:05:16Z")
Sorry I wasn’t clear about that. I need the more professional look of a typed form than longhand. My writing is atrocious and I don’t have a typewriter. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/5 "2007-03-27T06:01:57Z")
I just use PDF2word. It only works x times on the free trial, but it seems like you only want to use it once so it should be sweet. Just put the name into Google to get endless mirror sites. ---
**Author:** ![Klaatu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Klaatu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Klaatu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/6 "2007-03-27T06:16:08Z")
[QUOTE=Blake] I just use PDF2word. It only works x times on the free trial, but it seems like you only want to use it once so it should be sweet. Just put the name into Google to get endless mirror sites. [/QUOTE] Excellent, **Blake** , just what I was looking for! Thanks much. ---
**Author:** ![from\_a\_to\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5fc32e/32.png) [@from\_a\_to\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/from_a_to_z)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/7 "2007-03-27T08:27:22Z")
If I understand the question correctly, another possibility could be to import the .pdf file as an image into a document, then type over it and print out the document. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/8 "2007-03-27T09:03:23Z")
We use the excellent free [PDF995](http://www.pdf995.com/) at work because it works better than the products that we bought. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/9 "2007-03-27T11:52:10Z")
[QUOTE=don’t ask] We use the excellent free [PDF995](http://www.pdf995.com/) at work because it works better than the products that we bought. [/QUOTE] I always recommend [CutePDF](http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp). It it very light (unlike Adobe), reliable, free, and is not ad-supported. The free version I think just reads and writes PDF files, but IIRC there is/was am upgraded (paid) edition that would edit PDFs. ---
**Author:** ![Queuing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Queuing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queuing)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/10 "2007-03-27T15:34:04Z")
You are correct in regards to CutePDF. It does not edit PDFs (free version). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freeware-pdf-editor/397644/11 "2007-03-27T16:37:06Z")
Have you tried to simply fill out the form in Acrobat Reader? Some forms are designed that you can complete them on-screen and then print them out, although you can’t save the document.