# PDF Form Filler for Non-Form-Enabled PDFs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 7, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994 "2016-11-07T20:40:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/1 "2016-11-07T20:40:56Z")
My employer loves to create simple paperwork forms as Word docs, save them as PDFs, then expect us to download them, print them, fill them out with a pen, and fax them some place. Mu goal is to start with these PDFs that are _not_ fillable forms in any way, and be able to use a PC program or website to overlay text boxes on them, fill those boxes out via keyboard and print or save the results. Ideally I could save the variant of the form with the embedded empty text boxes but before filling it in. Then open it later, fill in the forms, then print or save that instance too. That way Id be able to re-use the blank modified form more than once. Anyone know of good freeware or all-but freeware (or website) that does this? ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/2 "2016-11-07T20:44:03Z")
I’ve used the PDF escape website for this - [http://www.pdfescape.com/](http://www.pdfescape.com/) . It seems they also have an app. I’m not sure if it works in your ideal version–you might have to work out the overlay boxes each time. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/3 "2016-11-07T21:17:50Z")
Plain old Adobe Reader has a “sign” feature that allows you to insert text into the PDF. I don’t think you can add actual form fields where none exist, but it gets you halfway there. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/4 "2016-11-07T22:19:47Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > My employer loves to create simple paperwork forms as Word docs, save them as PDFs, then expect us to download them, print them, fill them out with a pen, and fax them some place. > > Mu goal is to start with these PDFs that are _not_ fillable forms in any way, and be able to use a PC program or website to overlay text boxes on them, fill those boxes out via keyboard and print or save the results. > > Ideally I could save the variant of the form with the embedded empty text boxes but before filling it in. Then open it later, fill in the forms, then print or save that instance too. That way Id be able to re-use the blank modified form more than once. > > Anyone know of good freeware or all-but freeware (or website) that does this? Copy the PDF and paste it back into Word. Resize it to the page and then insert text boxes where you want them. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/5 "2016-11-08T17:39:20Z")
I open such PDFs in GraphicConverter, which lets me treat them like a JPEG of whatever resolution I specify; it has a text tool so I fill in all the blanks then save and saving flattens it all back to a PDF. ---
**Author:** ![FallingLeaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@FallingLeaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallingLeaves)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/6 "2016-11-09T03:29:54Z")
I used to use Nitro PDF in order to edit non-editable pdf docs, mainly like you said, be able to fill in forms. I’ll admit I haven’t used it recently though. Probably a couple of years ago and on Windows 7. ---
**Author:** ![Dickerman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Dickerman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dickerman)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/7 "2016-11-09T03:58:10Z")
I’d also recommend a recent (XI, DC) version of Adobe (Acrobat) Reader and use the Fill & Sign feature. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2016, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pdf-form-filler-for-non-form-enabled-pdfs/770994/8 "2016-11-09T20:22:53Z")
> [@Dickerman](#): > > I’d also recommend a recent (XI, DC) version of Adobe (Acrobat) Reader and use the Fill & Sign feature. Wow!! That was exactly it. Thank you! I had believed I’d need Pro (=$$$) to do that. But the fill and sign tool in free Acrobat DC does just what I need. No need to sign in or have an Adobe ID or anything. By using their native tools I avoid all the silliness of third party apps, round tripping text to pictures to pictures of text back to text etc. The UI is a bit weird at first, but it works great. I’ll leave this feedback here for posterity.