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Everything you can do with a PDF

Free, step-by-step guides to editing, merging, converting, signing, and shrinking PDFs, plus AI tools to read and summarize them.

12 articles · updated September 2, 2026

Working with a PDF shouldn’t mean paying for bloated software. These guides cover the common tasks with free tools that get the job done, from editing and combining pages to converting, signing, and shrinking files, plus newer AI options for scanned and long documents.

01

Edit and organize pages

The everyday fixes: change what's on the page and get your files in order.

  1. An open journal on a deskEdit text and pages in a PDF for free7 min read
  2. A printed chart and graph on a deskMerge several PDFs into a single file6 min read
  3. A paper shredder cutting sheets into stripsSplit a PDF into separate files7 min read
  4. Hands pointing at printed business charts on a desk beside a coffee and a laptopRotate pages the right way upCovers making the rotation stick after you reopen the file.4 min read
02

Convert to another format

Turn a PDF into something you can reuse elsewhere.

  1. Accounting paperwork and documents on a deskConvert a PDF to an editable Word document6 min read
  2. Financial paperwork spread on a deskConvert a PDF to JPG images for free5 min read
  3. Hands typing on a laptop beside a cup of coffeePull the images out of a PDFFor saving the original photos without losing quality.4 min read
03

Sign, protect, and shrink

  1. A hand signing a printed documentAdd your signature to a PDF6 min read
  2. A pen resting on a notepadRemove a password from a PDF you ownFor documents you have the right to open.7 min read
  3. A filing cabinet full of documentsCompress a PDF to a smaller sizeUseful when a file is too big to email or upload.5 min read
04

Read and summarize with AI

For long or scanned documents that are hard to work through by hand.

  1. A laptop beside printed paper on a deskConvert a PDF to text with AIHandles scanned pages, not just digital text.7 min read
  2. Financial charts and graphs on a screenSummarize a long PDF with AI7 min read