10 hidden features of online PDF editors you need to know about
Advanced text editing tools in the PDF editor
While basic editing features like adding text boxes and comments are helpful, some solutions not only let you edit PDF documents online but also offer a robust suite of advanced tools.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology: Convert scanned text into editable text
Have you ever received a scanned document — a physical document converted into a digital image file — and wished you could edit the text within that PDF file online? This is where Optical Character Recognition (OCR) comes in. A powerful OCR engine allows you to convert scanned text into editable and searchable text formats. This means you can easily extract text from a scanned document, modify it, and even copy-paste it into other applications.
For instance, you have a scanned contract you need to amend slightly. With OCR, you can unlock the editable text layer, make the necessary changes, and save the document as a fully functional PDF. This eliminates the need for retyping the entire document, saving you significant time and effort.
Font matching: Match font styles and sizes for consistency across the document
Maintaining a consistent and professional look in your PDFs is crucial. Here’s where font matching becomes a valuable feature. A good online PDF editor allows you to automatically match the font style and size used throughout the document when you add new text or edit existing content. This ensures a polished and uniform appearance, especially when collaborating with others who might have edited the document using different fonts.
Say you’re creating a proposal with various team members contributing sections. With font matching, you can seamlessly integrate their contributions without worrying about differing fonts creating an unprofessional look.
Text redaction: Hide or remove sensitive information from PDFs
There are times when you might need to share a PDF document containing confidential information, such as social security numbers or financial data. Text redaction, offered by advanced online PDF editors, empowers you to permanently remove or obscure sensitive text from specific areas of the document. This ensures you can share the document securely without compromising privacy policies and regulations.
Imagine you’re redacting a patient’s medical report to share with a colleague for consultation. You can use the text redaction tool to permanently block out the patient’s social security number, ensuring their privacy is protected while allowing the necessary medical information to be conveyed and following particular HIPAA rules.
Image manipulation features of the PDF editor
Object recognition: Automatically detect and edit images and graphics
Some online PDF editors offer AI-powered object recognition capabilities. Once an image is recognized, you can easily adjust its size and position or even replace it with another image. This eliminates the tedious task of manually searching for and selecting images within a complex PDF.
For instance, you need to update a product brochure PDF with a new product image. Object recognition allows you to quickly locate the existing product image and swap it with a new one, saving you time and frustration.
Background removal: Easily remove backgrounds from images for clarity
Sometimes, images within a PDF might have distracting backgrounds that take away from the core message. Background removal, offered by some online PDF editors, allows you to separate the main subject from the rest of those presented in an image by removing its background.
Picture this: you have a headshot within a company report that has a cluttered office background. With background removal, you can create a clean headshot with a transparent background, making it more versatile for various layouts within the document.
Image compression: Reduce file size without compromising image quality
Sharing large PDFs can be complicated, especially via email. Image compression, a feature available in advanced online PDF editors, allows you to reduce the file size of your PDF without sacrificing image quality significantly.
Imagine you’re sending a presentation PDF with high-resolution images to your colleagues. Image compression ensures the document size remains manageable for easy sharing while maintaining the visual quality of the pictures for effective presentation.
Enhanced security and privacy options in the cloud-based PDF editor
An advanced PDF editor always prioritizes security. For example, Lumin complies with SOC 2, GDPR, AWS security standards, CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), and PCI-DSS.
Document sanitization: Remove metadata and hidden data from PDFs
Most PDFs contain metadata, which is embedded information about the document’s creation, author, and modification history. While often harmless, this metadata can sometimes reveal sensitive details you might not want to share. Document sanitization, offered by secure online PDF editors, allows you to permanently remove this metadata from your documents before sharing them.
For example, you might be sharing a legal document you downloaded from the Internet. Document sanitization ensures any embedded information about the original source or previous modifications is removed, protecting your privacy and preventing potential security risks.
Password protection: Encrypt PDFs with passwords to restrict access
There are instances where you might want to restrict access to your PDFs entirely. Password protection, a common feature in secure online PDF editors, allows you to encrypt your documents with a password. This lets you have a granular control overview and edit permissions.
Think of sending a confidential financial report to a specific client. Password protection safeguards the document, ensuring only the intended recipient with the password can access the sensitive financial information.
Digital signatures: Sign PDFs electronically for secure document authentication
Digital signatures provide a tamper-proof way to electronically sign your PDFs. This functionality, available in advanced online PDF editing tools, allows you to add a digital certificate to your document, verifying your identity and confirming that the document hasn’t been altered since it was signed.
A good use case here is finalizing a contract with a business partner. Digital signatures allow both parties to electronically sign the document, ensuring its authenticity and validity without the need for manual signatures and physical copies.
From advanced text and image manipulation to robust safeguarding measures, online PDF editors have come a long way, offering a surprising arsenal of features beyond basic editing. With these newfound capabilities, you can tackle even the most complex PDF tasks with greater efficiency and peace of mind.
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