PDF how-to answers
Direct answers to the PDF problems people search for most — each one linked to a free tool that runs entirely in your browser.
Compress a PDF to Under 100KB
Shrink a PDF below 100KB for upload forms and email limits. Free, in-browser, no watermark.
Compress to exact size →Compress a PDF to 1MB or Less
Reduce a PDF under the common 1MB email and portal limit while keeping text sharp. Free and private.
Compress to exact size →Reduce PDF File Size for Email
Get PDFs under Gmail and Outlook attachment limits in seconds. Free browser-based compression.
Compress PDF →Merge PDF Files on a Mac
Combine PDFs on macOS without Preview quirks or extra software. Works in Safari and Chrome.
Merge PDF →Merge PDFs Without a Watermark
Combine PDF files with no watermark, no signup, and no page limit. Completely free.
Merge PDF →Combine Scanned Documents Into One PDF
Turn a pile of scans or phone photos into a single tidy PDF. Free, private, mobile-friendly.
Merge PDF →Convert PDF to Word Without Losing Formatting
Get an editable .docx from a PDF with the layout kept as close as possible. Free and in-browser.
PDF to Word →Convert a Scanned PDF to Editable Word
Use OCR to pull real text out of a scanned PDF, then export it to Word. Free, no upload.
OCR PDF →PDF to Word — Free, No Email Required
Convert PDF to Word without giving an email address or creating an account.
PDF to Word →Scan Documents to PDF on iPhone
Use your iPhone camera to scan paper into a multi-page PDF. HEIC supported, nothing uploaded.
Photo to PDF →Scan Documents to PDF on Android
Turn Android camera photos into a clean multi-page PDF in your browser. Free, no app install.
Photo to PDF →Turn Receipt Photos Into a PDF
Bundle receipt photos into one expense-ready PDF from your phone. Free and private.
Photo to PDF →Split a PDF Into Separate Pages
Break a PDF into one file per page or extract a specific range. Free, instant, in-browser.
Split PDF →Extract Specific Pages From a PDF
Pull selected pages out of a PDF into a new document. No signup, no watermark.
Split PDF →Delete Pages From a PDF
Remove unwanted pages from a PDF visually and download the trimmed file. Free.
Organize PDF →Rotate PDF Pages and Save Permanently
Fix sideways PDF pages and save the rotation so it sticks in every viewer.
Rotate PDF →Add a Password to a PDF
Encrypt a PDF with a password before you send it. Runs locally, so the password never travels.
Protect PDF →Remove a Password From a PDF You Own
Strip password protection from PDFs you have the password for. Free and private.
Unlock PDF →Sign a PDF Electronically for Free
Draw your signature and place it on any PDF page. No account, no watermark, no upload.
Sign PDF →Add Page Numbers to a PDF
Insert page numbers into a PDF with your choice of position and format. Free.
Page Numbers →Add a Watermark to a PDF
Stamp DRAFT, CONFIDENTIAL, or your own text across PDF pages with adjustable opacity.
Watermark PDF →Convert Excel to PDF and Keep Formatting
Turn XLSX or CSV spreadsheets into readable PDFs without broken columns.
Excel to PDF →Convert Word to PDF for Free
Turn DOCX documents into PDFs in your browser. No Office licence needed.
Word to PDF →Convert PowerPoint to PDF
Export PPTX slide content to a shareable PDF handout. Free and private.
PowerPoint to PDF →Convert Multiple JPGs Into One PDF
Combine several JPG or PNG images into a single PDF with consistent orientation.
JPG to PDF →Convert PDF to High-Quality JPG
Export PDF pages as crisp JPG images at high resolution. Free, no watermark.
PDF to JPG →OCR a PDF Free Online
Make a scanned PDF searchable by recognising its text. Runs locally in your browser.
OCR PDF →Repair a Corrupted PDF File
Rebuild a damaged PDF and recover as much content as possible. Free attempt, no upload.
Repair PDF →Edit Text in a PDF for Free
Add text notes and annotations to any PDF page without Acrobat. Free in-browser editing.
Edit PDF →A Free iLovePDF Alternative That Never Uploads Your Files
PDFOnCall does the same PDF jobs entirely in your browser — no upload, no watermark, $2 day pass.
All PDF tools →Convert a PDF to Word on a Chromebook
No install, no Play Store app — convert PDFs to editable Word docs directly in the Chrome browser.
PDF to Word →Edit a PDF for Free Without Adobe Acrobat
Add text, rotate, reorder, sign, and stamp pages without an Acrobat subscription.
Edit PDF →Sign a PDF on an iPhone
Draw and place a signature on a PDF straight from Safari — no app install, nothing uploaded.
Sign PDF →Combine Multiple JPG Files Into One PDF
Turn a folder of photos or screenshots into a single ordered PDF in your browser.
JPG to PDF →Remove a Password From a PDF You Own
Strip the open password from a PDF you have the password for, so it opens without prompting.
Unlock PDF →Make a PDF Smaller for Email Attachments
Get under Gmail and Outlook attachment limits without shredding text quality.
Compress PDF →Convert a Scanned PDF Into Editable Text
Run OCR on a scanned document and get selectable, searchable, editable text back.
OCR PDF →Merge PDF Files on Windows 11
Join several PDFs into one on Windows 11 without installing software.
Merge PDF →Convert Word to PDF Without Microsoft Office
Turn a .docx into a clean PDF with no Office licence and no upload.
Word to PDF →Add Page Numbers to a PDF for Free
Stamp sequential page numbers onto any PDF, choosing position and starting number.
Page Numbers →A Free Smallpdf Alternative With No Upload Limit
Private, in-browser PDF tools with no watermark and a $2 day pass instead of a subscription.
All PDF tools →PDF Tools That Work Offline
Once loaded, PDFOnCall keeps working with no internet connection because processing is local.
All PDF tools →Compress a PDF to 200KB
Hit a 200KB upload limit exactly. Free browser-based PDF size targeting, no watermark.
Compress to exact size →Compress a PDF to 500KB
Reduce a PDF to a 500KB limit with an exact-size compressor. Free, private, no signup.
Compress to exact size →Make a PDF Smaller for an Application Upload
Get a PDF under a job, visa or university portal's file size limit in one pass. Free and private.
Compress to exact size →Compress a Scanned PDF Without Making Text Blurry
Shrink scanned PDFs while keeping printed text readable. Grayscale targeting beats blunt compression.
Compress to exact size →Turn a Photo Into a Scanned PDF
Convert a phone photo of a document into a clean, straightened, shadow-free scanned PDF. Free.
Photo to scanned PDF →Scan an ID Front and Back Into One PDF
Photograph both sides of an ID or card and get a single, cropped, straightened PDF. Nothing uploaded.
Photo to scanned PDF →Remove Shadows From a Document Photo
Delete hand and phone shadows from a photo of paper and whiten the background. Free, in-browser.
Photo to scanned PDF →Convert HEIC to PDF on iPhone
Turn iPhone HEIC photos into a PDF straight from Safari — no app, no upload, correct rotation.
Photo to scanned PDF →Merge PDFs Without Uploading Them Anywhere
Combine PDF files entirely on your own device — no server, no upload queue, no retention policy.
Merge PDF →PDF Tools for Sensitive and Confidential Documents
Edit, merge, compress and scan confidential PDFs without uploading them to a third-party server.
All PDF tools →Prefer longer walkthroughs? Read the full guides or browse all 23 PDF tools.