What is an online PDF editor?

An online PDF editor lets you modify or annotate PDF documents directly in your web browser without installing desktop software. ToolifHub's PDF Editor focuses on overlay annotations — adding text and highlights on top of the document.

Can I edit existing text in a PDF?

No. This editor adds overlay annotations on top of the document. Existing PDF text cannot be modified directly. You can, however, add new text overlays and use the “Cover text underneath” option to hide original text beneath your annotation.

What annotations does the PDF Editor support?

The tool supports two annotation types: custom text overlays (with adjustable font size, color, and positioning) and yellow text highlights created by selecting text on the page.

Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?

No. All editing happens locally in your browser using JavaScript. Your PDF is never sent to ToolifHub or any third-party server. This makes it safe for confidential and sensitive documents.

Does the PDF Editor work on mobile devices?

Yes. The editor is responsive and works on modern mobile browsers, including Safari on iOS and Chrome on Android. Touch gestures are supported for navigation and annotation placement.

Is the PDF Editor free?

Yes. PDF Editor on ToolifHub is completely free with no registration, subscription, or usage limits. Open the tool and start annotating immediately.

Can I add images, drawings, or signatures with this tool?

This editor supports text overlays and text highlights only. For signatures, use our Sign PDF tool. For watermarks, use Add Watermark. For freehand drawing, consider exporting pages as images first with PDF to JPG.

How do I highlight text in a PDF?

Switch to the Highlight tool, then select text directly on the PDF page preview. Selected passages are highlighted automatically in yellow. You can remove individual highlights using the delete button that appears on hover.

Free PDF Editor Online - Add Text & Highlights

Overview

PDF Editor is a free, browser-based tool on ToolifHub for annotating PDF documents with text overlays and highlights. Upload any PDF, navigate page by page with zoom controls, add custom text anywhere on the document, and highlight important passages by selecting text on the page. When you're done, download the annotated PDF — all processing happens locally in your browser, so your files are never uploaded to a server. This is an overlay editor: it adds new text and highlight marks on top of the PDF rather than modifying the original text layer. For signatures, watermarks, or page reorganization, explore the related Sign PDF, Add Watermark, and Organize PDF tools in our PDF Tools category.

About PDF Editor

Upload a PDF and annotate it with custom text overlays and yellow text highlights. Add new text anywhere on the page with adjustable font size and color, drag annotations to reposition them, and use the cover option to hide existing text underneath. Select text on the page to highlight key passages automatically. Preview every page with zoom controls, move between pages, and download your edited PDF when finished. Existing PDF text is not modified directly — new elements are overlaid on top of the document.

Key Features

Add draggable text overlays with adjustable font size (6–96 pt) and custom color

Optional “cover text underneath” mode to hide original text when writing over it

Highlight text by selecting passages directly on the page

Page-by-page navigation with previous/next controls

Zoom in and out (50%–300%) for precise annotation placement

Download the annotated PDF with all overlays baked in

Completely free — no account, registration, or software installation required

Runs entirely in your browser — PDF files never leave your device

Benefits

Quickly mark up contracts, reports, and forms without desktop software like Adobe Acrobat

Keep sensitive documents private — nothing is uploaded to ToolifHub servers

Add clarifying notes or corrections as text overlays without altering the original PDF structure

Highlight key clauses, figures, or passages for review and collaboration

Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers with no plugin required

Combine with Sign PDF, Organize PDF, and Compress PDF for a complete PDF workflow on ToolifHub

How to Use PDF Editor

Drag and drop your PDF onto the upload area, or click to browse and select a file

Choose the Text tool to add new text, or the Highlight tool to mark up existing text

For text: click “Add text,” type your content, adjust size and color, then drag to position it

Enable “Cover text underneath” if you need to hide the original text beneath your overlay

For highlights: switch to Highlight mode and select text on the page — it highlights automatically

Use the page navigation arrows to move between pages and the zoom controls to adjust the view

Click “Save & Download” to export your annotated PDF with all changes applied

Use Cases

Contract & Agreement Review

Add notes, corrections, and highlights to contracts and legal agreements before signing. Use text overlays to flag clauses that need attention without printing or scanning.

Report & Presentation Markup

Highlight statistics, quotes, and key findings in business reports, research papers, and slide decks exported as PDF.

Form Corrections

Overlay corrected text on PDF forms where the original fields cannot be edited directly. Useful for one-off fixes before sharing or filing.

Study & Research Notes

Students and researchers can highlight passages and add margin-style text notes to textbooks, articles, and reference PDFs.

Client Document Feedback

Freelancers and agencies can annotate client deliverables with inline comments and highlights before sending revisions.

Internal Team Reviews

Mark up draft documents during internal review cycles — highlight sections for discussion and add clarifying text without email back-and-forth.

PDF Editor