If you want to edit a PDF, you have several options. Microsoft has always marketed the Edge browser as an excellent PDF reader and in the Chromium variant you will find all kinds of options for editing PDF files. We look at the current possibilities.
Normally, PDF files are not so easy to modify. But if you open them with the Edge browser, you do have options. The texts themselves cannot be edited, but they can be marked and signed. In addition, robust tools are available to read aloud texts, which is a godsend for people who are visually impaired.
We assume that you have the Chromium-based version of Edge on your system. Microsoft is rolling out this browser via a Windows update. If you haven’t received it yet, you can Download Chromium-Edge here and install.
Also read: Edge Chromium: The 10 Best Features
PDF files open with Edge
Now it is important to designate this browser as the default application for opening PDF files. Right-click on a PDF document and choose the option Open with … and then Choose another app. Select Microsoft Edge and make sure to check Always use this app to open PDF files. Finally, click OK.
At first you will not see the toolbar with the tools that we will discuss later. The menu will only appear once you move the cursor all the way up. It is usually more convenient to keep that toolbar in view. Therefore, first click on the icon of a thumbtack on the right side of the bar, Pin toolbar.
Before we make any adjustments, let’s talk about saving them first. When you press Ctrl + S, the changes are saved in the current document. It is only advisable to keep the edited PDF as a copy of the original so that you can always fall back on it.
Therefore, click on the icon of a floppy disk with a pin next to it in the top right corner, which stands for Save as. You can now name the copy and save it next to the original document.
Signature under pdf
It sometimes happens that someone sends you a PDF asking you to sign it. You can then print the document, sign it and scan the result again, but that is a lot of hassle.
With Edge, this is much more convenient. Simply click on To draw and write your signature. If you click on the arrow next to the pencil icon, various colors can be selected and the line width can also be changed.
Highlighting texts
Text highlighting has been available since version 85 of the new Edge browser. You do this by on To mark clicking on the highlighter icon. The arrow next to it expands options for the color of the markers. Click the mouse at the beginning of the text and hold down the mouse button. Move over the rest of the text and you will see: the background color will change.
Remove marks by pressing at the top To clear clicking and then pointing to the markers. Also (hand) drawings can be erased in this way.
Read PDF aloud
Finally, we will take a moment to read aloud a document. That starts with the Read aloudbutton at the top of the screen. The entire document is then read from start to finish.
With the playback buttons that appear, you jump to the next part in the text or temporarily pause the reading. You can also have only a specific part read to you. For example, select a paragraph and right-click on it. Then choose Read selection aloud.
During playback, also take a look at the Speech options, on the far right of the screen. Here you determine the reading speed and the voice used. By default this is a female voice. If you’d rather hear a man’s voice, choose the option Microsoft Frank – Dutch (Nederlands). Reading will stop as soon as you press the Escape button.
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