This wikiHow teaches you how to add your own text to a PDF document on a PC, Mac computer, iPhone/iPad, or Android device. If you're using a Mac, you can use the computer's built-in Preview app to add your own text annotations and signatures to PDF documents. If you're using a Windows computer or Android device, you can install the free Adobe Acrobat DC app to add text and signatures to documents. If you are using an iPhone/iPad, you can easily access the “Markup” tool (similar to the features available on Mac computers) without installing any additional applications.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Using Preview on a Mac
Step 1. Open the PDF document in Preview
You can open it by clicking on the document icon. You can also double-click the Preview icon (two blue screenshots stacked on top of each other), opening the “ File ” > “ Open ”, selects a PDF document, and clicks “ Open ”.
Step 2. Click an empty field to type text into a fillable PDF document
If the document you're using has forms to fill out, you don't need to use special editing tools. Just click the typing or writing field (usually indicated by a line or box) and start typing. If you can't easily type text into your document, read the next steps in this method.
Step 3. Click the pencil icon on the toolbar
This bar is at the top of the window. The “Markup” toolbar will load afterwards.
You can also open this toolbar by clicking on the menu “ View " and choose " Show Markup Toolbar ”.
Step 4. Click the T button on the “Markup” toolbar
You will enter text mode after that.
Step 5. Click the section where you want to add a text field
The word “Text” will be added to the editable text field.
You can drag the box or column elsewhere if you want
Step 6. Click the A button on the “Markup” toolbar to select a font option
The size, color, and font type options will be displayed. You can use this toolbar to change the appearance of the text.
- Click the font drop-down menu to change its type.
- Click the colored rectangle to change the color of the text.
- Click the font size menu to change the text size.
- Click the button " B" to make text bold," I ” to make the text italic, or “ U ” to underline the text.
- Use the buttons at the bottom of the dialog box to specify the alignment of the text.
Step 7. Double click the word Text
After that, you can enter or type text.
Step 8. Type the text you want to add to the PDF document
Step 9. Add signature (optional)
If the PDF document contains a form that needs to be signed, you can also use Preview to add your own signature. Here's how:
- Click the signature icon on the toolbar. This icon looks like a serialize.
- Click " Create Signature ”.
- Decide whether you want to create a signature using the trackpad, webcam, or iPhone.
- Use the trackpad or iPhone to create a signature as it appears on the screen, or write the signature on a piece of white paper and scan it using a webcam.
- Click " Done ” to save the signature.
- Select a signature and drag it to where you want it.
Step 10. Click the File menu and select Save.
Changes will be saved to a PDF document afterwards.
Method 2 of 4: Using Adobe Reader DC on PC or Mac Computer
Step 1. Open Adobe Reader DC on your PC or Mac computer
If you have this application installed, you can find it in your Windows "Start" menu or Mac's "Applications" folder.
If you haven't installed it, the app is available for free from get.adobe.com/reader and can be used on Windows, Mac, and Android operating systems
Step 2. Click the Tools tab
It's a tab at the top of the window.
Step 3. Click Fill & Sign
It's a pencil icon in the upper-left corner of the app window.
Step 4. Select the PDF document
To select a document, click the “ Select a File ” in blue, select the PDF file, and click “ Open ”.
Step 5. Click the blue Fill and sign button
It's a blue button in the left box. The PDF document will open and be ready to add text.
Step 6. Click the Ab icon
It's a blue icon in the toolbar above the document. The text tool will be opened after that.
Step 7. Click the part of the document you want to add text to
The typing area will be displayed.
Step 8. Adjust the text size
Click the letter button A ” small to reduce text size, and letter keys “ A ” large to increase the size.
Step 9. Click Type text here
Now you can start typing text.
Step 10. Type in the text you want to add to the document
Step 11. Click the document section outside the dialog box to close it
After you close the text field, you can add more text to the other sections if you want.
- If you need to move text, double-click the text, hover over one corner of the frame, then click and drag the frame to the desired location.
- If you want to add content other than text (eg checkboxes or circles), click the appropriate symbol on the toolbar.
Step 12. Add a signature if the document needs to be signed (optional)
Here's how:
- Click the button " Sign ” on the toolbar.
- Click " Add signature " or " Add initials ”.
- You can type your signature or initials to use a common handwritten font, or click “ Draw ” to draw a signature using the mouse or trackpad.
- When ready, click "Apply" to affix a signature to the page.
- You can move the signature by clicking and dragging it to where you want it.
Step 13. Click the File menu and select Save.
New documents and text added will be saved.
Method 3 of 4: Using “Markup” Feature on iPhone/iPad
Step 1. Touch the PDF document you want to open
Files can be attached to emails or saved to your phone, tablet or online storage space (cloud drive).
Step 2. Touch the pencil icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen. The “Markup” tool will load at the bottom of the screen.
Step 3. Touch the + button
It's in the lower-right corner of the screen. Additional “Markup” tools will appear in the menu.
Step 4. Touch Text
A small text field will be added to the document.
Step 5. Touch the text field once
The menu will expand and several options will appear at the bottom of the screen.
Step 6. Touch the Aa icon to modify the text
You can choose the font type, size, and alignment.
If you want to change the color of the text, tap one of the colored circles at the bottom of the screen
Step 7. Touch the text field and select Edit on the menu
Now, you can enter your own text.
Step 8. Type in the text
When you're done, touch the area outside the typing field to close it.
Step 9. Drag the text field to the desired area
You can lift your finger after the column is placed.
Step 10. Add a signature if the document needs to be signed (optional)
If a document needs to be signed, follow these steps to sign it with the “Markup” feature:
- Touch " + ” in the lower right corner of the screen.
- Choose " Signature ”.
- Use your finger to draw your signature on the screen.
- Touch " Done ” above the screen.
- Touch and drag the signature to the desired location. You can also resize it by dragging the blue dots in each corner of the signature frame inward or outward.
Step 11. Touch Done when finished editing
The edited PDF document will be saved.
Method 4 of 4: Using Acrobat Reader DC on Android Device
Step 1. Install Acrobat Reader DC from Play Store
This free app allows you to add your own text and signature to PDF documents on your Android phone or tablet.
To install the application, open the Play Store, enter the search keyword Adobe Acrobat Reader, tap the appropriate option in the search results (marked by a red icon with a white curved design), and select “ Install ”.
Step 2. Open Acrobat Reader DC
If you are still in the Play Store window, touch “ Open ” to run the application. Otherwise, tap the red and white curved line icon on your home screen or device's app drawer to launch it.
When you first open the app, you will be asked to sign in or create an account. You can easily sign in to your Google account or any other account you want
Step 3. Touch the file icon
This icon is the second button on the left pane.
Step 4. Locate the PDF file you want to add text to
If the file is saved on the device, touch “ On This Device ” and search for files. You can also browse files in your Google Drive, Dropbox, or Adobe Document Cloud account.
- If the file is saved in an email, save the attachment to your device so you can open it in Acrobat Reader.
- If the PDF file is saved in your Google Drive or Dropbox account, and you haven't linked your account to Acrobat Reader DC, you'll be prompted to do so when you try to connect to the account.
Step 5. Touch the PDF file to open it
The document will be displayed in Acrobat Reader.
Step 6. Touch the pencil icon
It's in a blue circle in the lower-right corner of the screen. The menu will expand with several options.
Step 7. Touch Fill & Sign
This option is the second option. The toolbar will expand at the top of the screen.
Step 8. Touch the Ab icon to open the text tool
This icon is the first button on the toolbar at the top of the screen.
Step 9. Touch the part you want to add text to
A text field will be added to the section or area.
Step 10. Adjust the text size
Touch the letter icon “ A ” small to reduce text size, or letter icon “ A ” large to increase its size.
Step 11. Type in the text
When you're done typing, you can touch any part of the document to exit the text field.
Step 12. Add signature if required
Do your documents need to be signed? You can do this on Acrobat Reader DC with the following steps:
- Tap the pencil icon in the top right corner of the toolbar.
- Touch " Create Signature " or " Create Initials " (according to the needs).
- Touch " Done ”.
- Touch the pencil icon again and this time, choose your signature.
- Touch the section you want to add a signature to. A black menu with several font options will appear.
- Touch the pen icon (third icon from left) on the black horizontal menu. The signature will be displayed.
- Drag the signature to the correct location and touch another part of the document to exit.
Step 13. Touch the tick icon to save the document
It's in the top-left corner of the screen.
Step 14. Touch the three-dot menu icon and select Save as a copy
It's in the upper-right corner of the screen. The document storage directory will be displayed after that.
Step 15. Select the storage directory
You can save documents to your Android device, Google Drive account, or other connected online storage account. A copy of the PDF document with additional text will be saved afterwards.
