How to Edit a PDF in Google Drive

PDF (Portable Document Format) is a widely-used file format for sharing and preserving documents in their original layout across different platforms. It’s common to have many business and personal documents saved in PDF file format. However, making changes to a PDF document used to be a cumbersome task, requiring specialized software.

Fortunately, with the popular Google Docs, the process has become much simpler for everyone, although it’s not without certain challenges where your PDF file is concerned.

In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of editing PDF files within Google Docs, unleashing the true potential of the versatile Google Docs cloud-based platform.

Whether you need to correct a typo, add new content, have formatting issues you want to fix, or need to update information, get ready to discover how easy it is to breathe new life into your PDFs using Google Docs. We’ll also cover what Google Docs can actually handle when you edit PDF documents in Google Drive, how to prepare your files for the best results, and when it makes sense to use professional PDF editing software instead.

Here’s how you can edit a PDF file in Google Docs

First and foremost, you’ll need access to Google Docs to edit any PDF file. So, if you don’t already have a Google Drive set up, now’s the time.

Google Docs is a free web-based application, available with many tools which you can access by going to drive.google.com. If you’ve got a Google account, you’ll find “My Drive,” which has:

• Files and folders you upload or sync
• Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms you create

Is editing a PDF in Google Drive using Google Docs the same as the Google PDF editor?

No, it’s not the same. Google offers several creation tools, such as Google Docs, Google Sheets and Google Presentations. The fact is, Google doesn’t have a PDF editor that you can install. Chrome has a PDF viewer built in that you can use to annotate, sign and fill out PDFs. The Google PDF viewer, which is essentially a built-in Chrome viewer, does not allow you to edit text. You’ll have to convert PDFs to Google Docs if you want to edit them in Google Docs and Google Drive.

How to edit a PDF in Google Drive using Google Docs in just 3 steps

Step 1. Open with Google Docs

If you haven’t already saved the PDF in Google Drive, go to Google Drive > New > File Upload. If you’ve already got it, find the location in which your PDF is saved within Google Drive, then right-click and select Open With > Google Docs.

Step 2. Edit PDF file in Google Docs

You can start editing your document once it opens in Google Docs. You may notice that the converted file in Google Docs doesn’t retain the formatting of your original PDF file, however. That’s because, as we mentioned, Google Docs isn’t a full-fledged PDF editor. You will be able to edit the text, and upload any images you want to add, however.

Step 3. Download your PDF file

Once you’re done, click File > Download PDF. This will download your PDF files from Google Docs and save your document in a new PDF file.

What Google Docs can and can’t edit in a PDF

Understanding the limitations of how to edit PDFs in Google Drive helps set realistic expectations and saves you frustration. Google Docs handles some PDF elements well, while others become problematic during the conversion process.

What Google Docs handles well:

• Plain text editing is where Google Docs shines. If your PDF is primarily text-based—like a report, letter, or article—you’ll be able to edit the content fairly easily. You can change words, fix typos, add sentences, and rearrange paragraphs without much trouble.
• Basic formatting like bold, italic, underline, and font changes usually survive the conversion process. You can adjust these as needed once the PDF opens in Google Docs.
• Simple images can be added or removed. If you need to insert a new photo or delete an existing one, Google Docs gives you that flexibility.

What Google Docs struggles with:

• Complex layouts fall apart quickly. If your PDF has multi-column designs, text boxes positioned in specific places, or intricate page structures, expect these to get jumbled when you edit a PDF in Google Drive using Google Docs.
• Tables and charts often lose their structure. Borders might disappear, cells can merge incorrectly, and spacing becomes unpredictable. If your document relies heavily on tables, Google Docs probably isn’t your best option.
• Custom fonts may not transfer correctly. If your PDF uses specialized or proprietary fonts, Google Docs will substitute them with standard fonts, which can dramatically change how your document looks.
• Headers, footers, and page numbers typically don’t survive the conversion. If these elements are important to your document, you’ll need to recreate them manually or use dedicated PDF software.
• Forms and fillable fields lose their functionality completely. Interactive PDFs with form fields, checkboxes, or dropdown menus become static text when converted to Google Docs.
• Hyperlinks sometimes break or disappear entirely during conversion. If your PDF contains important links, check that they still work after editing.

How to prepare a PDF for best results in Google Docs

If you’re committed to using Google Docs to edit PDF documents in Google Drive, a little preparation goes a long way toward getting usable results.

• Start with simple PDFs when possible. The more straightforward your PDF’s layout and formatting, the better it will convert. Single-column documents with standard fonts and minimal graphics give you the best chance of success.
• Save a backup of the original PDF before you start editing. Once you convert and edit in Google Docs, you can’t easily revert to the original if something goes wrong. Having a backup gives you peace of mind and a reference point.
• Use Print Preview before converting. Before you upload to Google Drive, open your PDF and use the print preview function to see if there are any obvious issues with how the document is structured. This can help you anticipate problems.
• Check the converted document immediately. As soon as your PDF opens in Google Docs, scroll through the entire document to spot formatting issues. It’s easier to catch and fix problems right away than to discover them after you’ve made edits.
• Keep edits minimal if formatting matters. If your PDF’s visual appearance is critical, limit your changes to essential text edits only. The more you modify the document structure in Google Docs, the more likely you are to introduce new formatting problems.
• Consider splitting complex documents. If you have a long, complex PDF but only need to edit a few pages, consider extracting just those pages into a separate PDF before converting. This reduces the chance of widespread formatting issues.

When to switch from Google Docs to a dedicated PDF editor

Google Docs is free and convenient, but it’s not designed for serious PDF editing. Here’s when you should consider using professional PDF software instead:

• When formatting must stay intact: If your PDF has specific layouts, branding, or design elements that need to remain exactly as they are, don’t risk it with Google Docs. A true PDF editor preserves the original structure while letting you make changes.
• When you’re working with forms or interactive elements: PDFs with fillable fields, digital signatures, or interactive features require specialized tools. Google Docs strips away all of this functionality.
• When you need to edit scanned documents: If your PDF is actually a scanned image of a document, Google Docs won’t help much. You’ll need OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to convert the image to editable text, and dedicated PDF editors like Foxit PDF Editor handle this seamlessly.
• When you’re dealing with sensitive or confidential information: Professional PDF editors offer security features like redaction, encryption, and permission controls that Google Docs simply doesn’t provide.
• When you edit PDFs regularly: If editing PDFs is part of your regular workflow, the time you waste fighting with formatting issues in Google Docs adds up quickly. Investing in proper PDF editing software pays for itself in saved time and frustration.
• When you need advanced features: Adding watermarks, combining multiple PDFs, compressing file sizes, or batch processing documents all require capabilities beyond what Google Docs offers.

Edit PDFs without losing formatting using Foxit PDF Editor

Unfortunately, because Google Docs isn’t a true PDF Editor, there’s no guarantee that you can edit PDF files in Google Docs without the format getting altered.

If you want to edit PDFs while preserving their original formatting, skip the workarounds with tools like Google Docs and use the full power of Foxit PDF Editor. And with Foxit AI—the first AI built into a PDF editor—you can automate routine tasks, summarize content with PDF Assistant, and uncover key insights with Document Analyzer, helping your team move faster and focus on more strategic work.

Download your free trial and experience the difference that professional PDF editing makes.