How to Edit PDF in Google Drive

Google Drive is a wonderful solution for storing your files online and saving precious storage space. Many people use it mainly for this purpose.

But, did you know that Google Drive also provides a way to edit the files too? It eliminates the need to download files from Google Drive and then edit it with another application like Acrobat DC. 

So without further ado, let’s explore the various ways to edit PDF in Google Drive.

How to Edit PDF in Google Drive

There are mainly two methods to edit PDF in Google Drive. You can either open and edit the file using Google docs within google drive itself or install a third-party PDF editor inside the Google Drive from Google Workplace Marketplace. 

Both of the methods are fairly easy to follow and won’t take much of your time.

Uploading PDF File to Google Drive

Before you edit your pdf file on Google Drive, it must be uploaded to the drive first. Here’s how to upload the file to Google Drive:

Drag & Drop Method

1. Open Google Drive in a browser.
2. Drag the file you want to upload 
3. Drop the file onto the Google Drive dashboard.

Upload Method

1. Click on New with a plus sign.
2. Click on the File upload option.
   
3. Navigate to the PDF file location and select the file.
4. Click on Open.
   
5. On the bottom-right of the window, wait for the upload to complete. You can see a green tick next to the file after the upload is complete.

Using the Google Docs On Desktop

This method requires no third-party installations. However, there are some limitations as well. Anyway, for now let’s see how we can edit PDF files using Google Drive with this method.

1. Open a Browser.
2. Go to Google Drive’s official site.
3. On the top-right corner of the window, click on Go to Drive.
4. If you are signed in already with a Google account, you can skip directly to Step 5. But if you’re not, follow these steps.
   • When prompted, either choose a Google account among multiple active accounts or enter your email or phone number.
   • Enter your login password.
5. If you have already uploaded the file into Google drive, continue to the Next step. Otherwise, you can check the above section to upload your PDF file.
6. Select the PDF file you are trying to edit.
7. Right-click on it, click on Open with and then select Google Docs option.
8. Now, you can start editing your PDF file.

However, if your PDF document contains tables and pictures you can expect alignment, line-spacing, and font issues in the document. There isn’t any workaround method to preserve the formatting of your PDF when opening it in Google Drive as of now.

Using Default PDF Viewer On Mobile

1. Open the Google Drive app. The app comes pre-installed with every Android phone. But if you are using an iPhone, you can download it from the App Store and install it.
2. Sign in to the Google account.
3. Select the PDF file you are trying to edit.
4. Tap on the three dots on the right side of the file.
5. Tap on Open with and select the option Drive PDF Viewer.
   
6. Now, you can start editing your PDF file.

Using Third-party PDF Editor in Google Drive

This method is particularly useful if you want to have more control over editing in PDF documents. It can offer many more features missing from Google Drive. It provides various features for editing PDF files such as merging, splitting, compressing, and many more.

Here’s how you can install and use them.

1. Log in to your drive account.
2. Click on New with a plus sign next to it.
3. Go to More > Connect more apps.
   
4. Search for a third-party pdf editor application and install it.
5. Then, right-click on the pdf file and go to the Open with option.
6. Select the app that you just installed.
7. You can now start editing your pdf file.

How Does Editing PDFs Actually Work in Google Drive?

When you open a PDF document in Google Drive, the text in it is extracted by the app’s in-built Optical Character Recognition(OCR) feature. However, this can work unexpectedly in the case of images and tables. This is because it does not preserve the formatting or structure of the tables or other text.

Also, you are not editing the document directly. Actually, Google Drive creates a copy of the original file and allows you to edit that version of the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Merge Multiple PDF Files in Google Drive?

There is no direct way of merging multiple PDF into one in Google Drive. However, you can install a third-party application in the Google Workplace Marketplace inside Google Drive. After the installation is complete, select the PDF you want to merge and open them with the application

How Do I Share My PDF Files Stored in Google Drive With Other People?

You can share your PDF files easily using Google Drive. For this, right-click on the file and click on the Share option. On the placeholder called Add people and groups, enter the person’s email address and click on Done. Moreover, you can select the Editor, Viewer, or Commentator option according to the permission required for the receiver’s editing capabilities.

I Need to Create a PDF With Fillable Fields for a Form. How Do I Do It in Google Drive?

Well, Google Drive doesn’t provide the feature to create a PDF with fillable fields for a form. However, you can install a third-party PDF editor in Google Workplace Marketplace. But if you already have fillable PDF, you can upload it to Google Drive and fill it out.