The flexibility of the PDF allows for uses as diverse as presenting a detailed prospectus report or for faithfully replicating the scanned pages of a magazine. In one of its most common applications, the PDF is the ideal format for reproducing fillable forms and documents that would otherwise require completion in hard copy.
However, users often encounter one troublesome issue: many forms uploaded online for users to download are merely scans of a document. They may not have form fields added to the PDF already. This often leads to a frustrating experience: you can’t fill out the form digitally without a tool for PDF editing.
In 2021, Microsoft updated its Edge browser to include some new functionality related to PDFs. Does this mean that you can now comprehensively edit and manipulate documents right inside your browser? Not quite.
Microsoft Edge Only Has Basic PDF Features
The feature Microsoft added to its browser is a simple tool called “Add Text.” This tool was designed with alleviating user frustrations in mind. By using this tool, users can click on an area of a PDF file, such as a form for their name or an address and add the text. They can then save a PDF copy for online upload or print. This is the limit of what users can do to edit a PDF in MS Edge.
What You Can’t Do in Microsoft Edge
What if you want to do more than add text? If you’re trying to rely on Edge alone, you won’t have access to features such as:
- Moving or changing existing text within a document
- Adding or removing images or other media content
- Restricting a file, such as protecting it with a password
- Converting PDFs to other file formats
While the new tool in Edge addresses an important pain point on the web, it falls far short of what you can find in standalone software, such as Kofax Power PDF.
Related Post/Video: How to Edit PDFs with Power PDF
Why a Dedicated PDF Solution Is Still the Best Choice
If you encounter or work with PDFs more than occasionally, a fully-fledged solution offers distinct advantages over trying to edit a PDF in your browser. Right away, you gain an essential layer of security — built-in preventions that will stop malformed and potentially harmful PDFs from opening on your computer.
Just as importantly, you gain access to key features such as document conversion, security settings, and even real-time collaboration with other users. Why limit yourself to adding text when you could fill out a form and email it to the appropriate individual within the same software? Power PDF packs all the features you expect and more into one package that’s easy to learn and use because of its intuitive Microsoft-style ribbon interface.
Find the features you need by exploring Power PDF today and avoid the limitations of relying on browser-based PDF editing. Download a trial today and try Power PDF free for 15 days to see how much easier it makes working with this common digital document format.