How to Edit PDFs in iPhone (or iPad)

What to Know

• To open the thumbnail view, first open a PDF in Files. Then swipe to the left edge of your screen. To open the edit menu, press and hold a page.
• You can rotate files, insert new pages, or delete pages using the edit menu.
• It is possible to continue using markup tools to add text and signatures to files.

This article will show you how to edit PDFs on your iPhone or iPad with iOS 15. It also explains what you can do with PDFs in general using iOS.

How to use the Files app to edit a PDF on iPhone/iPad

iOS 15 allows you to view and edit PDFs through the Files app, rather than just viewing or sharing them. This is how it works.

1. Tap Files on your iPhone.
   
2. You can open a PDF file
   
3. Swipe to the right from the left edge on your iPhone to view the thumbnail page view.
   
4. To open the Edit Menu, press and hold on a page.
   
5. You can rotate, insert pages, or scan in new pages.
   

Can you edit files on iPhone?

The Markup tools can be used to edit PDFs in conjunction with the new PDF features. This article will show you how to create a blank page and fill out forms.

1. Tap Files on your iPhone.
   
2. You can open a PDF file
   
3. Swipe to the right from the left edge on your iPhone to view the thumbnail page view.
   
4. To open the Edit Menu, press and hold on a page.
   
5. Tap Insert Blank.
   
6. Tap the plus icon.
   
7. To add one of these features to your PDF document, tap Text or Signature.
   

What can I do with PDFs using iOS 15?

Although editing PDFs from your iPhone is an important step, it’s not as powerful than editing PDFs elsewhere. The Files app is not as powerful as it could be. Here are some examples.

• Pages can be rotated. You can rotate files left or right with the Files app. This allows you to change how they look.
• Pages can be deleted and new pages added. Scan new pages with your iPhone by taking a picture and then adding it to the document.
• You can insert documents and photos. You can add files to your PDFs by tapping Insert from File.
• Signatures and text can be added to . You can add text or your signature to documents using the Markup Tools by tapping on the plus icon at the bottom right-hand corner.
• Drag and drop text to your clipboard . Drag and drop text from PDFs to your clipboard.
• It is possible to create text files.
• It is not possible to identify font styles. Third-party PDF apps can help you identify font styles. This functionality is not available in the Files app.
• Files does not offer OCR functionality. A photo of text isn’t transformed into editable text like it can with some PDF apps. It just adds it to an image.

FAQ

• How can I save a PDF file to my iPhone/iPad?
  Save a PDF from an email, website or other source. Select the PDF to open a preview and choose Share. Next, choose where you want to save the PDF. Open the PDF and choose Share > AirDrop . Next, choose your iOS device. Install iCloud on your Windows PC to transfer PDFs to iOS devices.
  
• How can I scan documents from my iPhone?
  To create a note, open the Notes app. Next, open the Camera app. Tap Scan Docs. To automatically scan the document, hold the camera above it.
  
• Where can I find the iPad’s downloads?
  Depending on what file type you have, your downloaded files will go to either the Photos, iBooks or Files app. You might also find your downloaded files in third-party cloud storage apps that you have installed on your iPhone. You can select where you want to save iOS downloads from Safari or Mail.