How to Edit Editable PDFs- All your questions answered!

Frequently I post freebies that are editable PDF files and our party kits all have some files that are editable.  I personally have always loved being to customize things all by myself.  That way you can use them time and time again.  They are super easy to use but there are a few basic things to remember.  I'm going to answer some common questions and give you a little "How-To" today.  That way you'll have the info here on the blog any time you need it.

What software do I need?
For optimal performance, the latest version of Adobe Reader is required.The Adobe Reader software is needed to properly open, type & format text, print and save the PDF file.

MAC Users
Apple’s default PDF viewer (“Preview”), does not play well with text editable PDF files.  If your Mac is set to automatically open PDF files in the default program, do not double-click the files to open.  Instead, launch the Adobe Reader application and open your files from within the program.

How do I know which areas of the document I can type in?
Once you open the document in Adobe Reader, click on the purple "Highlight Fields" button. Areas that you can type in will be highlighted. 

Can I change/edit any of the graphics or colors in your printables?
No! Adobe Reader does not allow you to change the colors or edit the graphics. In addition, all my printables cannot be opened in any graphics design program (such as Photoshop or Illustrator etc) as this would corrupt the editable text feature. They are also secured with a password for graphics editing. 

What can I change?

• Change the font selection (to any font installed locally on your computer).
• Change the font color.
• Change the font size.
• Change the font style (bold, italic, underline, strikethrough, superscript, subscript).
• Change text alignment (vertical/horizontal, text indent, line spacing).
• Save your edited copy to your computer.

How To Make Changes:

ENTERING TEXT

• Open your file in Adobe Reader.
• Text boxes will be shown highlighted in light blue/purple.
• Click inside any text box with your mouse/cursor.
• The text box will change color to transparent.
• Start typing your text.

FORMATTING TEXT

Open the “Form Field Text Properties” toolbar to access the text formatting functions  (Control/Command +E to pop open the toolbar):

• Open your file in Adobe Reader.
• Enter text into a text box and highlight it with your cursor
• Available options are shown on the toolbar.
• Click the “More” button for additional options.

CHANGING ALIGNMENT

Open the “Form Field Text Properties” toolbar to access the text formatting functions  (Control/Command +E to pop open the toolbar):

• Click the “More” button for additional options.
• Using the tabs along the top of the dialog box, click “Paragraph”.
• Edit to your liking.
• Click “Close” when done editing.

SAVING THE FILE

• In the main toolbar of the Adobe Reader application, click “File”.
• From the dropdown menu, select “Save As”, then select “PDF”.
• The “Save As” dialog box will open up
• Select a location on your computer to save to from the “Save In” dropdown.
• You may change the file name if desired.
• Click the “Save” button.