How to Delete Text in PDF

Converting your files to PDF is an excellent way to secure and keep them safe from external alteration.

However, once converted to a PDF file, it is usually difficult and almost impossible to edit or remove any text.

If you have made a spelling mistake on your resume or need to make a few changes to your closing report after converting your files to PDF, this article will show you how to delete text in PDF.

Here are six ways to delete any text in PDF.

Is It Possible to Delete Text From All PDF Files?

No, it is not possible to remove text from all PDFs. Some are locked or copyrighted, making their modification unethical and illegal.

In this case, you have two options: censor the text or contact the owner and ask for permission.

We recommend that you obtain written permission because, although this is a time-consuming step, it will protect you from possible future legal consequences.

How to Delete Text in PDF Using Google Docs?

While there are several apps and software available to remove text from PDF, the easiest way to do it if you have a Google account is with Google Docs, following these steps;

Step 1: Open a New Document in Google Docs

Start the editing process by opening Google Docs and signing in to your Google Account. Start a new document by clicking ‘Blank.’

Step 2: Open the PDF File in a New Document

After opening a new document, click “File” and “Open.”

In the “Open file” window, select the desired path and upload the PDF file that needs to be edited.

Hover over the file to reveal the “Open with Google Docs” option. Click on it, and your PDF will open in Google Docs.

Step 3: Delete the Text

When you open the PDF in Google Docs, you will notice it’s editable. Navigate to the text you want to delete and delete it just like you would a Word file.

Step 4: Save the Document

Once you have finished deleting the text, you can save it again as a PDF file by clicking “File,” selecting “Download,” and then “PDF Document.”

How to Delete Text in PDF Using Adobe Acrobat?

Adobe does not offer editing services in its Reader; you must upgrade to either Acrobat Standard DC or Acrobat Pro DC to use this service. Here’s how you can delete a text in PDF following these three easy steps using Adobe.

Step 1: Open the PDF Document

You can open the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and click ‘Tools.’ Select “Edit text and images.” A window will appear. Click “Choose File” to open the desired PDF document.

Step 2: Click on the Text You Want to Delete

After opening the desired file, click on the text you want to delete. The built-in editor creates a text box around it which can then be edited or deleted.

You can also use this option to delete an image in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Just click on the image, and several editing options will pop up in the Options section on the right side of the screen. Press the Delete key to delete the image.

Step 3: Save the Edited File

Once you have finished deleting the text from the PDF file, click “File” and select “Save As” to save the file.

How to Delete Text in PDF Using MS Word?

If your PDF document does not contain a lot of graphics, you can use MS Word to remove text from it in a simple 3-step process. Here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Open the PDF Document in MS Word

Open MS Word and click “Open” in the left pane. In the next window, click “Browse” to open the desired PDF. A dialog box asking permission to convert the PDF to a Word document will appear.

After pressing the Ok button, your PDF will be converted into an editable Word document.

Step 2: Delete the Text

Select the text you want to delete and either press the Delete key or use the Backspace key.

Once converted to a Word document, your PDF file is fully editable, meaning you can delete images, tables, or even entire chapters. If your edits are substantial, you can also update the content!

Step 3: Save the Modified PDF File

Once you’ve finished removing unwanted text from your document, you can re-save it as a PDF file by clicking “File” and then Save As. Select PDF from the drop-down list, and your document will be saved as a PDF file.

How to Delete Text in PDF on Windows?

If you use a Windows PC or laptop, you can use Icecream PDF Editor. To go directly to the download page, click here.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the app, follow these three simple steps to remove text in a PDF:

Step 1: Open the PDF File

Open the PDF file by clicking “Open” in the front panel. A new window will open in which you can search for and open the required PDF document.

Step 2: Delete the Text

After opening the document, select the “Text” tool in the left pane. Click on the text you want to delete and use the Delete button or the Backspace key to delete it.

Step 3: Save the PDF File

After deleting all unwanted text, click “File” and “Save As” to save the edited PDF document.

For clarity, you can check out Icecream PDF Editor’s step-by-step guide to learn how to remove text in a PDF in Windows.

How to Delete Text in PDF on Mac?

If you are looking for software that will allow you to delete text in PDF on Mac, then PDFelement is your best choice.

It is compatible with macOS X 10.15 (Catalina), macOS 11 Big Sur, and 10.14 (Mojave). To begin, start by downloading the software.

Once you’ve finished downloading the software, follow these three simple steps to eliminate unwanted text from your PDFs.

Step 1: Open the File

Open PDFelement software and click on the ‘Open File’ option. It will redirect you to a search engine where you can find and open the required PDF document.

Step 2: Delete the Text in the PDF

To delete text from a PDF, you need to enable edit mode by selecting the “Text” option from the top toolbar.

Click on the text you want to delete and use Backspace to delete it. If you want to delete an entire paragraph, choose “Select entire paragraphs.”

Step 3: Save the PDF Document

When you are done deleting the text, save the document to lock in your changes. This can be done by clicking the File and then the Save option.

Conclusion

If you do not know how to delete text in PDF before now, we hope this article has proved helpful. The above steps are very easy to follow.

If you have questions, you can leave a comment, and a team member will respond as soon as possible. 

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