Choosing a PDF program: reading, annotating, editing, converting

With PDFs, reading and changing are different jobs. For reading you need to install nothing; for changing, the right program depends on what kind of change.

Last updated 2026-09-22

First: is Edge enough?

Edge on Windows 11 opens PDFs, highlights, adds notes, fills in form fields and prints, and it is there before you install anything. If you receive documents, read them and occasionally mark them up, you are done. You go further down this page when you need to sign, merge or split pages, convert to another format, or a government form refuses to open in Edge.

It splits by what you do

Reading only — SumatraPDF or Edge

SumatraPDF is the lightest viewer there is; it opens the instant you click. Open source, so free at work too, and it reads EPUB, CBZ and other e-book formats as well as PDF. No annotation, form filling or signing — being read-only is the point: no settings, no adverts, never slows down.

Annotating, signing, forms — Acrobat Reader

The free viewer from Adobe, who invented PDF, so everything opens exactly as intended. Comments, electronic signatures and form filling are free, at work too. Unusual PDFs — XFA forms from government and banks, certificate-signed documents — sometimes open properly only here. Editing, merging and converting need the paid Acrobat, the program is heavy, and the download page pre-ticks a McAfee offer.

Annotation with less weight — Foxit Reader

Much of what Acrobat Reader does, in a lighter package. Comments, form filling and signing are free, for individuals and companies alike. The installer offers a browser plugin and other Foxit products; keep only what you want.

Merge, split, convert, compress — PDF24

Less a viewer than a toolbox. Merge several PDFs, remove pages, convert to images or Word, shrink file size, and run OCR on scanned pages. Free for personal and business use, no adverts. It covers most of what people buy a paid editor for.

Compared where it matters

A government or bank form will not open

A one-page PDF saying "you need Acrobat Reader to view this document" is an XFA form. Edge, Sumatra and Chrome cannot open it. Install Acrobat Reader and open it there; Foxit handles most of them too.

Adding a signature

Acrobat Reader and Foxit place a drawn or image signature. A legally binding electronic signature (certificate-based) is done through whatever service the sender specified, and has nothing to do with the viewer.

Merging several PDFs

PDF24 is the simplest: drop the files in, set the order, done. Free Acrobat Reader cannot merge and redirects you to the paid tier.

Extracting text from a scan

PDF24’s OCR does it for free. Accuracy depends on the scan, so check the result; when accuracy matters, get the original document instead.

Shrinking a file

PDF24’s compress tool lowers image resolution to cut the size — useful when an email attachment limit bites. A text-only PDF is already small and will not shrink.

Work PC

Edge, Sumatra and Acrobat Reader for reading, PDF24 for tools — all free at a company. Some regional editors are free for individuals only, so check the licence before installing anything else at work.

So which one

1. 1

   Most people → nothing, or SumatraPDF

   Reading and marking up in Edge is enough. If Edge feels heavy or you read e-books too, make SumatraPDF the default PDF app.

2. 2

   Government forms or signatures → Acrobat Reader

   The awkward PDFs end up needing this. You can keep another program as the default and open only those files in Acrobat Reader.

3. 3

   Merging, converting, compressing → add PDF24

   Keep it beside the viewer as the toolbox. Free for personal and business use, so nothing to check.

4. 4

   Editing the actual text → a paid editor

   For what PDF24 cannot do, buy Acrobat or Foxit PDF Editor. Text editing is usually faster done in the original document (Word and the like) and exported again.

Frequently asked