The simplest way to edit a PDF on iPhone
You can edit a PDF directly on your iPhone using the built-in Notes app or Apple Books — no separate app read needed. The Notes app lets you mark up PDFs with highlights, text boxes, signatures, and sketches. Apple Books works similarly if you open a PDF there. For more complex edits like deleting pages or rearranging them, you'll need a third-party app like Adobe Acrobat Reader (free version available) or Markup.
The method you choose depends on what you're doing. If you just need to add notes, highlight text, or sign a document, the built-in tools work fine. If you need to edit the actual text inside the PDF or remove entire pages, you'll need an app designed for that purpose.
Key Takeaways
- The Notes app on your iPhone can open and mark up PDFs with highlights, text boxes, and signatures without downloading anything extra.
- To access markup tools in Notes, open a PDF, tap Edit, then tap the markup button (a pen tip in a circle).
- For edits like deleting pages or changing text content, you need a dedicated PDF app because iPhone's built-in tools only allow markup, not content changes.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader's free version handles most common edits and is available on the App Store.
Using the Notes app to mark up a PDF
Open the Notes app and create a new note or open an existing one. Tap the camera icon at the bottom, then select "Scan Documents" or "Photo Library" depending on where your PDF is stored. If your PDF is already in Files or Mail, you can open it directly and use the markup tools without Notes — just tap the Share button, then look for "Markup" in the menu.
Once the PDF is open, tap "Edit" in the top right corner. A toolbar will appear at the bottom with a pen icon, highlighter, and other drawing tools. Tap the pen tip icon (the markup button) to access all available tools: pen, highlighter, eraser, magnifier, and signature. Select the tool you want, choose a color if needed, then draw or write directly on the PDF. When you're done, tap "Done" to save your changes.
The Notes app saves your markup automatically. If you need to send the edited PDF to someone, tap Share, then choose Mail, Messages, or another app. The recipient will see your highlights and notes.
Using Apple Books to edit and annotate PDFs
If you have a PDF in Apple Books, open it and tap the pen icon in the top toolbar. This opens the same markup tools available in Notes: highlighter, pen, eraser, and signature. You can also add text notes by tapping the speech bubble icon. Apple Books saves your annotations automatically and syncs them across your devices if you're signed into the same Apple ID.
Apple Books is useful if you're already reading PDFs there, but it doesn't offer more advanced editing than Notes. Both apps are limited to markup — they won't let you delete pages, reorder them, or change the text that was originally in the PDF.
Deleting or rearranging pages with a dedicated app
To remove pages from a PDF or change their order, you need an app built for that work. Adobe Acrobat Reader (free version) lets you delete pages, reorder them, and rotate them. Open the app, tap the PDF you want to edit, then tap the three-dot menu and select "Organize Pages." From there you can delete, duplicate, or drag pages to a new position.
Other options include PDF informed (paid, but powerful) and Markup (free, simpler). Both handle page deletion and rearrangement. If you only need to do this once or twice, Adobe Acrobat Reader's free version is sufficient. If you edit PDFs regularly, a paid app might save you time.
Editing text inside a PDF
Changing the actual words in a PDF — not just adding notes on top — requires an app that can recognize and edit text. Adobe Acrobat Reader's free version does not do this; you need the paid Adobe Acrobat Premium subscription. PDF informed and some other paid apps can edit text directly.
Before you buy an app, ask yourself whether you actually need to change the text. Most of the time, adding a note or highlight is enough. If you truly need to modify the words in the PDF, check whether the document is a scanned image (a photo of a page) or a real PDF with selectable text. Scanned PDFs cannot be edited for text content without special software that recognizes handwriting or print — this is rarely worth the cost on iPhone.
Saving and sharing your edited PDF
After you finish editing, the app saves your changes automatically. To send the edited PDF to someone, open the app's share menu. In Notes, tap Share and choose Mail or Messages. In Adobe Acrobat Reader, tap the three-dot menu, then Share. You can email the PDF, send it through Messages, save it to Files, or upload it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Google Drive.
If you edited the PDF in Notes or Apple Books, the changes are saved to that app. If you need the edited version as a separate file, export it: in Notes, tap Share, then "Save PDF to Files" or "Mail." This creates a new file with your edits included, leaving the original untouched.
When to use each tool
| Tool | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Notes app | Highlighting, adding notes, signing documents | Free (built-in) |
| Apple Books | Annotating PDFs you're reading | Free (built-in) |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | Deleting pages, rearranging, basic markup | Free (with paid upgrade option) |
| PDF informed | Editing text, complex page changes | Paid subscription |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit a PDF that's locked or password-protected?
No. If a PDF is locked, you cannot edit it on iPhone without the password. Ask whoever sent you the PDF for the password, or contact the document owner. Once unlocked, you can edit it normally using any of the methods above.
Will my edits show up on other devices?
Only if you use Apple Books or Notes with iCloud enabled. If you edit in Adobe Acrobat Reader or another third-party app, the changes stay on your iPhone unless you manually export and upload the file. Check your app's settings to see whether it syncs across devices.
What if I need to combine two PDFs into one?
The built-in apps cannot combine PDFs. Use Adobe Acrobat Reader (free version has this feature) or PDF informed. Open the first PDF, find the option to insert or merge pages, then select the second PDF. The combined file saves as a new document.
Can I undo changes after I save a PDF?
In Notes and Apple Books, you can undo recent changes by shaking your iPhone or using the undo gesture (three-finger swipe left). In Adobe Acrobat Reader and other apps, undo is usually available in the menu. Once you close and reopen the file, undo may not work — so save a backup before making major changes.
Is there a free app that does everything?
Adobe Acrobat Reader's free version handles most common tasks: markup, page deletion, rearrangement, and signing. It does not edit text content. For everything except text editing, it's the most complete free option. If you need text editing, you'll need to pay for a subscription or a different app.