PDF guides
Practical, step-by-step answers for PDF tasks on every device, written by the PDF Toucan editorial team and kept up to date.
- How to Fill In a PDF Form Online and Save It
Fill fields, tick boxes and choose from lists in your browser, then save an editable or locked copy. What to do with scanned and XFA forms.
Nov 2, 2026 · 4 min read
- How to Crop PDF Pages (and What Cropping Does Not Remove)
Trim margins on one page or all pages, find the edges automatically, and learn why cropped content stays in the file and when to redact instead.
Nov 2, 2026 · 4 min read
- Combine JPG Photos into One PDF in the Right Order
Turn phone photos into a single PDF page by page: order, page size, sideways photos and why the PDF is as large as the photos, with tested sizes.
Nov 2, 2026 · 4 min read
- How to Extract Pages from a PDF and Save Them as a New File
Pick pages by number or thumbnail, keep your own order and save them as a new PDF. What the new file keeps, what it leaves out, tested on a 31-page report.
Nov 2, 2026 · 5 min read
- Best Resolution for Scanning Documents: We Measured 150 to 600 DPI
We scanned the same letter at 150, 200, 300 and 600 dpi and ran OCR on each. Why 300 dpi is the safe choice, and why contrast matters more for faded receipts.
Nov 2, 2026 · 7 min read
- Ilovepdf vs Smallpdf: Free Limits, Privacy, and PDF Toucan
Compare iLovePDF and Smallpdf free limits, privacy, watermarks, and languages, then see where PDF Toucan offers a different approach.
Sep 20, 2026 · 8 min read
- What Is PDF/A: ISO 19005 Levels, Conversion, and Validation
Learn what PDF/A is, how PDF/A-1b, 2b, and 3b differ, why courts and archives use it, and how to convert and validate files.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Rotate a PDF and Save It: Permanent Page Fixes
Learn why PDF viewers only rotate the view, how to save page rotation permanently, and how to fix one page or an entire PDF on desktop or phone.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Remove Password from PDF: Open vs. Permissions Passwords
Learn the legal, safe way to remove a known PDF password, tell opening and permissions passwords apart, and protect the file again.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Reduce PDF File Size for Email: Gmail and Outlook Limits
Reduce a PDF for Gmail’s 25 MB and Outlook’s 20 MB attachment limits. Compare compression, splitting, and share links without sacrificing quality.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- PDF Won't Open: Causes, Fixes, and Recovery Options
Learn why a PDF will not open, from incomplete downloads and wrong extensions to encryption and corruption, plus the safest fixes to try first.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- PDF Too Large to Upload: Reduce Size Without Losing Readability
Learn how to check a PDF’s size, meet common upload caps, compress or split files, and handle scans while keeping text legible.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- Convert PDF to Word without Losing Formatting: Practical Guide
Learn why PDFs shift in Word, how to handle scans and tables, and when a free conversion needs cleanup before you edit.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Merge PDF on Mac: Preview, Finder, and Online Options
Merge PDFs on a Mac with Preview’s sidebar, Finder Quick Actions, or a browser tool. Learn ordering fixes, image support, and privacy limits.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Merge PDF on iPhone: Files, Shortcuts, and a Browser Tool
Combine PDFs on an iPhone or iPad with the Files app, a reusable Shortcut, or a private browser tool, then reorder and save the result.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- JPG vs PNG for Scanning Documents: Clarity, Size, and PDF Use
Choose JPG for smaller photo-heavy scans and PNG for sharp text and line art. Compare compression, OCR, and ways to make a shareable PDF.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Sign a PDF: Add a Signature Free on Any Device
Learn how to sign a PDF free on phone or desktop: draw, type, or upload a signature, place it, save it, and understand e-sign validity.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Redact a PDF: Permanently Remove Sensitive Information
Learn why black boxes fail, how to find IDs, IBANs, and emails, redact scans, clear PDF metadata, and verify the finished file.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Make a Scanned PDF Searchable: OCR, Languages, and Checks
Make scanned PDFs searchable online with OCR. Choose document languages, straighten pages, verify text, then convert the OCR PDF to Word.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Merge PDF Files: Options for Every Device
Learn how to merge PDF files on any device, reorder pages, add images, and create one readable PDF with useful file bookmarks.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- Compress PDF to 200KB: Steps for Forms and Email
Learn how to compress a PDF to 200 KB for applications or email, choose the right settings, verify the result, and handle files that cannot shrink further.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- Compress PDF to 1MB: Choose the Right Compression Level
Need a PDF under 1 MB? Compare compression levels, preserve readable text, check the final size, and retry with PDF Toucan.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- Compress PDF to 100KB: Portal-ready File Size Guide
Learn what makes PDFs large, choose a realistic compression level, and prepare scanned or digital files for 100 KB government and job portal limits.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Combine PDF Files on Windows 11: Free Merging Methods
Windows 11 cannot natively merge PDFs. Learn the Print to PDF limitation, a private browser-based method, file ordering, and large-scan tips.
Sep 19, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Add Page Numbers to a PDF: Positions, Starts, and Formats
Learn where to place PDF page numbers, start at 1 after a cover, choose Word for Roman numerals or Page 1 of 10, and number exported PDFs online.
Sep 19, 2026 · 8 min read