PDF - Portable Document Format

What is a PDF file

PDF is short for Portable Document Format. It is also known as a fixed-layout document. This means that the document looks the exact same no matter on which device it is opened. Furthermore, it is printer-ready. The printed paper will look exactly like the PDF itself.

PDF documents can contain formatted text, different fonts, hyperlinks, images, and even media such as sounds and videos. Some PDFs – so-called hybrid PDFs – contain two layers of text: the visible layer and one underneath. Thanks to this underlying text, the PDF can be searched for keywords, numbers, and the like.

The format is developed and maintained by Adobe.

How do I open a PDF file

There are many free PDF readers and PDF viewers for all devices. With these, you can open PDFs on a Windows computer or Mac, or on your Android phone or iPhone. eBook readers also support the PDF format. Most browsers, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari can be used to read PDF documents as well.

Here's a small, but not exhaustive list of PDF readers:

• Adobe Reader
• Internet Browsers
• Foxit Reader
• Nitro PDF

How do I convert PDF files

With our free PDF to Word converter, you can turn your PDFs into editable Word documents.