How to Edit PDF in Illustrator? (Detailed Steps)

Adobe Illustrator is the top pick when changing or fixing a picture. However, Illustrator is not a specialized PDF editor. But if you still want to edit PDF in Illustrator, it allows you to do it.

In this article, we will explain how you can edit PDFs in Illustrator. We will also outline a simpler alternative named UPDF, a dedicated PDF editor for you to edit PDFs more conveniently. And for those who only want to find a way to edit PDF, we recommend you to download UPDF via the below button to do your task as it offers more PDF editing features than Illustrator.

Part 1. How to Edit PDF in Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator stands as a feature-rich tool for making drawings and illustrations. It turns out as the right choice if you look to edit graphical elements in PDFs, such as fonts or text and images. The best part is that you can now directly import PDF files into it, making editing much better. With this, using the text tool lets you easily add new text.

Moreover, you can customize the text's font to match your preferences. There are three easiest ways to help you edit your PDFs. We have explained each method in detail below, along with the steps to guide you in the best possible way on how to edit PDF in Illustrator.

Way 1. How to Edit PDF Text in Adobe Illustrator?

First, we will guide you on how to edit PDF text in Adobe Illustrator. Follow the given steps carefully so that the editing process goes smoothly for you:

Step 1: On your device, launch Adobe Illustrator and click "Open" on the left side of the main interface. Now, locate and import the PDF file you want to edit in Illustrator. Then, a "PDF Import Options" menu box will appear. Under the "Select Page" section, tap on "Range" or "All" as per your needs. Also, uncheck the import PDF pages checkbox and hit the "OK" button.

Step 2: After loading your PDF, select the desired text and right-click it. Now, from the drop-down list, choose the "Ungroup" option and right-click the text again to select "Release Clipping Mask." Afterward, double-tap the text and make the necessary edits, such as adding or deleting the text.

Way 2. How to Edit PDF Image in Illustrator?

Here, we will show you how to edit PDF images in Illustrator. Follow the instructions given below and start making changes to images:

Instructions: As we discussed how to ungroup and release clip masks in way 1, you must follow the same steps here. After that, click on the required image, and you will be able to crop, rotate, rearrange, and align the image as per your needs.

Way 3. How to Edit PDF Lines in Illustrator?

Dealing with separate PDF lines rather than a whole paragraph can be very beneficial. This can help you to make edits more easily. To edit separate PDF lines, head to the guided instructions on how to edit PDF lines in Illustrator:

Instructions: Again, you will need to follow the steps discussed in way 1. After releasing the clipping mask, you can select whole PDF lines to modify, shift, change font size, and even adjust the opacity. You can also change the font size and color and arrange them in bullets or numbered lists using the tools and options from the right panel.

Part 2. How to Edit a PDF Without Illustrator?

Adobe Illustrator is a great tool to use when dealing with graphical figures. However, when you need to modify the PDFs, it can be a complex process to use Illustrator. For that purpose, using UPDF PDF editor as an alternative is a great way to deal with all the PDF-related editing tasks. This tool lets you edit PDFs using a very simple step. Moreover, you can also change, delete, and modify entire paragraphs within PDFs. Ready to make your PDF life a whole lot easier? Give UPDF a try by clicking the below button!

Furthermore, users can also add images or make changes to images in PDF without any hassle. UPDF also provides additional features that users can benefit from, such as UPDF AI. The built-in AI tools let users summarize, translate, and easily explain terms in PDFs to remove the hassle of switching between tools. Before heading to the steps, let’s learn about the key features of this productive tool.

Key Features

• Save and export PDFs to 9 different formats.
• Password-protect PDFs with open and permission passwords.
• Annotate PDFs to add sticky notes, comments, and even signatures.
• Share PDFs from within the UPDF in three different ways.
• In the case of scanned images, perform OCR to make them editable.
• Save PDFs as flattened for security purposes and compress them to the required size.
• Organize PDF pages and rearrange them in any needed order.

UPDF has too many features. So we recommend you to read this Howtogeek review article for UPDF or watch the below video review to know more about it.

Step-by-Step Instructions To Use UPDF for Better PDF Editing and Modifications

After you have learned the key features of this innovative tool, head to the steps below on how to use it in case you can't edit PDFs in Illustrator. These steps are in detail so that you can manage them even if you are a beginner:

Instructions: Download UPDF by the below button. Find the UPDF tool on your system and double-click to access it. Then, hit the "Open File" option and import the PDF that needs editing. Now, in the left side toolbar, press the "Edit PDF" button to start making edits to PDF. Now, at any desired text, double-click to make it editable. You can add, delete, and make changes to font size, color, and style. Afterward, double-tap the image to edit it in various ways.

Take your PDF skills to the next level with UPDF Pro. It's packed with features you'll love!

Part 3. FAQS About Editing PDFs in Illustrator

1. Why can't you edit PDF in Illustrator?

In case you are unable to edit a PDF using Adobe Illustrator, it must be a scanned file. However, you might even face issues editing PDFs if they are password protected. As of yet, Adobe Illustrator does not offer an OCR feature, so in that case, you will need to use a dedicated PDF editor. Here, UPDF is the recommended option with a built-in AI feature.

2. Can you import PDF to Illustrator?

Certainly, users can easily import PDFs into Adobe Illustrator. This will let you edit PDF text and images using some simple steps. However, you must first ungroup and remove the clipping mask to edit the text and images easily.

3. How do I convert a PDF to an editable PDF in Illustrator?

Converting a PDF into editable format is easy using Adobe Illustrator. First, open Illustrator and hit the "Open" option. There, you will now need to access the PDF file and import it. After that, in the "PDF Import Options," choose the required settings and tap "OK."

Following this, right-click the required text or an image, choose "Ungroup," and then right-click again to select “Release Clipping Mask” to make the PDF editable.

Final Words

Making edits to PDFs, including in its texts and images, is pretty easy now. Using the steps defined above on how to edit PDF in Illustrator, you can make your task much easier. In fact, you can even ungroup the items in PDF to adjust them accordingly. However, there are certain limitations, such as editing OCR and password-protected PDFs.

But with an alternative tool, such as UPDF PDF editor, you can do that easily. This tool allows you to easily edit, annotate, organize, and even OCR-scanned PDFs. You can even make use of UPDF AI to make your PDFs more productive. Download UPDF here to start using it.