How to Spell Check PDFs Like a Pro? Free and Paid Solutions

Have you ever considered spell-checking PDFs? When you need to share some important documents in PDF format, it is always necessary to make sure they are error-free. Users often need tools to check the spelling in PDF, especially if they are converted from another format such as Word.

There is a high chance that these types of files leave a few errors behind. That's why we have highlighted the 5 best tools to help you check spells in PDF promptly in this guide.

Part 1. How to Spell Check a PDF Using UPDF?

When looking for the best tool to check spelling mistakes in PDF, UPDF comes out on the top. This PDF editor resolves all the PDF-related needs to help users deal with lengthy PDFs without spelling issues. To provide users with an advanced-level experience for spelling checking, UPDF has the best AI feature. With UPDF AI, users can utilize the Chat option and ask related queries including check the spell of the file.

The users get quick and the most accurate results based on their prompts. Along with this, it has other built-in AI features such as summarize, explain, and translate. This assists users to manage their files while staying on the same interface rather than switching tools. You even have the option to test this tool with its free trial version before buying it to see how effective it is. You can download the free trial version via the below button.

Now, a PDF editor tool of such caliber always manages your files as per your needs. So, get this tool right now, use the UPDF AI feature to correct spelling mistakes, and even edit and annotate PDFs easily.

Way 1. Check Normal PDF for Spelling Errors

As we have discussed how effective UPDF AI is when you check PDFs for spelling errors, you might be thinking about the process to do so. For that, we have got you covered with the detailed steps discussed below:

Step 1: Get UPDF and Import PDF for Spell Check

First, you will need to download and install this tool on your system. When done, double-click to access it and stay on its main interface. Find the "Open File" option and import the PDF to check the spelling. Moreover, you can also drag and drop your PDFs to explore them.

Step 2: Enter UPDF AI Mode and Give Command

Now, as you have your PDF right in front of you, head to the bottom right side and tap the "UPDF AI" option. Tap the "Chat" tab, and in the "Ask Something" chat box, type "Find All the Spell Errors:" and then copy the required content from your imported PDF. Next, paste the content after the given command and hit the "Enter" key on the keyboard. UPDF AI will find all the spelling errors for you in seconds.

Way 2. Check Spelling Mistakes in Scanned PDF

There can be many instances when you encounter PDFs that are scanned. Copying text from such PDFs is nearly impossible, but not when you make them editable. To fulfill such a need, OCR technology is the only way to go. UPDF's built-in OCR feature helps users turn scanned PDFs into editable files. To check spells in scanned PDFs, follow the guided steps:

Step 1: Explore the OCR Features Within UPDF

When you open UPDF, you will need to import the file via the "Open File" option. Afterward, head to the right-side panel and choose the "Recognize Text Using OCR" option just below the "Search" icon.

Step 2: Customize the Output Setting for Required Results

Following this, set the "Layout" as per requirements and hit the "Gear" icon to explore further layout options. Then, choose the language of your document and set the "Image Resolution" as needed. Next, define the "Page Range" and hit the "Perform OCR" button to save the file and turn it to editable format.

Step 3: Ask Chabot to Find Mistakes in UPDF AI Mode

Now, once the editable file opens, copy the required sentences from the PDF and click the "UPDF AI" icon at the bottom right corner. Under the "Chat" tab, type "Find All the Spell Errors" in the "Ask Something" text box and paste the copied sentences. Then, press the "Enter" keyboard key and get the results with correct spellings.

Why Choose UPDF to Spell Check a PDF?

When selecting the best tools to spell check a PDF, UPDF is the top choice of customers. Due to its high-end built-in AI features, this tool never provides inaccurate results. Choosing this tool as your go-to choice can be justified by various reasons, such as:

• The UPDF AI delivers the most accurate results within seconds.
• Users can try this tool for free to test how effective the tool is.
• Apart from basic spell check, you can even translate, explain, rewrite, and summarize PDFs.
• After the spell check, quickly edit your PDF files by switching modes.
• You are provided with annotation tools such as highlighting to mark the correct spellings.

Now is the best time to get this tool if you need to check spelling in PDFs or want to edit PDFs at any time. You can download UPDF from the below button and then purchase a premium plan to use the UPDF AI hassle-free. Also, try out its other features as well when dealing with PDFs.

Part 2. How to Spell Check a PDF in Preview?

Preview is a built-in app on Mac, using which users can view their PDFs and images easily. In the Mac ecosystem, Preview is considered the best free tool that professionally presents files and signs documents. Markup tools in Preview allow users to note down feedback and remember important points. However, Mac users cannot directly check the spelling in Preview due to its inability to be a PDF editor.

Preview only performs a grammar check when you input text into the PDF. Moreover, users can only perform grammar checks on text annotations. So, it is now clear that you cannot directly check spells in Preview when you open a PDF, as it is only a PDF viewer and not an editor. Now, let's check the steps on how to spell-check a PDF by opening it in Preview and using TextEdit:

Step 1: Access the required PDF with spelling errors and open it in the Preview app. Then, select the required text for any spell check, and press the "Command+C" keys to copy it.

Step 2: Afterward, find TextEdit on your Mac and access it with a single click. Now, press the "Command+V" keys to paste the text copied from Preview. Then, tap on "Edit" in the top bar and place your cursor on "Spelling and Grammar" to extend the menu options on the right side. Now, select "Check Document Now," and it will show you all the spelling errors.

Why Do Not Recommend Using Preview to Spell Check a PDF?

• You cannot directly make edits to the PDF using Preview.
• When you use TextEdit for spell check, you cannot copy and paste content back into the PDF.
• Despite being the free PDF tool on Mac, it is unlikely that Preview will develop a spell-check feature.
• Even if you spot the mistakes manually, you cannot use the correct automatic feature.

Part 3. How to Spell Check PDF With Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat provides you with all the editing, sharing, and converting options for PDF documents. Moreover, spell-checking is yet another great feature in Adobe Acrobat that enables users to manage misspelled words, ignore word lists, and build their dictionary.

Once you get suggestions for correct spellings, you can add them to different languages. Now let's learn the detailed instructions to spell check PDF Adobe Acrobat:

Instructions: Explore Adobe Acrobat and open the file in this tool via the "Open" option in the "Menu" tab. Click the "Search" icon on the top bar. Here, type "Spell" and open the tool that appears in the search result. In the "Check Spelling" menu box, tap the "Start" button to mark misspellings. Then, choose "Change" to correct a single mistake or all the mistakes by hitting the "Change All" button.

Why Do Not Recommend Using Acrobat to Spell Check a PDF?

• Adobe is not primarily designed as a spelling checker tool. That's why it only suggests basic spelling errors.
• The major drawback of using Adobe Acrobat to check spelling mistakes is that it can only check comments and form fields.
• Users are not able to take full advantage of this application due to expensive pricing.
• When using this tool, users feel difficulty correcting errors due to the complex interface.

Part 4. How to Spell Check PDF Online Free with Grammarly?

With automatic detection, Grammarly is a well-known spelling and grammar-checking tool for your documents. To check the spelling errors in a PDF file, users will need to convert their PDF to Word and then check errors and convert it back to PDF after a spell check.

This spell-checker tool goes beyond spell-checking boundaries and even suggests suitable words, punctuation, and sentence structures for your documents. In case you have a PDF with spelling errors, follow the given steps to spell-check the PDF with Grammarly:

Step 1: First, users will need to convert their PDFs to Word documents. Download UPDF via the below button, open the PDF in the UPDF PDF editor, and tap "Export PDF" in the right-side panel. Now, choose the "Word (.docx)" option from the list and customize the settings. Afterward, tap the "Export" button, select a folder, and save the file.

Step 2: Now, head to the Grammarly webpage and "Sign In" using your account. On the main interface, tap the "Upload" option and import the converted PDF to a Word file. Then, check all the spelling errors that are required.

Step 3: Afterward, hit the "Menu" option at the top-left corner, and then select the "Download" option. Your file will be downloaded to the desired folder. Now, convert the Word file to PDF again using the "PDF from Word" create feature in UPDF.

Why Do Not Recommend Using Grammarly to Spell Check a PDF?

• A significant issue is that Grammarly does support uploading PDF files.
• To check spelling errors, you will need to paste the text, which can result in a loss of the actual formatting.
• The free version of Grammarly contains basic suggestions only.
• Sometimes, when correcting mistakes, this tool makes sentences meaningless.

Part 5. How to Spell Check PDF Free with Microsoft Word?

It can save time and correct potential spelling errors while checking spelling in Microsoft Word. Spelling mistakes are automatically highlighted with red-colored squiggly lines, whereas grammar mistakes are noticed with blue-colored squiggly lines.

Microsoft Office only allows spell-checking features in Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word version 2013 or later. However, if you need to check spelling mistakes in PDF using MS Word, you will need to follow the given guidelines:

Step 1: Explore the PDF in "File Explorer" and right-click it. As the drop-down menu opens, select the "Open With" option and choose "Word" from the extended list. If any dialog box appears, hit the "OK" button.

Step 2: As the PDF file opens in Word format, tap on the "Review" tab and then choose the "Spelling & Grammar" option in the "Proofing" section. Now, in the right-side panel, you will get suggestions for correct spelling. Make corrections as per your needs and requirements.

Step 3: Now, save this Word file back to PDF format on your system. Hit the "File" tab on the top-left side and choose the "Save As" option. Double-click "This PC," and the "Save As" window will open up. Now, access the "Save As Type" drop-down list and choose "PDF" there. Name your file and hit the "Save" button.

Why Do Not Recommend Using Microsoft Word to Spell Check a PDF?

• Microsoft Word doesn't convert the PDF files to the original formatting and disturbs all the information.
• When forcefully trying to open PDFs in Word, you might end up with a corrupt file.
• Word sometimes does not accurately recognize and explain terms for spell check. 
• It has limited language support, so spell-checking documents in order languages could be an issue.

Conclusion

All in all, PDF spell-checking tools can be hard to find sometimes, especially when you spell-check PDF for the first time. The tools that offer this feature vary based on how effectively they spell-check your PDFs. So, when selecting such tools, users are required to consider various options, such as whether the tool supports PDFs. However, to make the spell-checking process easier for you, we have discussed 5 tools above.

Among these 5, we recommend using the UPDF PDF editor due to its wide range of features and highly productive AI tool. The built-in AI tools within UPDF always provide top-notch results. Now, you should download this tool after reading this guide and try using it to make your PDFs error-free.