4 Easy Ways to Fill Out Downloadable and Fillable PDF Forms

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Never print a PDF form again with these easy, effective methods

Co-authored by Katie Double and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: June 9, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using a Web Browser on a Computer

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Using Google Drive on a Computer

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Using Preview on Mac

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Using Adobe Acrobat Reader on a Computer

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Filling in Forms Using a Third-Party App

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Video

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Tips

Do you need to fill in a PDF? There are two types of forms that you can get: fillable PDFs, which are a convenient type of PDF that allows you to complete fields on the document electronically, and flat forms, which you will need to edit manually. This wikiHow article teaches you many ways to fill in a PDF form.

Easily Fill in PDFs

Newer PDFs can be filled in easily using web browsers like Chrome or Edge.
Use a PDF editor like DocHub to quickly edit flat forms in Google Drive on your computer.
If you have an Adobe Standard or Pro subscription, you can use Acrobat to fill in and edit PDFs.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Using a Web Browser on a Computer

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1
Open the form in a web browser. Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are the best for easily and quickly filling in PDFs.
- If the form came from a link online, open that link in Chrome or Edge.
- If the form came as an attachment in an email, download the PDF. Specify to open in Chrome or Edge, or save the file.
- If the PDF is saved on your computer, navigate to it in your file explorer. Right-click (or Ctrl + click on Mac) the file, hover over Open with, and select Chrome or Edge.
- This method may not work for every PDF. If the PDF is incompatible or not created as a fillable form, then you can't use this method.
Click into the fields and type the information.

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3
Save the form. This works differently depending on the browser you are using.
- In Google Chrome, click the Download icon in the top right corner of the page, then select a location to save it to.
- In Edge, simply click the Save icon in the top right corner of the page after filling in the form.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using Google Drive on a Computer

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1
Open your document in Google Drive. This method allows you to fill in PDFs for free. You can use any web browser to use Google Drive, but Chrome is the best option.
- You can use this option to manually fill in files or if it is fillable.
This will show you a list of connected apps that you can use with your PDF.
3
Select a PDF editor. If you don't have any connected apps, click one under the "Suggested third-party apps" that allows you to edit PDFs.
- DocHub is a good, free tool that allows you a limited amount of actions per month. You can, however, pay to upgrade to an unlimited account.
- Once you select a PDF editor, you have to give it permission to connect with your Google Drive account. Click Continue and Allow to proceed.
Use the tools in the toolbar to write text, stamp, and more. If the form is not fillable, you'll have to click into each section where you want to put your answer.^{[1]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using Preview on Mac

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1
Open the PDF in Preview. Preview is a built-in and free tool that Macs use to preview items, but it can also handle light photo edits and text editing.
- If you click the file, it should open by default in Preview. If not, press Ctrl and click the PDF and then select Open with > Preview.
2
Fill in your form. If the form is fillable, you can simply press Tab or Enter to move through the fields.
- If the PDF isn't fillable, you can create text boxes to insert your answers. Click the Show Form Filling Toolbar button and then click the "A" icon inside a dotted box.^{[2]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Adobe Acrobat Reader on a Computer

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1
Open the form in Acrobat. If you don't already have the software, know that you need to pay for an Adobe Standard subscription to edit PDFs that weren't made fillable. However, you might be able to sign up for a free 7-day free trial. Go to Adobe's site to sign up and download the software.
- You can fill in fillable forms for free using Adobe Reader! You can also fill in fillable forms at https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/sign-pdf.html if you don't want to install the Adobe Reader software.
- If the form came from a link online or as an attachment in an email, download and save the PDF to your computer. Then, you can open it in Adobe.
- If the PDF is saved on your computer, navigate to it in your file explorer. Right-click (or press Ctrl and click on Mac) the file, hover over Open with, and select Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
It's in the menu on the left side of your screen in purple text with an icon of a pencil.
3
Fill in the form. If it is made fillable, you will be able to click into the fields and enter text or check boxes.^{[3]
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- If the form is not fillable, you have to subscribe to Adobe Standard to be able to edit PDFs.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Filling in Forms Using a Third-Party App

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Look for the icon on the home screen, or search for the app in your app menu. Tap the app to open.
2
Search for a PDF editing app. Try searching with the phrase “PDF editor”. Download an app that you like.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader is a free app that is highly compatible with PDFs.
3
Open the PDF with the app. Search for the PDF in your files or emails.
- If the PDF is saved in your files, tap the down arrow next to it or navigate to options, tap Open with, and select your app.
- If the PDF is an attachment of an email, open the PDF by tapping on it. Tap the icon with the 3 vertical dots and select Download. Open the saved file from your downloads folder with the app.
Save when finished.

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Tips

Not all PDF forms are fillable, but you can quickly test a form by opening it with a browser like Chrome or Edge, then trying to click each individual field in the PDF and type in information.

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If you wish to sign forms, you can download a browser extension or add-on to do this. Open the extension store on your browser, and look for “Sign PDF”. Select an extension to install.

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