Anyone know of a good free PDF editor?

[WarKitty]

I need to strip some formatting out of a PDF so my poor ancient kindle can handle it. I use SumatraPDF to read files on my computer but I don't have an editor. Recommendations?

[Lvl 2 Expert]

Question seconded on general principles.

PDF's can be a pain in the ass. Some people use it as a form of meddling protection, which it isn't because I can alter the document beyond those specific people's ability to recognize it using image manipulation programs and because PDF editors exist if I'm willing to put some money and/or time into it. Some people like using it for forms with which you then need to do stuff you can't really do with a PDF, forcing you to "cheat" using other programs or simply print it (find a printer first), do the thing manually and hand in an ugly scan, usually the faster option for me. But the editing is just plain too complex to be able to work with PDF's very well.

They're good for their intended purposes though, making stuff properly readable with illustrations across as wide a number of platforms and versions as possible. And getting some tips on a good editor would make them even more useful.

[kgato503]

I have used Soda PDF before (free for desktop/laptops, but it only says that it is a "Try Free" for phones and tablets), and I remember it doing what I needed it to (Fill out a PDF form). I haven't played with it too much, but it seemed fairly easy to use.

[Mikemical]

PDFCreator. It's free and some of the plans they offer aren't really that bad.

[137beth]

PDFtk is the main open source editor. It’s primarily a command line interface program, although it does have a GUI available it doesn’t always work as well.

[Algeh]

If I'm trying to strip formatting rather than add it, the first thing I tend to do is open the pdf and try to "print" it and choose "save as PDF" in the printer selection options. Sometimes this will remove the formatting in question, and at least it's an easy thing to try and involves things you probably already have set up on your computer.

[Anthony222]

I tried several PDF editors, but I haven't found the one I relly liked. Then I was suggested to use File Type Advisor (https://www.filetypeadvisor.com/). I should say, this program is great as it knows all file formats including text, audio, video, graphics and document ones. It helps me to convert different file types and recommends software to open them. I hope it will be also useful for someone else!