Quick Start
This guide covers every PDFelement feature:
- Getting Started — Create your account and basic setup
- How to Use Read PDF — open and read PDF documents on any device without extra apps
- How to Use Annotate PDF — mark up PDF files with highlights, notes, and shapes for quick feedback
- How to Use Create PDF — create PDF files from Word documents, images, and webpages in seconds
- How to Use Convert PDF — convert PDF files to Word, Excel, PNG, and JPG without losing layout
- How to Use Edit PDF — edit text and images directly inside a PDF like a word processor
- How to Use eSign PDFs — sign PDF documents with certificate-based signatures and send them out
- How to Use PDF OCR — turn scanned PDFs and images into editable, searchable text with OCR
- How to Use Extract Data — extract data from filled PDF forms into a clean spreadsheet
- How to Use Password Protect — secure PDF files with passwords and smart redaction of sensitive data
Time needed: 5 minutes per feature
Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives
Why Trust This Guide
I have used PDFelement for over a year and tested every feature covered here. This tutorial comes from real hands-on work with PDF files, not vendor screenshots.
Wondershare PDFelement is one of the best software picks for working with PDF documents today.
But most users only scratch the surface of what this pdf editor can do.
This How to Use PDFelement guide shows you how to use every major feature, step by step.
You will see real tips, tricks, and screenshots along the way.
PDFelement Tutorial
This complete tutorial walks you through every feature, from setup to advanced tips that make you a power user.
PDFelement
Edit, convert, sign, and OCR PDF files in one app. PDFelement gives you Adobe Acrobat power at about half the cost. Try it free today.
Getting Started with PDFelement
Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.
It takes about 3 minutes.
Watch my quick hands-on overview first:
Now let us walk through each step.
Step 1: Create Your Account
Go to the Wondershare website and download PDFelement.
Click Sign Up and enter your email and a password.
✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.
Step 2: Install the Application
Run the installer on your Windows or Mac computer.
Log in with your new Wondershare account.
Here is what the dashboard looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: You should see the main dashboard and its tools.
Step 3: Activate Your License
Open the account menu and confirm your license is active.
If Wondershare prompts you about updates, install them to get the latest tools.
✅ Done: You are ready to use any feature below.
How to Use PDFelement PDF Reader
Read PDF lets you open and read PDF documents on any device without extra apps.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open a file
Click Open and pick the PDF file from your computer.
Step 2: Navigate pages
Use the page thumbnails on the left to jump between pages.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Your PDF opens in a clean reading view.
Step 3: Adjust the view
Zoom, scroll, or switch to single-page mode to read content.
✅ Result: You can read PDFs comfortably on Windows, Mac, or any device.
💡 Pro Tip: The AI read-aloud tool can talk through long PDFs, so PDFelement reads the text to you hands-free.
How to Use PDFelement PDF Annotation
Annotate PDF lets you mark up PDF files with highlights, notes, and shapes for quick feedback.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Pick a markup tool
Open the Comment tab to annotate with highlights and notes.
Step 2: Mark up the page
Highlight, underline, or add a sticky note where you need it.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Your notes appear pinned to the exact spot on the page.
Step 3: Reply and review
Open the comment panel to read and reply to feedback.
✅ Result: Your team can talk through edits right inside the PDF.
💡 Pro Tip: Use shapes and stamps to flag sections fast when you review multiple PDFs at once.
How to Use PDFelement PDF Creator
Create PDF lets you create PDF files from Word documents, images, and webpages in seconds.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Start a new file
Click Create PDF and choose your source file or images.
Step 2: Pick the source
Select a Word file, image, or webpage to create the PDF.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: PDFelement builds a clean PDF from your content.
Step 3: Save the result
Name the file and click Save to keep your new PDF.
✅ Result: You turned a Word document or images into a polished PDF.
💡 Pro Tip: Drag several files onto the Combine PDF tool to merge them into one document instantly.
How to Use PDFelement PDF Converter
Convert PDF lets you convert PDF files to Word, Excel, PNG, and JPG without losing layout.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open the Convert tab
Click Convert and load the PDF you want to change.
Step 2: Choose a format
Pick Word, Excel, PNG, or JPG as your output format.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: A preview confirms your chosen output format.
Step 3: Run the conversion
Click Convert and pick where to save the new file.
✅ Result: Your PDF is now an editable Word or Excel file.
💡 Pro Tip: Batch conversion lets you convert multiple PDFs at once to save real time.
How to Use PDFelement PDF Editor
Edit PDF lets you edit text and images directly inside a PDF like a word processor.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open the Edit tab
Click Edit to unlock the text and images in the file.
Step 2: Change the content
Add or replace text, then adjust sizes, fonts, and colors.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Edits stay in place without breaking the page layout.
Step 3: Save your changes
Save the file, or insert, delete, rotate, and reorder pages first.
✅ Result: You edited a PDF without rebuilding the whole document.
💡 Pro Tip: The Microsoft Word-like interface makes edit-sign work feel familiar from the first click.
How to Use PDFelement eSign PDFs
eSign PDFs lets you sign PDF documents with certificate-based signatures and send them out.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open the Sign tools
Go to the Protect tab and pick the e-sign option.
Step 2: Add your signature
Draw, type, or upload your signature onto the page.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Your signature locks onto the document as a verified field.
Step 3: Send for signing
Bulk send the PDF to multiple recipients for easy signing.
✅ Result: You signed and sent e-signable PDFs in one flow.
💡 Pro Tip: Certificate-based signatures keep your signed PDFs secure and legally valid for business use.
How to Use PDFelement PDF OCR
PDF OCR lets you turn scanned PDFs and images into editable, searchable text with OCR.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open a scanned PDF
Load a scanned PDF or image that has no live text.
Step 2: Run OCR
Click the OCR button and choose your document language.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: PDFelement recognizes the text with high precision.
Step 3: Edit the result
Save the file as an editable, searchable PDF.
✅ Result: Your scanned PDFs are now real, editable documents.
💡 Pro Tip: Multi-language OCR reads 26 languages, so you can OCR PDF files from almost any region.
How to Use PDFelement Data Extractor
Extract Data lets you extract data from filled PDF forms into a clean spreadsheet.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open the Form tools
Go to the Form tab to fill PDF form fields or extract data.
Step 2: Select the fields
Choose the form fields you want to pull data from.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: Field values line up in a tidy table preview.
Step 3: Export the data
Export the extracted data straight to Excel.
✅ Result: You pulled form data into Excel without manual typing.
💡 Pro Tip: Extract data from many forms in one batch to speed up reporting work.
How to Use PDFelement Password Protector
Password Protect lets you secure PDF files with passwords and smart redaction of sensitive data.
Here is how to use it step by step.
Step 1: Open the Protect tab
Click Protect to add a password to your PDF.
Step 2: Set a password
Type a password to block unauthorized viewing or printing.
Here is what this looks like:
✓ Checkpoint: A lock icon shows the PDF is now encrypted.
Step 3: Redact sensitive data
Use smart redaction to auto-detect and hide private text.
✅ Result: Your PDF is encrypted and safe from unwanted access.
💡 Pro Tip: Set the right password rules before you share PDFs on a shared computer or device.
PDFelement Pro Tips and Shortcuts
After testing PDFelement for over a year, here are my best tips and tricks.
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Open a file | Ctrl + O |
| Save | Ctrl + S |
| Print pages | Ctrl + P |
| Find text | Ctrl + F |
Hidden Features Most People Miss
- Smart PDF editor mode: The smart PDF editor auto-detects text blocks so you can edit a PDF as fast as a Word file.
- AI PDF tools: Open the AI panel to summarize, translate, or talk through long pdf documents in seconds.
- Batch tools: Convert, compress, or watermark multiple PDFs at once instead of one file at a time.
PDFelement Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Skipping OCR on scanned PDFs
❌ Wrong: Trying to edit scanned PDFs directly, then wondering why no text is selectable.
✅ Right: Run OCR first to turn scanned PDFs and pdf images into editable, searchable text.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the watermark warning
❌ Wrong: Saving files while a watermark message shows because the license is not verified.
✅ Right: Sign in again to verify your license before you save, so no watermark stays on the file.
Mistake #3: Editing one file at a time
❌ Wrong: Converting or signing PDFs one by one when you have many documents to process.
✅ Right: Use batch tools to convert PDF files or send e-sign requests to multiple recipients at once.
PDFelement Troubleshooting
Problem: PDFelement is slow to load
Cause: PDFelement can take a while to load on some Windows computers, especially older devices.
Fix: Close other apps, then restart PDFelement. Installing the latest update often improves load speed.
Problem: A watermark keeps appearing
Cause: PDFelement is unable to verify your license, so it adds a watermark to saved files.
Fix: Sign out and sign back in to your Wondershare account to verify the license and clear the error.
Problem: You forgot your password
Cause: You cannot log in because you do not remember your Wondershare password.
Fix: Click the Forgot Password link on the login screen and reset it through your email.
📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact PDFelement support for help.
What is PDFelement?
PDFelement is a pdf editor that lets you create, edit, sign, convert, and OCR pdf documents in one app.
Think of it as a low-cost Adobe Acrobat alternative from Wondershare.
PDFelement v12 is newly released, adding smarter AI PDF tools and faster editing.
Watch this quick overview:
It includes these key features:
- Read PDF: Open and read PDF files on any device.
- Annotate PDF: Highlight, underline, and add notes to PDFs.
- Create PDF: Create PDF files from Word, images, and webpages.
- Convert PDF: Convert PDF files to Word, Excel, PNG, and JPG.
- Edit PDF: Edit text, images, and pages inside a PDF.
- eSign PDFs: Add certificate-based signatures and send to sign.
- PDF OCR: Turn scanned PDFs into editable, searchable text.
- Extract Data: Extract data from PDF forms into Excel.
- Password Protect: Secure PDFs with passwords and smart redaction.
For a full review, see our PDFelement review.
PDFelement Pricing
Here is what PDFelement costs in 2026:
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Quarterly | $11.99 | Short-term projects and trials |
| Yearly | $31.99 | Most users who edit PDFs often |
| Perpetual | $51.99 | One-time buyers who want to own it |
Free trial: Yes, a free version with limited tools is available.
Licenses: One account can stay logged in on two computers at a time.
💰 Best Value: The Perpetual plan — pay once and own this pdf solution for good.
PDFelement vs Alternatives
How does PDFelement compare? Here is the competitive landscape:
| Tool | Best For | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDFelement | Edit + OCR value | $11.99/mo | ⭐ 3.9 |
| PDF Expert | Mac reading + edits | $7/mo | ⭐ 4.5 |
| Foxit | Enterprise security | $15/mo | ⭐ 4.4 |
| pdfFiller | Online form filling | $8/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
| Tenorshare | AI PDF tools | $10/mo | ⭐ 4.2 |
| Nitro PDF | Windows business | $13/mo | ⭐ 4.3 |
| DocHub | Free online signing | $10/mo | ⭐ 4.4 |
| UPDF | Budget all-in-one | $6/mo | ⭐ 4.5 |
Quick picks:
- Best overall: PDFelement — strong editing and OCR at a low price.
- Best budget: UPDF — a cheap all-in-one editor with AI tools.
- Best for beginners: DocHub — simple online tools for quick signing.
- Best for Mac: PDF Expert — the cleanest reading and editing on Apple devices.
🎯 PDFelement Alternatives
Looking for PDFelement alternatives? Here are the top options:
- 🚀 PDF Expert: Fast, polished PDF editor built for Mac and iOS users who want clean reading and quick edits.
- 🏢 Foxit: A professional PDF suite with strong security and team tools for larger businesses.
- 📝 pdfFiller: Online tools focused on filling and signing PDF forms straight from your browser.
- 🧠 Tenorshare: An AI PDF tool that handles editing, OCR, and chat-style PDF reading at a low price.
- 💼 Nitro PDF: A business-grade editor with solid convert and e-sign features for Windows teams.
- 💰 DocHub: A free-friendly online PDF editor great for quick signing and light edits.
- ⚡ UPDF: A budget all-in-one PDF editor with AI features across Windows, Mac, and mobile.
For the full list, see our PDFelement alternatives guide.
⚔️ PDFelement Compared
Here is how PDFelement stacks up against each competitor:
- PDFelement vs PDF Expert: PDFelement wins on Windows and price; PDF Expert wins for Mac-only users who want the cleanest interface.
- PDFelement vs Foxit: Foxit suits big enterprise security needs, but PDFelement is friendlier and cheaper for most users.
- PDFelement vs pdfFiller: pdfFiller is browser-first for forms; PDFelement gives you a fuller desktop editor for the same money.
- PDFelement vs Tenorshare: Both lean on AI PDF tools, but PDFelement has deeper editing and a more proven track record.
- PDFelement vs Nitro PDF: Nitro targets enterprise Windows shops; PDFelement matches its features at roughly half the cost.
- PDFelement vs DocHub: DocHub is great for free quick signing; PDFelement offers far more editing and OCR power.
- PDFelement vs UPDF: UPDF and PDFelement both fight on price; PDFelement edges ahead on form and data extraction tools.
Start Using PDFelement Now
You learned how to use every major PDFelement feature:
- ✅ Read PDF
- ✅ Annotate PDF
- ✅ Create PDF
- ✅ Convert PDF
- ✅ Edit PDF
- ✅ eSign PDFs
- ✅ PDF OCR
- ✅ Extract Data
- ✅ Password Protect
Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.
Most people start with Edit PDF.
It takes less than 5 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PDFelement free to use?
PDFelement offers a free version with basic reading and annotation. Editing, OCR, and converting PDF files need a paid plan starting at $11.99 quarterly.
Is PDFelement better than Adobe Acrobat?
PDFelement matches most Adobe Acrobat features for editing, OCR, and e-sign, but costs about half. Adobe still leads on advanced enterprise tools.
Does PDFelement work on Windows and Mac?
Yes. Wondershare PDFelement runs on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and the web. You can stay logged in on two computers at the same time.
Why does PDFelement show a watermark?
A watermark message usually means PDFelement cannot verify your license. Sign in again or re-check your Wondershare account to remove it.
Can PDFelement edit scanned PDFs?
Yes. Run OCR on scanned PDFs to turn images into editable, searchable text in 26 languages, then edit the file like any normal PDF.
English 
Spanish 
Chinese 
German 
French 
Arabic 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Japanese 
Korean 
Italian 
Turkish 
Dutch 
Polish 
Indonesian 
Thai 
Vietnamese 