How Do I Fill Out a PDF? Step-by-Step on Any Device
Short answer
Open the PDF in a PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Google Drive. Click a field, type your answer, then save. If nothing is clickable, the form is flat: use a Fill & Sign or Add Text tool to type anywhere on the page. Save a copy when you’re done.
Join the Kwalify waitlist to get documents signed on WhatsApp
What is the easiest way to fill out a PDF?
Open the PDF in a free viewer and click the first field. If the cursor appears and you can type, the form is fillable. Press Tab to move to the next field and Shift+Tab to go back.
If nothing responds, the form is probably flat. Flat forms need a different method, covered below.
These options work for most forms:
- Adobe Acrobat Reader: a desktop app that fills in fillable forms and has Fill & Sign tools for flat ones, as Adobe’s help page on filling forms explains.
- Google Drive on Android: open the PDF, tap Edit, then Form Filling, enter your information and save, as Google’s help page for filling out PDF forms in Drive describes.
- Preview on a Mac: open the PDF, click a field and type. If the PDF won’t let you type into the form, you can add a text box instead, as Apple’s guide to filling out and signing PDF forms in Preview explains. Preview can also fill in names, addresses and other contact details from the Contacts app, though Apple notes that not all PDFs support this.
How do I fill out a PDF that was emailed to me?
Download the attachment first, then open it in a PDF viewer instead of the email preview. Previews often won’t accept typing.
Once it is open, fill in the fields. Use Save as and give the file a new name, such as “Application-Thandi-Nkosi.pdf”. This keeps the blank original untouched. Reply to the email with the new file.
Check the filled file before you send it. Look at your names, dates and ID number.
According to Stats SA’s 2023 General Household Survey, as reported by Engineering News, 96.1% of South African households owned at least one mobile phone. If you read your email on a phone, use the steps in the next section.
How do I fill in a PDF on my phone?
Open it in the Google Drive app and use Form Filling. On Android, the steps are:
- Open Google Drive and tap the PDF.
- Tap Edit, then Form Filling.
- Enter your information.
- Tap Save.
Google’s help page for filling out PDF forms in Drive on Android adds that if you don’t see the option, you may not be able to fill out the PDF. In that case, try another app or the Fill & Sign method below.
How do I fill out a PDF that is not fillable?
Use a Fill & Sign or Add Text tool to type anywhere on the page. Adobe explains that on a flat form, the Fill & Sign tools let you add text and other symbols anywhere on the form.
- Open the PDF in Acrobat Reader and choose Fill & Sign.
- Click where the answer should go and type it in.
- For a checkbox, place a tick or cross in the box.
- Add the date in the same way.
- Save a copy under a new name.
What about the signature?
You can make a signature image with the free signature generator and place it on an ordinary document.
The ECTA does not make these valid (section 4(4), Schedule 2):
- an agreement for the alienation of immovable property (such as a sale of land)
- an agreement for a lease of immovable property for more than 20 years
- executing, keeping and presenting a will or codicil
- executing a bill of exchange
Check with an attorney before signing one of these electronically.
How Kwalify helps
How Kwalify helps: Kwalify asks your clients for details and documents on WhatsApp and checks the documents against your rules. Anything that fails a rule goes to a person to decide. Kwalify sends reminders until everything is in. Signing uses a one-time code and a standard electronic signature, with an audit trail and a sealed PDF. For a signature image on your own ordinary documents, try the free signature generator. Join the waitlist
Which tool should I use? A quick checklist
| Your situation | What to do | Tool |
|---|---|---|
| Fillable PDF on a computer | Click the fields and type | Acrobat Reader |
| Flat or scanned PDF on a computer | Use Fill & Sign or Add Text | Acrobat Reader |
| PDF on an Android phone | Open in Drive, tap Edit, then Form Filling, then Save | Google Drive |
| PDF received by email | Download it, open it in a viewer, save a copy, reply with the copy | Any PDF viewer |
| Form needs a signature | Place a signature image for ordinary documents. The ECTA does not make Schedule 2 transactions valid (section 4(4), Schedule 2): check with an attorney before signing one electronically | Signature generator |
Before you send the form, tick off each item:
- Check your names and ID number.
- Check the dates.
- Tick every required box.
- Save a copy.
- Keep the blank original.
FAQ
How can I fill out a PDF form for free?
Open the file in a PDF viewer, click a field and type. Save a copy when you’re done.
Why can’t I type in my PDF form?
The form is probably flat, which means it has no interactive fields. Use a Fill & Sign or Add Text tool to place text anywhere on the page. If it opened in an email preview, download it and open it in a PDF viewer.
Is a typed or drawn signature on a PDF legal in South Africa?
An electronic signature is not without legal force just because it is electronic (ECTA section 13(2)). Where the parties require a signature but haven’t agreed on the type, the method must identify the person and show their approval, and be as reliable as was appropriate for the purpose (section 13(3)).
How do I save a filled PDF so I keep the blank form?
Use Save as and give the filled copy a new name, for example with your name at the end. The blank original stays untouched. Send the filled copy.