If you live in a state that has personal income tax, when you file your taxes, you need to fill out that state’s corresponding tax form. Texas, for example, does not have personal income tax, but many other states do. 

If you’re using tax software like Intuit, these forms may automatically be found for you. But if you do your own taxes, you might need help to find your state’s tax forms. Even beyond personal income tax forms, there are plenty of other important tax-related or official forms dependent on the state that you live in. So where do you find all of these?

State tax forms and more can be found in PDF.Live Forms section. We’ve gathered important tax forms in one place for easy downloading and filling. This forms section connects directly to the PDF.Live editor so that you can fill, sign, and download forms all in one place. 

In this guide, we’ll explain what forms you generally need to fill out, the common types of tax forms, how you know which tax form you need, and how to make sure you have the most up-to-date tax form. 

Disclaimer: PDF.Live is not a law firm, and we are not attorneys or CPAs. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a qualified employment attorney or tax professional, as form requirements vary by jurisdiction and change frequently.

What State Tax Forms Do I Need?

Forty-one states have separate tax forms for individual income. If you live in a state that doesn’t have individual income tax, you don’t need a state tax form. Every state’s workers are subject to federal income tax, but not every state collects a state income tax for its residents. There are currently 9 states that don’t have income tax*:

• Washington (taxes capital gains income)
• Nevada 
• Alaska
• Wyoming
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Tennessee
• Florida
• New Hampshire

If you live in one of these states, this post may not be for you! 

State income tax forms use your federally adjusted gross income, which is also found on the IRS Form 1040. Once you find your federally adjusted gross income, you fill out your state income tax form, calculating what you owe based on various state-specific deductions and adjustments. 

State income tax forms don’t follow a universal code or naming system, so it can be tricky to find the one that applies to you. PDF.Live makes it easy by organizing tax forms by state.

Where Do I Find State Tax Forms?

The Federation of Tax Administrators has a list of state tax forms online. This site lists all the current year’s tax forms by state. You can find the most up-to-date state income tax form by clicking the Current Year Tax Forms link, which will take you to the corresponding state’s tax website.

The method to fill out these forms varies from state to state. Some states have set up their income tax forms with fillable form fields so you can fill them out online. In others, you will need to print the form or fill it out with a PDF editor like PDF.Live. 

PDF.Live has a database of tax documents, all set up with fillable form fields. The PDF.Live tax form database features tax forms for each state. You can find general income tax documents, income tax return documents, and even state-specific tax documents. 

Click on one of these forms to view a preview of it. If it looks correct, you can begin filling it out with PDF.Live. Click Fill this Form to open it in the PDF.Live editor. 

In the editor, you can sign your tax form, fill out the form fields, and print or download it once you’re ready to submit it. 

FAQs About State Tax Forms

Disclaimer: We are not legal or financial experts. The answers are based on common knowledge and should be verified with your HR department, tax attorney, or accountant.

What if I work in one state but live in another?

State tax depends on whether you actually work in that other state, or your employer is just based there. If you’re fully remote and never physically work in your employer’s state, you’ll typically only file and pay income tax in your state of residence, even if your company is headquartered somewhere else, as Becker, an organization that prepares professionals for CPA and other exams, explains.

Where it gets more complicated is if you regularly travel across state lines for work, commute to an office in another state, or spend part of the year physically working there. In that case, you may need to file a return in both states: a resident return where you live, and a nonresident return for the state where you worked. You generally won’t be taxed twice on the same income. Many states have reciprocal agreements that let you pay tax only in your home state, and where there’s no agreement, you can typically claim a credit for taxes paid to the other state.

A handful of states (Arkansas, Delaware, Nebraska, New York, and Pennsylvania) also apply a “convenience of the employer” rule, which can require you to pay tax to the employer’s state even if you never set foot there, if you’re working remotely by choice rather than necessity.

Since the rules vary so much by state, and depend on your specific situation, it’s worth confirming the details with your state’s department of revenue or a tax professional before you file.

Are state tax forms different from federal tax forms?

Yes. Your federal tax form (Form 1040) and your state income tax form are two separate documents, and you’ll need to file both if your state collects income tax. Your state form pulls from your federal return — specifically your federally adjusted gross income — but the deductions, credits, and rates it applies are all state-specific. Filing federal forms doesn’t take care of your state taxes, and filing state forms doesn’t take care of your federal taxes. You need both.

Do state tax forms change every year?

Yes, most states update their tax forms annually to reflect new tax laws, adjusted brackets, or updated deduction amounts. Using last year’s form can lead to errors or a rejected return, so always double-check that you’re using the current year’s version before you file. PDF.Live’s forms database is kept up to date with the latest version for each state, so you don’t have to track down the current form yourself. If you’re ever unsure whether a form is current, your state’s department of revenue or taxation is the best place to confirm.

What state departments are responsible for tax forms?

Most states have a department of taxation or department of revenue where you can find information about state taxes. Other names include department of finance and administration, department of treasury, division of taxation. Another often-overlooked resource is your local library: Many local libraries offer physical copies of federal and state tax forms.

*As of July 2026.

The post What Are State Tax Forms? appeared first on pdf.live.

Today, it’s far more common for new hires to fill employment forms out electronically. This requires making a PDF a fillable form, which means that the recipient can open the PDF, type their information in the fields, and then save a copy with their information filled out. Employers can set up fillable forms online. PDF.Live provides several forms with built-in fillable fields. You can download these new hire forms for free and send them to your new hire to easily fill out on their computer or smartphone. 

So, which forms do you need for your new hire? What follows are four important employer forms.

Disclaimer: PDF.Live is not a law firm, and we are not attorneys or CPAs. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a qualified employment attorney or tax professional, as form requirements vary by jurisdiction and change frequently.

Form I-9

The I-9 form is the USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) Employment Eligibility Verification form, and generally every employer must complete one for each new hire. Employers must keep the I-9 on file either physically or electronically so that they can present it to government officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Labor, or the Department of Justice. The USCIS website has detailed information on the I-9 requirements. 

An I-9 contains a new hire’s name, Social Security number, and citizenship information. The new hire provides documents that identify them and authorize them for employment. A document can do both, or just one, but new hires must provide enough documents to do both. Some examples are:

• A U.S. passport
• A foreign passport
• Driver’s license
• Government ID card
• Birth certificate

When the employee submits the forms with copies of the documents, it must also be filled out by the employer within three business days after the employee’s first day of employment. The employer must inspect the employee’s documents and verify that they’re eligible to work in the U.S. They then enter the pertinent information from the documents in the I-9. 

The I-9 also has supplemental sections for a preparer/translator and a verification section for rehire or in the event of a name change. 

Form W-4

The W-4 form is the IRS’s Employee’s Withholding Certificate form. It tells an employer how much federal income tax to withhold from an employee’s pay based on the employee’s financial situation. If an employee doesn’t submit one, the employer typically withholds at the default single rate, which usually means more tax comes out of each paycheck than necessary.

A W-4 form contains the employee’s identification information and other information:

• Single or married filing jointly
• How many dependents they claim
• Other income they’re receiving from other jobs
• Tax deductions
• Any extra withholding amount

The bulk of Form W-4 is filled out by the employee, as there are many different tax deductions. Employers don’t have to submit this form to the IRS (unless audited), as it’s only used for payroll.

Form W-2

The W-2 form is the IRS’s Wage and Tax Statement. Employers use the form to report the employee’s wages, tips, and other compensation, and tax withholdings. While not technically a new hire form, employers submit this form to the Social Security Administration (SSA) every year. They also provide the employee with a W-2 for filing taxes.

The W-2 form is pretty simple, as it just contains:

• Employee identification information
• Wages, tips, and other compensation
• How much was withheld for taxes
  • Federal income tax withheld
  • Social Security tax withheld
  • Medicare tax withheld

The employee usually submits their W-2 as part of filing their income taxes annually. An employer is legally required to submit a W-2 no later than January 31 every year. They must submit the form electronically or mail it to the SSA, as well as give their employee the form. 

Direct Deposit Form

A direct deposit authorization form isn’t required for every employment situation, but it is necessary to process payroll for employers who require direct deposit where it’s permissible to do so. The form identifies the employee and how to submit payment to their bank account. This isn’t an official government document, so it doesn’t have a standard form template, but commonly includes:

• Employer name, address and phone number
• Employee’s name, address and phone number
• Financial institution name, address and phone number
  • Account type (checking/savings)
  • Account number
  • Bank routing number
• Amount to be deposited (if depositing to different accounts or banks)
• Signature and date — employee’s authorization to deposit payments

A direct deposit form authorizes the employer to deposit wages into the employee’s account until employment is terminated. Employers also have to keep an employee’s information on file, which includes direct deposit information, for four years after filing for the IRS to review. It’s best practice to keep these records for seven years in the event of an audit, for example.

The post Government & Bank Forms For New Hires appeared first on pdf.live.

Of course, a few industries still use faxing for sending and receiving documents. These include:

• Education
• Healthcare
• Legal
• Real estate
• Government

These industries typically choose to use legacy fax systems because of security. It’s difficult to intercept a document while it’s being transmitted over a phone line. Faxes also can’t have suspicious clickable links, viruses, or malware attached, as is common with emails. 

So what do you do when you need to send documents to your doctor, lawyer, or school? Do you need to buy a fax machine? Rent one? 

New fax machines typically cost over $100 because they include multiple functions — phone, document scanner and copy abilities. Types of fax machines:

• Small personal faxes with a scanner and phone
• Medium-sized print/scan/fax machines
• Large, office-sized fax machines that also work as stand-alone scanners and printers

All of these fax machines require active phone lines to be connected to them so that they can transmit documents. All in all, having a dedicated fax machine is an expensive up-front cost followed by a monthly fee to keep the phone line operational. For businesses that don’t often use faxes, having a fax machine may not be worth it. So what are the alternatives?

Faxing Without a Fax Machine

You no longer need to own a fax machine to fax when you use online fax services that use Fax over Internet Protocol (FoIP) to transmit documents over the internet rather than the phone. We explain FoIP here: How faxing over the internet works.

Online faxing easily works alongside legacy machine-based fax systems so that the recipient won’t notice any difference between a document sent via fax machine versus one sent via internet fax. This makes FoIP the perfect solution for interacting with legacy systems, now that most people have swapped out phone lines for smartphones. 

Unlike a physical fax machine, internet faxing works with digital versions of your document: Upload a PDF to the fax service and enter your recipient’s fax number. Then, simply transmit! The screenshot below is an example of how simple PDF.Live’s digital fax service is.

Fax Machine Versus Fax Service: Cost Comparison 

Fax machine setup and operational cost

• Machine: Around $50 to $95 for a new fax machine to $200 to $400 for a multi-function fax-copy-printer (Source: CostHelper)
• Dedicated line: $20 – $40 a month for a physical phone line for your fax machine to plug into
• Pros of a fax machine: Access to a printer and scanner, unlimited faxing
• Cons of a fax machine: Setup cost, dedicated space for a physical printer near a phone line, purchasing paper and ink for printing

Digital fax service cost

• Service: $10 a month for 100 fax pages per month, in addition to unlimited use of PDF.Live’s full suite of PDF conversion and editing tools*
• Pros of online fax services: Less expensive, comes with a suite of PDF management tools, works with digital documents with no need to scan or print
• Cons of fax services: 100 pages a month limit for the base plan, but additional credits and enterprise pricing are available

Alternative Faxing Methods

If you need a fax machine but don’t want to buy one, there are a few options outside of digital fax services that you can try. Keep in mind, though, that some of these locations require you to hand over the documents to be faxed.

• Office supply stores: Stores like Staples and Office Depot offer printing, scanning, and faxing services. You usually pay by page to print or fax something (usually less than $1 per page). This is a low-cost solution for sending one-time faxes, but they may not offer the ability to receive faxes.
• Business services store: Some UPS and FedEx stores offer printing and faxing services. Similar to office supply stores, they charge fees, typically per-page. 
• Libraries: Libraries sometimes have fax machines and printers in their business centers. These are sometimes free, but it will depend on the library. 
• Friend or family business: Businesses you have close relationships with may be willing to allow you to use their fax machine at no cost. However, it may be difficult to repeatedly use their machine because you may not want to overuse the kindness of friends! 

If you want to try a convenient digital faxing service today, PDF.Live offers free 7-day trials of PDF.Live Studio, which includes a PDF faxing tool. Besides the suite of PDF editing and management tools available, you’ll have access to our digital faxing service, which takes PDFs and transmits them using FoIP. You can also receive faxes through the PDF.Live studio, add contacts for repeated faxing, and view a history of all documents sent and received. 

*Based on current pricing of $9.99/month for PDF.Live’s unlimited plan. Pricing is subject to change — check our terms and conditions for the latest details.

The post Do I Still Need a Fax Machine? appeared first on pdf.live.

Convert Bank Statement From PDF to Excel

1. Head over to PDF.Live’s PDF to Excel converter. Drag and drop your bank statement into the converter to get started. 

When your document is ready, you’ll see the message, “Upload Successful — Ready to convert!”

2. Click Convert to Excel. Your bank statement should be converted in under a minute, depending on the file size and your internet connection. 

3. Click Download file to download your Excel spreadsheet. 

You will need to create a PDF.Live account to download your converted bank statement.

Why do we ask you to create an account? Creating an account gives you access to PDF.Live’s full suite of tools during your free trial. It also saves your converted files to your PDF.Live dashboard, so you can come back and download them later instead of starting over.

4. Open the converted bank statement* in a spreadsheet viewer like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Let’s see how it turned out:

The PDF-to-Excel converter did a good job at converting our sample statement to a spreadsheet! Although you may not need the header information with the bank name and statement information, the converter transferred it anyway. You can delete unwanted information, such as the bank’s logo, address and headers when you open it in your spreadsheet program (Excel or Google Sheets). 

How to Convert PDF Bank Statement to CSV

1. First, follow the above steps to convert your PDF bank statement to an Excel file. Then, open the spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets. 

2. In your spreadsheet program, select File and then Download. Select Comma Separated Values (.CSV) from the list of options. 

3. You will now have a CSV version of your PDF bank statement! You may want to rename it, though, as the name may have gotten messy from all of the conversions. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Bank Statement-to-Excel Conversions

Can I convert multiple bank statements into Microsoft Excel sheets?

Yes, you can convert multiple bank statements to a single spreadsheet. There are two different ways to go about this:

• Merge your bank statement PDFs into a single PDF. Then, convert the single large PDF to Excel. 
• Convert your bank statements individually using our PDF-to-Excel conversion tool. Then, copy the necessary cells into a new Excel spreadsheet or tab. 

Can I download my bank statements to Excel?

Yes, some online banking services allow you to download bank statements as Excel spreadsheets instead of PDFs. Check your bank’s website for a section like “My Documents” or “Statements.” Many banks offer options for preferred download formats — PDF, CSV or XLSX being the most common. Our bank-statement-to-Excel conversion option is a good backup plan if your bank’s option isn’t working or doesn’t offer CSV or XLSX downloads. 

How do I convert Excel spreadsheets to PDFs?

If you want to convert Excel spreadsheets back to a PDF, you can use PDF.Live’s Excel to PDF tool. Here’s an Excel document we converted back to a PDF using the conversion tool:

How do I convert a bank statement to a Google Sheet?

Use PDF.Live’s PDF to Excel conversion tool, download the XLSX file, then from Google Drive, select New >> File Upload >> select the file on your device and click Open. When Google Drive signals “upload complete,” double click to open the XLSX file. Select Open with Google Sheets. Google easily converts any Excel file to Sheets.  

*Source for the bank statement example: TemplateLab. 

The post How to Convert Bank Statements to Excel appeared first on pdf.live.

Your fax recipient won’t notice any difference with your document when you fax online! 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through online faxing with PDF.Live. This includes what you need to get started and how to use our online faxing. It works entirely through your web browser, so no software, apps, or downloads are required.

Step 1: Prepare Your Document

Before you fax, ensure that the document you want to transmit is a PDF. PDF.Live works only with PDFs, so you’ll need to convert it with: Word to PDF, Excel to PDF, or PowerPoint to PDF. Otherwise, in your document editor of choice, save a copy of your document as a PDF or select Print and choose Save to PDF. 

If you’ve used PDF.Live before to edit documents, you can fax any document saved in your PDF.Live Studio dashboard instead of uploading a new PDF. This streamlines your workflow, as you can make simple edits, sign, or split the pages of a PDF using the PDF.Live studio and then fax the new document you’ve created. 

Here are a few additional tips for faxing documents:

• Be aware of how many pages are in your document. More pages take longer to fax and use up more fax page credits
• To speed up transmission time, reduce the number of pages if possible, or remove images, as pictures use more data and will increase fax transmission time
• Make sure you have your recipient’s fax number, and not their telephone number. Both are the same format (555) 555-0123. This post from Fax.Live explains how to test a fax line. 
• It’s ok if your recipient does not use a digital fax service. Digital fax services transmit documents to analog fax machines and vice-versa.

Step 2: Create an Account

Create a PDF.Live account or log in to your existing PDF.Live account to fax. You can also create a PDF.Live account using your Google account. 

A PDF.Live account gives you a personal dashboard where your documents, sent faxes, and received faxes are stored securely in one place. It also helps us protect our faxing service from misuse, so you get a reliable experience every time. 

Our PDF faxing service is included in your PDF.Live subscription. It comes at no additional cost to you, and you can send or receive 100 pages per month. Additional credits can be purchased for super users. 

Step 3: Upload Your File

Head over to our PDF.Live Studio,  select Fax, and drag and drop your PDF into the online tool to upload it for faxing. 

Drag and drop your PDF.

Or, select a PDF that you’ve edited and saved to your Studio dashboard. 

Step 4: Enter Your Recipient’s Fax Information

Upon uploading your PDF, you’ll see a preview of the document displayed alongside the Fax Details tab. Enter your recipient’s fax number, which is required for transmitting faxes. 

You can also toggle the option to add a free cover page, which inserts an extra page in front of your document to help direct the fax to the right recipient. It’s also beneficial to your recipient, as they’ll be able to more easily identify who’s sending them a document and why. Cover pages are not required to send a fax. 

Step 5: Send Your Fax

Click Send Fax to begin faxing your document. Faxing can be slow, especially if you have a lot of images or pages in your document. Keep the fax window open in your web browser, as closing it may result in an error. 

The status of your fax will be displayed in this window. Faxing online usually takes a few minutes, and we’ll notify you via email when your fax has been successfully transmitted. 

The post How Online Faxing Works Through PDF.Live appeared first on pdf.live.

You can also use PDF.Live’s online faxing service to insert a free fax cover sheet with your fax. You fill it out with the information, and PDF.Live attaches it to your fax. No printouts or page merging required. If you’d prefer downloading and making your own, read on to learn how to download and use the free fax cover sheet template.

What a Fax Cover Sheet Is and Why It Matters

Fax cover sheets are pages added to the front of a fax that list your and your recipient’s name, fax numbers, and additional information you want to provide. A fax cover sheet isn’t required for faxing, but it can be useful, so recipients know what the fax contains. Fax cover sheets also help protect the contents of your faxed document by providing a cover to potentially shield sensitive information.* 

Our free fax cover sheet has the following fields:

• Date
• To (the recipient)
• Recipient’s fax number
• From (your name)
• Sender’s fax number
• Number of pages
• Message field for additional notes

How to Use a Fax Cover Sheet

To use our printable fax cover sheet

1. Download the fax cover sheet
2. Fill it out using a PDF editor like PDF.Live or a PDF reader. 
3. Add the cover sheet to the front of your PDF. Utilize PDF.Live’s merge tool for this. 
4. Send your fax with the added cover sheet!

To use a fillable fax cover sheet

1. Upload the fax cover sheet to PDF.Live’s online editor.
2. From the menu, select Form Fill. 
3. Then select Add Text and click the field where you want to type.
4. Download and save to your PDF.Live Studio dashboard.

To use the built-in free fax cover sheet

Alternatively, when you fax with PDF.Live, you can check the option to add a free custom cover page to your fax. This makes getting a fax cover sheet even easier, as we’ll insert the page in front of your fax for you. Just enter the information you want the cover page to contain, and we’ll handle the formatting!

Download the Cover Sheet

Download this PDF of your fax cover sheet. 

Fill out the appropriate fields in this fax with the information you want. Then, merge it with the PDF you want to fax and make sure to place the cover sheet in front of your faxed document. 

How to Send Your Fax With a Cover Page 

Once you’ve added the cover sheet to your document, faxing is made easier with PDF.Live’s fax feature. 

PDF.Live allows you to fax online without a scanner, fax machine, or telephone line. All you have to do is upload your document with the cover page added, and we’ll handle sending it to your recipient. On their end, the document will look the same! 

Try PDF.Live’s fax tool today for easier faxing.

*The fax transmission process is generally safe and secure. However, once received, it’s up to the recipient to ensure the fax reaches the intended party. If you are sending sensitive information, such as financial records or health information, consider using a more secure transmission method, such as an encrypted email service or a HIPAA-compliant file sharing platform.

The post Free Fax Cover Letter — Downloadable & Printable appeared first on pdf.live.

The main advantage of cloud-based faxing is, you don’t need to find a location that offers fax services. A cloud-based fax service removes the need for fax machines and phone lines, so that you can fax over the web with just your browser. No downloads, apps, or programs required. 

What Cloud-Based Faxing Means

• Remote faxing over the internet
• No third-party downloads, apps, or programs
• No phone line, no paper, no fax machine required

How Cloud-Based Faxing Works

Cloud-based fax services like PDF.Live allow you to fax over the web by just uploading a PDF. As long as you have your recipient’s fax number, the service will fax your PDF anywhere within the U.S. Just an internet connection is required to use a cloud-based fax service; no phone line, fax machine, or even scanner is required. 

Upload your PDF, enter your recipient’s fax number in the (555) 555-0123 format, and follow the prompts to send. Cloud-based faxing converts the digital version of the document to an analog signal to be transmitted over a phone line. Once the fax has been successfully transmitted, you’ll receive an email notification and, if you’re using PDF.Live, you’ll see a confirmation in your dashboard.

Cloud-based faxing enables receiving faxed documents over the web. A fax number will be assigned to your account, which you can share with anyone who needs to send you a fax. When you receive a new fax, you’ll get an email notification. The fax will be stored in the cloud for you to download through your dashboard. 

Why Use Cloud Faxing

Cloud faxing offers a lot of advantages over traditional faxing. Besides the general convenience, here are other reasons why you might use cloud faxing:

• Works from anywhere, including home, office or on the go
• Convenient for receiving faxed documents in a digital format, which removes the need to scan them
• Eliminates the expense of purchasing a fax machine and paying for a phone line
• View all the faxes you’ve received and sent in one easy place 

Cloud faxing generally integrates with modern tech better than traditional faxing. PDF.Live’s fax service is built into the PDF.Live editor, where you can edit, sign, and convert documents before faxing them. Any document uploaded to the PDF.Live cloud can then be easily faxed for a seamless workflow. 

Cloud-based faxing is especially useful for businesses and individuals who need to fax legal, medical, business and educational documents. It eliminates the expense of purchasing a fax machine or finding a local store near you that offers fax services. Cloud-based faxing is a simple solution that works for home and business. 

How to Get Started

To get started with faxing: 

1. Head to PDF.Live’s fax service on any device with an internet connection. 

2. Upload the PDF that you want to fax. 
3. Enter your recipient’s fax number.

4. Create an account. (Why do we require an account? To help ensure proper use and compliance with our terms and conditions, we require a valid email account.) 

5. Watch as your fax is transmitted.

6. And confirmed … 

The post What Is Cloud-Based Faxing? appeared first on pdf.live.

There are more ways to open a PDF than most people realize — and the right one depends on your device, what you want to do with the file, and whether you already have the right software. This guide covers what a PDF actually is, how to open one on any device, and what to do when a PDF refuses to open.

One thing before you start: Make sure the PDF you’re about to open comes from a source you trust. If you’re not sure, VirusTotal is a free web-based tool that’s owned by Google Security Operations. It scans files against 70+ antivirus engines. Just upload the file and check the results before you open it.

Some PDF Basics, First

What is a PDF? PDF stands for portable document format. It’s a file type designed specifically for sharing. Once a document is saved as a PDF, its formatting stays locked in place no matter where it’s opened or what device it’s viewed on. The person receiving it sees exactly what you intended.

PDFs are also flexible in another way: A wide range of apps and programs can open them, which makes them one of the most reliable formats for sharing information across the web.

Want to learn more? Check out our article on What Is a PDF.

How to Open a PDF

Start by locating the file in your device’s file manager or downloads folder. On most devices, double-tapping or double-clicking it will open it automatically in whatever program is set as your default PDF viewer. If you haven’t set one yet, your device will ask you to choose.

The sections below cover how this works on each type of device.

Windows PC

On Windows, your web browser is the easiest option, no extra software needed. Just double-click the PDF in File Explorer, and it’ll open in your default browser (Edge, Chrome, or Firefox all handle PDFs natively). You can also right-click the file, select Open with, and choose the browser you prefer.

If you want extra features like annotation, form-filling, or document management, you’ll want either a dedicated PDF editor or to use Chrome, Edge or Firefox, which can annotate PDFs. See our guide to the best PDF readers for Windows.

Apple Mac

Mac computers come with Preview installed, which is a capable PDF viewer and light editor built right into macOS. Double-clicking any PDF should open it in Preview automatically. You can also right-click and choose Open With to use a different app.

For more options, check out our roundup of the best ways to read PDFs on Apple devices.

Android Phone or Tablet

On Android, head to your Files or Downloads app and tap the PDF. You’ll be prompted to pick an app to open it with. If you haven’t installed a PDF reader yet, your browser can handle basic viewing.

Need recommendations? We’ve put together a list of good PDF viewers for Android.

PDF Opener Online (No App Required)

If you can’t find the file on your device, or you just want a quick way to view and edit PDFs without installing anything, you have two good options. You can upload the file to cloud storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive and open it from there. 

Or, you can use PDF.Live’s online editor — drag in your file and you’re ready to read, annotate, or edit, all in your browser.

PDF Won’t Open — Now What?

A PDF that won’t open usually comes down to one of a few things. Here’s how to work through them.

The PDF Is Password Protected

If the creator locked the PDF, you’ll need the password to open it. If you’re the one who locked it and forgot the password, or if you need to adjust access settings, check out our guide on locking and unlocking PDFs. If someone else sent you a protected file, reach out to them for the password.

The File Didn’t Download Correctly

Try re-downloading the PDF from wherever you got it. Incomplete downloads can corrupt a file. Once it’s re-downloaded, try opening it again.

The App Needs an Update

An outdated PDF viewer can sometimes fail to open newer files. Update or reinstall the app you’re using, then try again. On Windows, you can also right-click the app, select Properties, go to Compatibility, and try running it in compatibility mode.

The Original File Has an Issue

If you created the PDF yourself, try going back to the original document (Word, PowerPoint, etc.) and re-exporting it as a PDF. If someone else made it, ask them to re-send the file. There may have been a problem on their end when it was created.

The File May Be Malicious

If a PDF arrives unexpectedly from someone you don’t know, it’s worth being cautious. Run it through an app such as VirusTotal before opening it. Don’t open a file if it is flagged.

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PDFs are built to travel. They’re portable, compact, and consistent across almost any device. So it only makes sense that you’d want to open and manage them right from your phone. Android makes this possible, but there’s a catch: Older Android devices don’t come with an installed PDF reader. You’ll need a third-party app to open PDF files you download from the web. 

What’s the best PDF reader or viewer for Android? Which app should you use? How do you open, view, and edit PDFs on Android? And how do you set a default app so PDFs always open where you want them to? We cover all of that in this guide.

Note: Our writer tested these steps on a Samsung Galaxy. If you’re using a different Android phone, your experience may vary slightly.

What’s the Best Free PDF Reader for Android?

There are a lot of good options, and most PDF readers offer a free version or trial, so you can test a few before committing. Here are three worth trying.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe invented the PDF format, so it’s no surprise their reader Adobe Acrobat Reader is one of the most polished options available. It syncs with Google Drive, Dropbox, and your phone’s local storage, so you can pull up PDFs from pretty much anywhere.

The free version covers the basics well: read, scan, comment, highlight, and make simple edits. Need more? A paid subscription unlocks premium editing tools like converting PDFs, merging files, and advanced form features.

Xodo PDF Reader

Xodo is a solid all-around PDF app that handles both reading and editing. You can annotate documents, fill out forms, sign with a saved signature, and even create new PDFs from images or files stored on your phone. It also connects to Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive, so your files stay in sync.

Reading comfort features include high-quality zoom, full-screen mode, and night mode — helpful if you spend a lot of time reading on your phone.

Right PDF Reader

Right PDF Reader by ZEON Corp is a clean, straightforward reader that’s great for annotating and organizing documents. It’s been around since 1993 (ZEON’s been in the PDF business a long time), and it shows in the app’s reliability.

You can highlight, underline, cross out text, add notes, draw shapes like arrows, and bookmark pages for easy reference. It also includes basic file management tools. You can create folders and compress files into a zip, which are handy if you’re managing a lot of documents.

Is PDF.Live a PDF Reader?

The short version: Use PDF.Live when you need to do something to a PDF. Use a reader when you just want to look at one.

PDF.Live is primarily a PDF editor, not a PDF reader — though there’s a bit of overlap worth explaining.

A PDF reader’s job is simple: Open a file and display it. Your web browser already does this. PDF.Live goes well beyond that. It’s a web-based tool for editing text, adding images, signing, converting, merging, compressing, and more — all without downloading any software.

For just viewing a PDF, a reader or a web browser is the better fit. PDF editors like PDF.Live have more features for tweaking or editing a PDF, but they’re not designed as reading tools.

That said, you can open a PDF in PDF.Live and read it — the same way you could technically read a document in Microsoft Word. It’s just not what the tool is built for. If you want to read a PDF on your phone or desktop without editing it, a dedicated reader like Adobe Acrobat Reader or your device’s default browser will feel faster and cleaner.

How to Change the Default PDF Reader on an Android

Want PDFs to open automatically in your preferred app? Here’s how to set it as your default.

Open the Settings app on your phone.

Tap Apps. On some devices, this appears under a Device heading.

Scroll through the list to find the PDF reader app you want to set as default, then tap it.

Inside the app info screen, tap Defaults (sometimes labeled Open by default).

Tap Set as default. Here you can allow the app to open supported links and clear any previous default settings.

The next time you open a PDF, you might get a prompt asking which app to use. Tap your chosen app and select Always (you won’t be asked again). If you change your mind later, just uninstall the app or clear its defaults in Settings, and your phone will revert to asking.

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Google Drive stands as one of the best ways to create and share documents across the web. It is a cloud-sharing platform that allows you to create and upload documents to share with others. Google Drive allows you and other users to view and collaborate on documents with ease. And, as it just so happens, the PDF is one of the best document formats available for sharing and conveying information. So, does Google Drive work with PDFs?

Yes! In fact, Google Drive is a great place to upload, save and host a PDF, outside of PDF.Live’s Studio. We’ll be going through the strengths and weaknesses of using Google Drive as a platform as well as how PDFs work with Drive. 

First, you’ll need to set up a Google account, if you don’t have one. This tutorial on Google’s site explains how to set up a Google Drive account.

Converting PDFs to Google Docs

Google Drive allows you to create and host documents in a number of formats. Some formats you may be familiar with, like .doc, .docx, .xlsx, and, of course, .pdf, work on Google Drive. If you already have an existing PDF document, dragging and dropping the file into Google Drive will upload it to the cloud. This means that you can now access it from any computer logged into your Google Drive account. 

Once the PDF is uploaded to Google Drive, you have a few options. 

You can share it with other Google Drive users (this will require them to set up a Google account), get a direct link so that anyone with the link can view the PDF, as well as rename and manage the PDF’s properties. 

But what if you want to convert an existing PDF to an editable document in Google Docs?

While this is technically possible, it will likely alter or even damage the formatting settings that were originally placed in the document. 

To convert a PDF document to an editable Google Doc: 

1. Upload the PDF to Google Drive.
2. Right-click the PDF in Google Drive.
3. Select Open with and then Google Docs. 

You can also double-click the PDF to view it and then select Open with Google Docs at the top. Note that the formatting will be heavily altered during the conversion, though. Here is an example from a Harvard Business Review ebook we uploaded to Drive and used Google Docs to convert. On the left is the cover of the HBR article “as is,” and on the right is the cover as Google converted it. You can see that it strips away formatting.

While Google has some kinks to perfect with its PDF to Google Doc converter, you can use PDF.Live’s PDF to DOC converter, which retains as much of the original formatting of the PDF document as possible. In the next screenshot, you’ll see that when we converted the HBR article, “The New Sales Imperative” using PDF.Live, the formatting of the cover was retained. When we open it in Windows, this is what we see:

Converting Google Docs to PDFs

If you’ve built a document in Google Docs, which is Google Drive’s document editor, that you’d like to share with someone else across the web, you can do that using the Share button in the upper right.

If you’d prefer to convert it to a PDF format before sharing, it’s easy to convert a Google Doc to a PDF. Here is how:

1. Open the document you want to convert in Google Drive.
2. Select File in the top left corner.
3. Select Download and then PDF. 

You can then re-upload this PDF to Google Drive if you’d like to host the PDF on Google Drive to share with others. 

Converting Google Sheets to PDFs

Google Sheets is Google Drive’s equivalent to Microsoft Excel. Sheets allows you to create spreadsheets, make databases, and host numerical information to make complex calculations easy. Again, to share, you click the Share button in the upper right, enter the recipient’s email address, and select whether you want to give them Viewer (view only), Commenter (view and comment), or Editor (view, comment and make changes) permissions. You can also add an expiration date for sharing the file. 

If you’d prefer to download your work in a PDF, perhaps to protect the formulas or to share only a portion of a sheet, the PDF is a perfect file format for this. 

To convert Google Sheets to a PDF:

1. Open the document you want to convert in Google Drive.
2. Select File in the top left corner
3. Select Download and then PDF. 
4. You will receive a preview of the exported PDF. In the options tab, you can adjust the paper size, the scale of the text, as well as the margins. 

Going the other way around (converting a PDF to a Sheets or Excel document) isn’t quite possible in Google Drive. For this, you’ll need a dedicated PDF converter tool, such as PDF.Live’s converter tool, which allows you to convert various types of files to and from PDFs.

Converting PDF to Google Slides

Google Slides acts as Google Drive’s Microsoft PowerPoint equivalent. Google Slides is great for when you need to present information in an official capacity online. Having a Slides document allows you to present the information in full-screen mode and move through the slides as you present. 

Unfortunately, you cannot convert an existing PDF document to a Google Slides file. You will need a converter tool to perform this action. PDF.Live allows you to convert a PDF to a PowerPoint, or .PPT, format that will work with Slides. 

Converting Google Slides to PDF

A Google Slides presentation can be easily converted to a PDF within Google Drive. To do this, follow these steps: 

1. Open the document you want to convert in Google Drive.
2. Select File in the top left corner.
3. Select Download and then PDF. 

You will then receive a document that has separate pages corresponding to the different slides of your presentation. For more tutorials on working with PDF files, visit PDF.Live’s Resource Center.

Photo credit 254150161 | MRMake | Dreamstime.com

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