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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Have you ever downloaded a PDF manual or a pamphlet and needed to find a specific word or phrase? For example, if you’re not sure why your Instant Pot is burning food, you may download its manual in order to troubleshoot the problem. It may seem simple to just download the PDF once you find it, but what if the PDF is 100 pages long? 

Thankfully, there’s a command that allows you to search certain words or phrases on most devices. This command is Ctrl + F on your keyboard if you’re on a Windows device, and Command + F if you’re on a Mac. This means that when you have your PDF open with a PDF reader or web browser, you press the Ctrl or Command key and the F button at the same time. 

A text box will then appear that you can enter a word or phrase in. You’ll then be able to jump to specific places where that word or phrase is within the document by pressing the arrow keys. The text box will also tell you how many times that word or phrase is used in the document. 

The word or phrase that you’ve entered will be highlighted within the document when you jump to the page. 

If you’re using PDF reader, you may be able to highlight and bookmark the word or phrase for later use. This will depend on what kind of reader you’re using, however. With Mac’s preview reader, for example, you can create bookmarks for specific lines of text.

This search function will also work on Word and Excel documents. You can even search web pages for specific words. 

Troubleshooting Keyword Searches in PDFs 

How do you search in a protected PDF? If you can’t find a specific word in a document, and you know it’s there, the text in the PDF may not have renderable, editable text. You can try to save the PDF as a JPEG or other image file (PDF.Live offers PDF converting services for this) and then convert it back to a PDF. 

Why isn’t CTRL+F finding text in a PDF? It may be the case that the text within the document you’re trying to search is considered an image rather than text. If this is the case, you may have to search and bookmark the page manually. 

It still isn’t working. What should I do? If a phrase you’re searching isn’t available, it may be that the author of the manual used different language or phrasing. Try different iterations of the phrase and, if this doesn’t work, search individual unique words in the phrase that may not be found elsewhere. For example, if you’re wondering why your instant pot is burning, instead of searching “Instant pot burning when using rice,” just type “cook burn” or even “burn.” You can’t quite treat it the same as a Google search! 

If you’re using a PDF reader, you can also look for an Advanced Search feature that will try to match individual words within a phrase you type. It may also ignore spacing and other formatting settings of your phrase. Adobe Acrobat, for example, has an advanced search feature.

The post How to Search For Words in a PDF appeared first on pdf.live.

Where can I fax something for free? What is the best way to send a fax for free? We’ll show you how anyone can easily send a fax from any internet-connected computer using PDF.Live’s free trial. 

Faxing may be rare in the modern era, but it’s still considered the standard for sending and receiving documents for certain types of organizations. For example, many healthcare providers fax documents to other healthcare practices, to adhere to certain privacy regulations (HIPAA). Educational institutions and law firms may also require important documents or statements to be faxed. 

However, it’s become less and less common for the average person to have access to a fax machine, whether through their place of work or at home. Also, as you know, a physical fax machine requires a physical version of the document. So, if you don’t have a printer OR a fax machine, you’ve got to head to a retailer that offers both of those services. They’re out there – UPS, FedEx, Office Depot and Staples offer those services, but not for free. This unwieldy process can be mitigated by using a free online fax service that functions entirely in your web browser. A free online fax service allows you to send digital versions of documents that are on your computer to someone else’s fax machine, without having to print them.

Step-by-Step Guide to Online Faxing 

We’ll use PDF.Live’s online fax service to explain how online faxing works. Requirements: The sender must have an internet-connected computer and the receiver must have a fax machine that’s connected to a phone line or a digital account that is set up to receive faxes.

1. Head to the PDF.Live Studio to send faxes online. Click the Fax button. 

Either drag and drop your PDF from your computer into the PDF tool or click Select File to Fax and navigate to where your PDF is stored on your computer. 

2. Upload your PDF to the Fax tool or select a PDF you’ve already stored in the PDF.Live editor to fax.

3. Enter the recipient’s information into the Faxing Options.

PDF.Live’s fax tool will now have you review your faxing options before you send your document. Because faxing is like sending a digital letter, this is where you’re writing out the address information for yourself and the recipient, so we know where to send it. The Send To: Enter Fax Number refers to the phone number that the recipient provided for you to fax to. 

You can also enable the Add Free Custom Cover Letter option to add a fax cover sheet for your document. This ensures that the information contained within won’t be immediately viewable for someone who glances at or picks up the document. It also acts as a cover sheet if your document is more official and helps to make sure the document gets to the intended recipient.

4. Select Send.

For this step, you will need a PDF.Live Limited or Unlimited account. Why do we require you to set up an account? We require an email address to send the confirmation that your fax went through (or, a notification in case it doesn’t go through).

Once you’re signed in, you can click Send to begin transmitting the fax to your recipient.

It will take a couple of minutes to dial and transmit the fax to your recipient, so DO NOT CLOSE the window until the popup signals that your fax is complete. 

When the fax has been successfully received, the popup will change to this:

You will also receive a confirmation email regarding your fax and the document that you sent. If the document couldn’t be sent, you will see an error message like this: 

You will also get an email stating that your fax wasn’t successfully delivered. Be sure to pay attention to this last step to ensure that your fax is properly sent and received! You can use PDF.Live’s services for a limited number of tasks every day, including if you want to try out the fax service. To send more faxes and have unlimited access to other features, you can set up a low-cost monthly subscription. The unlimited plan offers access to editing tools to create, edit, and fax PDFs. You can even add a fax cover sheet using PDF.Live’s online tool.

The post How to Fax a PDF from a Computer appeared first on pdf.live.

So how do you make a fax cover sheet? What does a fax cover sheet look like? This guide will show you how to create a fax cover sheet and enclose it with your faxed document.

Many modern businesses prefer faxing documents as opposed to emailing or sharing them through a cloud storage service. Although this may initially seem inconvenient — and even a bit antiquated in the modern day of digital file transfers — you can actually fax documents online without the need to buy a fax machine or printer. 

When you send a fax, you should always include a fax cover sheet. 

A fax cover sheet, or cover letter, is a page added before your faxed document that provides some key information about you (the sender), the recipient, and the document that you’ve sent. You can think of a fax cover sheet as the envelope that encloses a letter that you want to send through the mail. Just like an envelope, the fax cover sheet also protects the content of the fax. The person who receives the fax can reference their identity with the sender’s identity that you’ve enclosed in the fax cover sheet to ensure they’re the correct recipient.

You don’t have to create a fax cover sheet when faxing a document, but it’s a great way for your fax to appear professional, reach the intended recipient, and stay private. 

So how do you make a fax cover sheet? What does a fax cover sheet look like? This guide will show you how to create a fax cover sheet and enclose it with your faxed document.

What Goes in a Fax Cover Sheet? 

Before, we mentioned how PDF.Live allows you to fax documents online. When doing this, the tool will actually create a fax cover letter for you. That contains all the information necessary for a fax cover sheet. So how do you create a fax cover letter using the PDF.Live online fax tool?

1. Enter the PDF.Live Studio and select the Fax option.

2. Upload your PDF to fax.

Either drag and drop your PDF from your computer into the tool or click the From PDF.Live tab to find a PDF you’ve already uploaded that you want to fax. 

3. Enter your recipient’s information. Check Add Free Custom Cover Letter.

On the left side of the online fax tool, you’ll see two tabs: PDF File and Cover Page. When entering your recipient’s information, PDF.Live has an option to add a free custom cover letter to your PDF. This customer cover letter serves as a fax cover sheet and will contain all the relevant information. 

4. Review your fax cover letter.

Cover Letter Format for Fax

The fax cover letter generated by PDF.Live is generally what a fax cover letter should look like and contain. Your fax cover letter will include:

• The recipient’s phone number
• The sender (your) phone number
• The recipient’s name
• The sender’s name
• The fax document “subject” (think of this as an email subject line!)
• A message to the sender

When you click Send, PDF.Live will enclose this fax cover letter before your faxed document. This makes it easier for the recipient to find out who sent the document and why to get it processed faster. When faxing a document through PDF.Live, no physical versions are necessary – you can fax entirely through your web browser. Clicking Send will immediately send your fax out. It may take a couple of minutes, so refer to our Faxing PDF guide to learn more about how it works.

What to Write on a Fax Cover Sheet

You don’t have to write a personal message on the fax cover sheet, but if you have special requests or instructions, this is where you do it. For example, you might write: “Please email me at myname@email.com to confirm that you received all 11 pages of my fax.”

This space could also be where you put privacy requests, as in: “This fax contains private information that is intended only for the recipient named on this cover sheet.” 

You might also include instructions on why you are sending the fax, if it isn’t obvious: “Hey, Smitty. I picked up this sale brochure from a property for sale near you, and I thought it might be what you’re looking for. Give me a call and we can take a look together!” 

There’s really no need to write a long letter; keep the messages short and to the point.

Printable Fax Cover Letter Form / Template (Free Download)

If you don’t want to make a fax cover letter through PDF.Live, you can use the cover letter provided in the above image as a screenshot. You can also search “Fax cover sheet templates” to find fax cover letter examples. You’ll just need to edit to add your personal information. For example, here is a fax cover sheet template from Microsoft. 

PDF.Live includes a free fax cover sheet within our online faxing tool, but if you prefer to create your own, here is a free PDF template that includes the basics for sending a fax.

Download a free blank fax cover sheet template from PDF.Live. 

If you’re having trouble adding a cover page to the PDF you want to fax, consider using PDF.Live’s Merge Tool to add an extra page or pages to the beginning of your PDF.

The post How to Write a Fax Cover Sheet appeared first on pdf.live.

Sharing documents securely online is made easier with cloud storage. Cloud storage is a remote storage solution that can be used with almost any electronic device with an internet connection. Because the files are stored remotely, as long as you have the login for your cloud storage account, you should have access to all of your files. 

Some of the reasons that cloud storage is a powerful file storage solution are: 

• Easier to share files with other people online with shareable links
• Potentially greater security with multifactor authentication, encryption and login alerts
• Use of distributed infrastructures, significantly reducing the likelihood of downtime 
• Remote access to your files from any device with your login credentials 

As you manage, store, and share your PDFs, you might consider taking advantage of a cloud storage option to make file sharing safer and more convenient. Cloud storage options range from being free (usually for a certain amount of storage) to monthly/annual subscriptions. 

In this post, we’ll talk about the factors that you should consider for your online PDF storage and a few examples of cloud storage services. We’ll also talk about how to optimize your cloud storage so you don’t have too much wasted space. 

You’ll also learn about PDF.Live’s new cloud-based dashboard, where you upload, save, share and organize all of your PDF documents. 

Factors to Consider In Online PDF File Storage

When selecting an online PDF storage solution, there are a lot of factors for you to consider based on your file storage priorities. This will depend on how you plan to use your cloud storage.

PDF viewing

Do you want your online storage to be strictly for file storage, or do you want to be able to view, comment, and annotate your PDFs? Some cloud storage solutions offer basic data storage with very few collaborative tools. Other solutions may let you and your teammates comment and annotate PDFs for work collaboration. 

PDF storage capacity

PDFs are lightweight, but the more pages they have, the larger the file size. Certain digital content, like images within a PDF, will make them take up more space. If you have a lot of PDFs to store that take up a lot of space, you’ll have to consider how much storage your cloud will need to have. Cloud storage is usually free up to a certain amount of data storage, where you’ll then have to pay a monthly fee to get more storage space. 

PDF security

Some cloud storage solutions implement security measures like multifactor authentication and login alerts so that you can know who logs into your account. Other services offer simple logins to make logging in easier, if a little less secure. Something to consider is the nature of the files you’re storing and how many layers of security you want. 

Ease of access 

Do you want your PDFs to be accessed on every device you have? Some cloud storage will automatically sync when you upload a new file so all of your devices have access to your PDFs. Other cloud storage solutions integrate directly with your computer system, so you can access PDFs as you would a file locally stored on your PC. 

Document collaboration

Collaborate on your PDFs by not only commenting and annotating them, but also editing them in real time. If collaboration is important to you, consider choosing a cloud storage solution that lets you share documents between accounts and collaborate on creating and editing them. 

Pricing and subscriptions

If value is the bottom line for you, consider how much data storage you get versus how much you have to pay per month. Most cloud storage services will let you try them for free and store files up to a certain storage capacity. Surpassing that, you’ll need to pay a monthly subscription (which may be cheaper over time if you pay annually). How many files do you need to store? And what are you comfortable paying per month? 

Examples of Cloud Storage Providers for Documents

PDF.Live Studio

With an active PDF.Live account, you get unlimited online storage of all PDFs and faxes. When you log into your account, you’ll see all recent documents and folders. As with any cloud storage service PDF.Live’s users can create folders to organize their files. Files live here until you delete them and as long as your account is active.

Select any PDF and then select View, Download, Share, Move to folder, Rename or Trash.

By click the three dots under the Tools option, you can choose any of the online PDF management tools: Edit PDF, Merge, Compress, Sign, Form Fill, Convert or Fax.

Microsoft OneDrive

OneDrive is popular for users of Windows and Office because of how it seamlessly integrates with the most recent versions of Windows. If you sync your OneDrive account with your Microsoft account, you can access your files without having to log into the OneDrive app or web browser. Simply open your files via file explorer on your Windows PC. Some features of OneDrive are:

• 5 GB of free storage
• Versatile file storage
• Shareable links for files
• Business plans

Google Drive

One of the best cloud storage solutions for working and collaborating, Google Drive works with the Google Office suite, which includes a document editor, spreadsheet, presentation creator, and more. Google Drive is accessible via a web browser or the Google Drive app. Google Drive also works for storing PDF files and viewing them online. The features of Google Drive are:

• 15 GB of free storage
• Shareable links for PDFs (with commenting/editing history)
• Low-cost monthly subscription for extra storage space
• Sharing and accessing files on all devices with Google Drive app

Dropbox

Dropbox’s cloud storage service can be used for all sorts of files. It’s one of the most well-known cloud storage solutions that syncs with your devices and can automatically back up all the files that you store. Dropbox also offers both personal and enterprise plans so you can share files within your organization. Some of the features that Dropbox has are:

• 2 GB of free storage
• Multiple terabyte storage plans
• Multi-device syncing
• File transferring 

Sync.com

Sync’s cloud storage solution is used for storing, sending, and receiving files as securely as possible. Sync.com has security features that may be familiar to those who have experience with version control, such as file passwords, access expiry dates, version history, and more. It is used most commonly in small businesses or teams, but also has solo plans. Some of the features that Sync has are: 

• $6/month minimum for 1 TB of storage
• File backup and restoration
• Data encryption for added security
• Sharing and data controls

IDrive

IDrive’s cloud storage offers some of the most competitive pricing on the market. Although they bill annually, they have plans such as 5 TB of online storage for $69.65 per year. IDrive is compatible with PCs, phones, and tablets and also syncs with other clouds so that you can have data redundancy across services like Google Drive. Some features of IDrive are: 

• 10 GB free storage
• Very affordable, scalable pricing plans
• Multi-device backup
• Manage computers that have access and retain previous versions of files

How to Optimize Cloud Storage Usage

Pick out a cloud storage solution for your PDFs, and you’ll quickly realize how easy it is to fill your storage space. Your digital storage can also quickly get out of hand with so many files and file types. We recommend taking advantage of a few organization techniques to optimize your cloud storage usage and get the most out of the data that you’re paying for:

Efficient file organization

Use naming conventions for files that let you easily tell what the file is, where it should be located, and what version it is. As you sort through your cloud storage, this will make it easier to tell which files can stay and which need to go. 

Version history

It’s easy to delete files accidentally or override older files that you may still need. Many cloud storage solutions have version history on files and will even keep certain deleted files for up to 30 days. We recommend using these tools to make sure you’re keeping all the info you need. 

Automated backups

Whether you want to back up your computer’s data remotely for data redundancy or back your cloud up on a local device, we recommend not putting all of your files in just one place. Data redundancy means that if you forget your login information or a hard drive fails, you’ll have backed-up copies of those files somewhere else. Many cloud storage solutions have options to automatically back up saved files on your computer digitally!

Manage permissions

Your file organization method will only be effective if everyone who has access to your cloud storage is on the same page. With most cloud storage solutions, you can restrict users to being able to view, but not move or alter, your files. This way, you’re controlling who can and can’t edit your files. Managing permissions is also an excellent security measure, as you can control who has access to files in specific periods of time. 

The post Cloud Storage Options for PDF Files appeared first on pdf.live.

Imagine that you’re packing your car for a trip and need to bring 3 tents and 4 lawn chairs. In the normal world, you’ll need to carefully position these objects so you can fit everything in your car. However, imagine that instead, you could compress the 3 tents down to a single dense object called “T”. You would similarly compress the lawn chairs down to an object called “L”. You’ve saved a lot of space doing this, but need to know how many tents that T contains and how many lawn chairs that L contains. So, you call the first object T3 and the second object L4, so when you’re unpacking, you know how many tents and lawn chairs you have. If only we could compress objects in real life!

This is, in effect, how data compression works. A program looks for repeated patterns or data strings, and other information that it can then store in a simpler format that gives “instructions” of what it is when it’s unpacked. The resulting compressed archive is a ZIP file, and it saves a lot of memory space so it’s easier to send and download across the internet. When you receive a ZIP file, you’ll need to unzip it to access the information inside. 

That’s the technical explanation. The short, simplified answer is: A ZIP file is a squished version of larger files, and it could be one file or several files that have been highly compressed and changed into a new file format with a .zip extension.

Zip vs Compressed PDFs: What’s the Difference?

A compressed file retains its original format, but the data is reduced or reorganized to make it smaller, often without losing any information (see Lossy Vs. Lossless File Compression). When you compress a PDF, for example, the file format is still a PDF. When you zip a PDF, it becomes a compressed archive with a .zip extension. 

A ZIP file is not a compressed PDF; it’s just a container for information. The result is that ZIP files work with a lot of file types. Documents, images, and videos, for example, can all be compressed into a single ZIP file. The size savings will vary, but a ZIP folder is a great way to “package up” several files or file types into a single folder for storage or sharing. 

Another great part about using ZIP files is that you can easily make one using your computer, online, or on a mobile device. Other file types may require specialized software for compression or reduce their size.

Can you just zip a PDF for easier sharing?

Yes, you can technically zip a PDF, instead of compressing it, but zipping and compressing a PDF aren’t exactly the same thing. Zipping is a type of compression. 

• ZIP file: A container that bundles one or more files together and compresses them for easier sharing. The files inside keep their original formats.
• Compressed file: A single file that’s been reduced in size — sometimes by removing or simplifying data — but it stays the same file type (for example, a smaller .pdf). 

Remember, a ZIP file is a way to conveniently move large files and programs across the internet. Similarly, when you convert a .doc, .docx, or other file to a PDF, you’re putting it in a format that preserves your formatting settings. Single-page PDFs rarely have large file sizes, so you probably won’t ever need to ZIP a single PDF. If you’ve got an ebook in the form of a PDF, then zipping it makes it easier to share.

However, if you’re moving multiple PDFs at a time, it can sometimes be convenient to put the PDFs into a single file and then ZIP that folder to be sent out in a single email. PDF.Live offers PDF compression services for free, but this simply reduces the size of the PDF; the output is still a .pdf file. 

Give it a try: To compress PDFs, drag and drop your PDF into our Compression Tool. 

If you uncompress a ZIP file and find a .doc or .docx file within, you can also use PDF.Live’s Conversion Tool to convert the files to a PDF. 

If you put PDFs into a ZIP file, you do not need a convert ZIP to PDF tool, as you just need to follow the above instructions to uncompress a ZIP file. You do not need special software to unzip a standard ZIP file on Windows or Mac. Also be aware that ZIP files can contain many kinds of data, not just files that can be viewed as PDFs. Trying to convert a ZIP file directly to a PDF would be like trying to camp without first unpacking those tents and lawn chairs.

How to Send Large Files by Zipping Them 

Zipping a file is easy to do on both Windows and Mac. Both systems can zip files without external programs. These steps will actually work with any file type, including PDFs or a mix of files like JPG, PDF, DOC, and more. 

Zip a PDF on Windows 

To zip a PDF or other large file into a folder on Windows:

• Click and drag the files that you want to compress into a single folder.
• Right click that file or folder and select Send to and then Compressed folder.
• You will see a folder with a “zipped” icon in the same location.

Zip a PDF on a Mac

To zip files into a single folder on a Mac:

• Click and drag the files that you want to zip inside a single folder.
• Control-click or right-click the folder and then choose Compress from the shortcut menu.
• You will see a compressed file with the same name appear in the same location. 

Alternatively, you can select multiple files from your desktop or file manager, right-click and select Compress. Note that the ZIP file defaults to the name Archive.zip. 

Alternative to zipping a PDF

If you have a single, large PDF that doesn’t need zipped but is too large for sharing, you can easily compress the file online using PDF.Live:

• Head to PDF.Live’s PDF compression tool.
• Upload your PDF.
• Select the level that you want your file compressed to (higher compression may affect the quality of the PDF).
• Click Compress PDF.

How To Open a Zip File on Any Device 

To open a zip file, you can use any Windows, Mac, or mobile device without extra software (the ability is built into most modern devices).

Windows

• Locate the zipped folder you want to extract.
• Right click the folder, select Extract All and choose a location for the extracted files to be located.
• Note that a zipped file can contain multiple files, which is why unzipping a file produces a folder.

Mac

• Locate the zipped folder.
• Double-click the ZIP file.
• Unzipping rebuilds the file, so the larger it is, the more time it takes — usually it’s within seconds. 

iPhone

• From the Files app, tap the ZIP folder.
• Your iPhone will unzip it and put the contents in a new folder.
• Open the folder to view the ZIP file’s contents.

Android

• In the Google Files app, tap the zipped file.
• Tap the Extract option.
• You’ll see a preview of the files in the ZIP folder. Select Done to place them in a new folder.

FAQs About Zipping Files

What’s the fastest way to zip larger files?

The fastest way to ZIP a large file or folder is using a PC or Mac computer, which offer greater processing and disk speed. Beyond this, the time it takes to ZIP several files into a folder depends on the compression level, the number of files, and the size of the individual files. In other words, higher compression means smaller files but longer processing time. 

Is zipping files the same as compressing them?

A ZIP file is a compressed file, but it also acts as a container. ZIP formats compress data to reduce file size and can package one or many files into a single archive while preserving their original structure and integrity.

Why is my ZIP file still large after compression?

Images, videos, and graphics in particular can bloat the size of a ZIP file. Some PDFs will have images in them, so consider splitting the PDF into multiple files and zipping them separately. Many media files are already compressed, so zipping them may not reduce them much. For very large files, especially with graphics and video, consider using a cloud sharing solution.

Can I password-protect a ZIP file? 

Yes, you can password-protect a ZIP file. On a Windows device:

• Right click the ZIP file and select Advanced. 
• Under the Compress or Encrypt Attributes tab, select Encrypt contents to secure data.
• Set a password. Make sure that the password is memorable but not easily guessable, as the data inside the ZIP file won’t be accessible without the password, even for you. 

Note: macOS doesn’t have a simple built-in option for password-protecting ZIP files. You can use a third-party app such as Keka or The Unarchiver if you’re on a Mac.

Can I unzip files directly in Google Drive or Dropbox?

In a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox, you can open a ZIP folder. By double-clicking your ZIP file, you’ll see a preview of the contents. If you want to open the ZIP folder, you can select Open With and then a third-party app will be suggested for opening the ZIP file. This makes it so you don’t have to download the ZIP file – just the individual file you need within the zipped folder.  

The post How to Create a Zip File — Windows, Mac and Online appeared first on pdf.live.

At the IRS.gov forms page, you’ll see that most tax forms are readily available as PDFs. The IRS uses PDFs because the format is preserved across almost every type of device. No matter what device you open a PDF with, it should look the same. The PDF that you see will be formatted the same way for everyone who views it. 

In this guide, we’ll cover: 

• Where to find free fillable tax forms (PDFs) online
• How to convert a tax file into a fillable PDF form
• How to convert your completed tax forms into PDFs 

We’ll also provide links to PDF tax forms, IRS forms, and show you how to turn a PDF into a fillable form. 

Where Do You Find Free Tax Forms?

Federal tax forms can be found online through the IRS.gov tax form section, where you’ll find PDF versions of all of the types of tax forms you may need. This includes personal income tax forms, business tax forms and over 3,000 forms, instructions and publications. All of the forms are available to download for free as fillable forms. 

If you’re looking for forms for individual states, we’ve listed some of the most common state forms below with links provided. These free fax forms will usually be available for download as a PDF, but the layout and structure of each site will change from state to state. 

How Can You Convert a Blank Tax Form into a Fillable PDF Online?

If a tax PDF that you download isn’t a fillable form, you can convert it with PDF.Live. A fillable form is a document that has designated sections that can be typed in by the user. These fillable fields look like boxes where you can enter text. 

1. Download the tax form that you need and open it in the PDF.Live editor.

2. Under the Popular Editing Tools of the PDF.Live editor, click the Form Fill icon. PDF.Live auto detects forms, so you can fill them in within the editor. 

3. Select the Text tool from the menu. Position your cursor over the box and enter your text, the active box will change color. You’ll also notice that PDF.Live’s editor even detects checkboxes for you.

4. Once you’re done adding all of your fillable fields, click the Download button at the top of the PDF.Live editor. You’ll download a new version of your PDF that now has fillable form fields on it. Make sure that this version is the one that you use. 

5. To save the file to your PDF.Live Studio dashboard, select Save and Save as, and name your file.

6. Navigate to My Documents, and this is where you’ll see all of your saved PDF files.

How Do You Save Your Tax Forms as PDFs?

In this section, we answer questions about how to save tax forms as PDFs outside PDF.Live, such as from a paper copy or from an online tax service. 

Converting hard copies of tax forms to PDF 

If you have a paper copy of a tax form, you’ll need to scan it to save it as a PDF. There are a few ways to do this:

• Scan your document using a document scanner. 
• Go to an office supply store or library to use a scanner (often a combination printer-scanner-fax machine).
• Use a scanner app on your smartphone device to take a high-quality image of your document.

When scanning a document, you’ll be prompted to save the digital version, usually as a PDF. For scanning at an office supply store or library, you may need to bring a flash drive to save the digital version of the document on. Otherwise, you might need a computer connected to the scanner to access the PDF — it’s always smart to call ahead to find out how it works. 

Downloading or saving tax forms from software or apps

If you use software (TurboTax, H&R Block, TaxAct, etc.) to fill out your taxes, you should receive a copy of all the forms that you’ve filled out once you’ve completed your taxes. The copies of these forms are usually in the PDF format, but if they aren’t, PDF.Live offers DOC to PDF, Excel to PDF, and JPG to PDF online conversion services.

Alternatively, once you’re done filling out the forms through the software or secure online application, you can download and save as PDF.  

PDF Tax Tools

Once you’ve submitted all your tax returns, you’ll want to save these forms for your records. How long should you keep tax records? Your tax preparer can answer that. You can also find answers on the IRS’s tax help website.  

 PDF.Live has a couple of tools that can help you out with file management:

• Merge PDF — Merge all of your tax forms and attachments into a single document titled “2025 Taxes” for easier organization and storage. 
• Convert PDF — Have some tax forms or attachments/schedules in a format that aren’t PDFs? Convert your DOC, Excel, PPT, and JPG files to PDFs so you’ll be able to read them anywhere at any time. File formats that are of the same type will be possible to merge.  
• Compress PDF — Tight on computer storage space? Use PDF.Live’s PDF compression service to store PDFs easier on your computer. This compressor will not alter or damage the layout of your PDF — it will reduce the file size. 
• Fax PDF — Need to send your tax documents to the IRS or to someone else, such as your accountant? Fax.Live functions entirely in your web browser. No fax machine needed!
• Studio — As long as your PDF.Live account is active and current, you can safely store all of your PDF files, including your tax files. 

PDF.Live’s tools don’t require any additional downloads to function. Because PDF.Live is web-based, you can use our tools from any device that has an internet connection. Consider trying out our services today, entirely for free! PDF.Live offers limited daily tasks with no additional cost to you. If you like PDF.Live, consider our low-cost monthly subscription that allows for unlimited usage of our many PDF management tools. 

IRS and State Tax Forms

IRS 1040

Other IRS forms for businesses and individuals

Alabama tax forms 

Alaska tax forms* 

Arizona individual tax forms

Arizona corporation tax forms

California tax forms for individuals and businesses

Colorado tax forms for individuals and families

Colorado tax forms for other entities

Connecticut individual income tax forms

Connecticut business tax forms

Delaware personal income tax forms

Delaware business tax forms

D.C. individual income tax forms

D.C. business tax forms

Florida tax forms for businesses and individuals*

Georgia tax forms for individuals and businesses

Hawaii tax forms

Idaho individual tax forms

Idaho business tax forms

Illinois tax forms

Indiana tax forms

Iowa tax forms

Kansas tax forms and publications

Louisiana tax forms for individuals and businesses

Maine tax forms

Maryland individual tax forms

Maryland business tax forms

Massachusetts tax resources

Michigan income tax forms

Minnesota department of revenue forms

Mississippi individual tax forms

Missouri tax forms

Montana tax and state revenue forms

Nebraska revenue forms for individuals and other entities

Nevada tax forms*

New Hampshire tax forms*

New Jersey income tax forms

New Mexico forms and publications

New York forms and instructions

North Carolina tax forms

North Dakota tax forms

Ohio tax forms

Oklahoma tax forms

Oregon forms and publications

Pennsylvania personal income tax forms

Pennsylvania business tax resources

Rhode Island tax forms

South Carolina individual tax forms

South Carolina business tax forms

South Dakota state forms*

Tennessee department of revenue forms*

Texas tax forms*

Utah state tax forms

Vermont tax forms and publications

Virginia tax forms

Washington state forms and publications*

West Virginia tax forms for businesses and individuals

Wisconsin tax forms

Wyoming’s department of revenue* 

*These states generally do not levy personal income taxes as of this publication date. This is not legal or financial advice. Always check with a tax professional.

The post Guide to PDFs and Tax Forms appeared first on pdf.live.

In this article, we’ll help you assemble your confidentiality notice for PDF documents. We’ll explain a bit about the purpose of a confidentiality statement as well as some examples of how confidentiality statements are used. As a bonus, we’ll explain why you might add a watermark to a PDF for an extra layer of protection!

Before we dive in, though, a disclaimer: We are not legal experts nor are we providing legal advice. A confidentiality statement doesn’t guarantee protection from legal consequences or privacy breaches. Consult with a lawyer or legal professional about sharing confidential information. This article is merely to help you craft a confidentiality statement, understand common elements of them, and give examples you can borrow from. 

Confidentiality Statement Purpose

A confidentiality statement is usually at the back or bottom of a document and has a simple declaration of the confidentiality of the document that it’s attached to. The specific legality will vary based on the nature of the document. In broad terms, a confidentiality statement explains that if the document’s contents are shared without consent, there could be legal consequences. 

A confidentiality statement is more of a statement of intent or ethical reminder rather than a direct, legally binding contract. Confidentiality statements are not substitutes for formal agreements between two parties. If there is a legal dispute as a result of breaking a document’s confidentiality, the confidentiality statement may be able to support a party’s side of the argument. 

There are a few types of potential confidentiality statements:

• Confidentiality agreement: A mutual agreement between two parties to treat the attached information as confidential. This means they cannot share it with outside entities (like other businesses). Usually, both parties share confidential information with each other.
• Non-disclosure statement: Sometimes also called a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), it’s common for one party to create a non-disclosure statement for another specific party to sign so that a document (or other information) is not shared. It can be mutual, but usually it’s created to limit one party from sharing confidential information with another. 
• Confidentiality statement: Confidentiality statements are usually one-way and non-specific. In other words, a confidentiality statement may be included in the document, but not specifically signed by the receiving party (the party that receives the document may not be listed in the NDA). This may be less legally binding and act more as a warning, a statement of intent or request, as in, “Please do not share the information in this PDF.” 

Confidentiality Statement Examples

Confidentiality notice

What is a confidentiality notice? It is text, usually placed at the start of a document (such as a fax) stating that the contents of the document contain confidential information only intended for specific entities listed. The entities could be listed in a fax cover sheet. This notice is a disclaimer rather than a legally binding contract. Here is an example of text that could be in a confidentiality notice:

This communication and any attached documents may contain confidential or privileged information intended solely for the use of the named recipient(s). If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and delete all copies. Unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is strictly prohibited.

Again, before sending sensitive information, it’s important to consult with a legal expert about the enforceability of a unilateral phrase such as “strictly prohibited.”

Business-oriented confidentiality statement 

What is a business confidentiality statement? It’s text that might be designed to protect trade secrets or other confidential business information from falling into the wrong hands. The nature of the information could be financial, intellectual, or something else intended to be secure. Here is an example of a business-oriented confidentiality statement: 

The contents of this document are confidential and proprietary to the sender. By accessing or reviewing this material, you agree not to disclose, copy, or distribute it without prior written consent. If received in error, please notify us and destroy all copies.

We can’t stress this enough — consult with a legal expert before issuing a unilateral “…you agree not to disclose…” statement.

Privacy statement

For personal usage, this is an example of a brief and direct privacy statement that could potentially be used by an individual who is sharing a PDF or faxing private information to another party:

This document contains sensitive information. Unauthorized use or disclosure is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender.

It’s worth repeating: Check with a legal expert about the enforceability of privacy statements.  

Confidentiality in legal context

Potentially used in legal proceedings or with documents related to legal firms, this statement contains context explaining that the attached fax document has legal implications and should not be viewed or shared by an unintended recipient:

This message and any attachments are confidential and may be protected by legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any review, dissemination, or copying is strictly prohibited. Please contact the sender and delete the message.

This statement suggests that a legal agreement exists prior to sharing information; make sure your legal counsel reviews your processes for sharing confidential information. 

Watermarking Your Document

Watermarks are transparent pieces of text or pictures that provide context about the nature of a document that they’re placed on. Watermarks are easy to create using a PDF editor. We explain more about watermarks, how to make them, and what they’re used for in this article. 

So why might you include a watermark on your confidential document?

Once you’ve included your confidentiality statement and cover sheet, anyone who receives your fax or emailed PDF will immediately see that the document contains sensitive information. In the absence of a confidentiality statement, they may not know that the information that they’re viewing is confidential. A watermark with text saying confidential may alert the recipient that they should not be viewing the document. The watermark might deter someone from making copies and distributing the PDF. 

The post What Is A PDF Confidentiality Statement? appeared first on pdf.live.

Definition of Optical Character Recognition and How It’s Used in Scanning Technology 

Optical character recognition, or OCR, is a useful piece of technology that detects text within scanned documents and images. OCR software is designed to recognize text (and numbers and symbols) in an image and convert it into editable text within an electronic document. The original image could be a digital file, such as JPG, TIFF or other commonly used image formats. OCRs are also useful for scanned PDFs, which we’ll explain.  

You may be wondering, why would you want a picture to be converted into text? Well, a picture can be a lot of things. You can take a picture of handwritten notes, a plaque at a museum, or even a physical document, and then use an OCR to convert it to a digital, editable document — typically into a PDF. 

Why are some PDFs immediately editable using a PDF editable? That’s because these are native PDFs, which are different from scanned PDFs. 

• Native PDF: Native PDFs are created using a digital document editor (Microsoft Word, for example) and whose text fields are editable and able to be copied. A native PDF also could be a file that had been converted from another format, such as DOC, XLS or PPT. 
• Scanned PDF: A PDF created by scanning a document is, basically, a photo of a document. All the elements in the PDF are a single image. The text in a scanned PDF isn’t editable or searchable without the use of OCR technology. 

How Can I Use an OCR on My Documents?

If you have a scanned document or a picture that you’ve converted to a PDF, you’ll need to use a PDF OCR to detect and extract the text from the picture and convert it to an editable format. 

PDF.Live offers two options for this: A manual OCR tool and an automatic OCR. 

Manual OCR

PDF.Live’s manual OCR tool works by having you drag and drop your PDF into the tool.Then you review your file and convert it with an OCR. This may take a few minutes, depending on the size of the document and the density of the text. 

By default, your OCR converted file will be downloaded as a PDF. It may not look any different to you, but to a PDF editor, the text within will now be editable!

After you’ve converted your PDF with the OCR, PDF.Live gives you a few options for managing the new PDF. For example, you can select Edit PDF to begin editing the text within the new PDF.

The results of the OCR will depend on the quality of the scanned PDF, so if you want a document that’s easier to edit, we recommend immediately converting the document to a DOC using our PDF to DOC converter.

Automatic OCR

PDF.Live offers the following converters:

• PDF to Word
• PDF to Excel
• PDF to PPT

All these PDF converters employ an automatic OCR that detects if the PDF that you’re uploading has text in an image format. During the conversion process, PDF.Live will automatically engage the OCR to convert the text to an editable format. 

If your PDF conversion takes a couple of minutes, this is probably because the OCR has been engaged. 

Once your PDF is converted, the text in any images you have should be fully editable in the new format. If you’re finding that the text isn’t editable or are having trouble converting your PDF to another format, this is most likely related to the quality of the scanned document. 

Try to get a clearer or cleaner scan of the document so our OCR can accurately detect the text. You may need to increase the resolution or size of the scan. You can also try adjusting the position of the document so it’s straighter when you scan it. OCRs may be less effective with converting handwritten notes. 

How Does an OCR Work? 

OCRs may range in specific functions, but they generally work the same way: You import an image file into the OCR. Then, the OCR program locates and recognizes characters such as English letters, numbers, and symbols (e.g. !#^&), and exports the text it finds into a new document. Some advanced OCRs will even try to find and export the size and formatting settings of the text in the image. 

OCRs also have pattern recognition to detect commonalities in the text that it’s scanning. The letter “K” for example, may look one way when I write it but an entirely different way when you write it. But an OCR can detect patterns in the letters we write to determine what the letter is. Let’s say we both write this sentence:

“Lucky Luke likes lakes.” 

If you took an image of that sentence and imported it into an OCR, the OCR will notice that the letter K is used 4 times in this sentence. You probably wrote that letter the same way all 4 times and will continue to write it that way in the rest of the document that the OCR is scanning. The OCR will also use this sentence to determine how you write the letter “L,” “l,” and more. OCRs cross-reference letters across different instances to make a more accurate digital version of an image. 

The success rate, or how accurate the text is to the original document, of an OCR will be determined by the quality of the image you import. If your image isn’t taken on a good camera or is low-resolution, the OCR may struggle to produce an accurate document. 

OCRs are used a lot in the real world. Some apps on your phone can take pictures of physical notes you made and convert them to digital text. The U.S. Postal Service uses OCRs to read letter addresses and sort mail more effectively. 

Why Use Optical Character Recognition?

OCRs are particularly useful when you want to edit and interact with a piece of text more effectively. If you have physical notes, you can’t use the CTRL + F to search for specific words or phrases. If you made a mistake in your notes or need to add something new, it’s much easier to make a change in a digital document than a physical one. 

OCRs are also useful if you receive a piece of text that’s difficult to read. An OCR can scan that piece of text and convert it into a digital document that’s much easier to read. You can then increase the font size of that text to make it even more decipherable. 

While the PDF file format isn’t necessarily an “image,” it also isn’t an editable doc. PDFs are designed to maintain their formatting settings across any device to be easy to read and access no matter what. If you want to edit the text in a PDF, however, you’ll either need to use a PDF reader or convert the PDF to an editable doc. If you choose the latter option, PDF.Live’s automated OCR scans the PDF and creates a new document with the text from the original PDF that you can then edit. 

PDF.Live offers all options:

• An OCR to make the text in your PDFs editable. 
• A PDF editor entirely in your browser (no downloads required!) that you can use to make small adjustments to your PDF. 
• A PDF to Doc converter that converts PDFs to editable docs. You can then open that editable doc in a document editor like Microsoft Word.

The post How Does OCR Work? Optical Character Recognition Meaning in PDFs appeared first on pdf.live.

In this article, we cover the most common use cases for images and what file format is best for each case. 

Understanding Resolution and DPI

A digital image is essentially a bunch of small colored squares that form a picture when placed next to each other. This is actually how your monitor or phone screen works too and is sometimes also referred to as “resolution” when talking about screens and monitors. 

In terms of image files, we usually think of the density of colored squares as dots per inch, or DPI. Sometimes you’ll also hear dots per inch referred to as pixels per inch, or PPI. This is just the digital version of dots per inch, as pixels are the digital equivalent of colored squares. 

DPI and PPI describe the number of colored dots that are contained within one square inch of the image. The higher the DPI, or the denser the amount of colored dots within a square inch, the higher quality the image will be. However, higher dots per inch means a larger file size, which will take up more storage space on your computer or wherever you store files. 

As you build images for different use cases, you’ll need different image resolutions depending on the size and detail of the use case. Here are a few recommended resolutions for common printed images:

• Business cards: 1098 x 648 resolution and 180+ DPI
• Large poster: 3200 x 4800 resolution and 300+ DPI
• Brochure: 1200 x 1800 resolution or 300+ DPI

Best File Formats for Print and Web

Now that you know a bit more about how image files work, what is the best quality image format? 

This depends on your use case and how important high-quality images are for your job. Certain print images, for example, require very high resolution files to maintain quality. While certain web images may be ok at a lower resolution. 

Best image format for quality printing

If you’re printing high-quality brochures, posters, or pamphlets, we recommend using a PDF to build the document. PDFs aren’t technically image file formats, but they are good at organizing and building high-quality print material without any quality loss. Additionally, PDFs can have multiple images placed within a PDF for easier organization.

Unlike other file formats, PDFs can be edited with a PDF editor. If you need to adjust the locations of images or text within your PDF, it’s far easier to do this with an editor than an image file, which will require the use of a program like Photoshop. 

Document editors like Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Google Slides can also be used to build pamphlets and brochures. You can then export the document as a PDF for easy printing. 

Best quality photo format

For photos, we recommend using a PNG or JPG file format. Not only are these the most common file formats used for storing photos, but they’re also excellent for high-resolution images. There are some differences depending on your use case. If you have a logo, for example, with a transparent background, use a PNG. Let’s see more about the differences between JPGs and PNGs: 

JPG

• Designed for compacting larger images into smaller file sizes (uses lossy compression)
• Easier for sharing and storing
• Usually viewable and editable on any device and with several apps

PNG

• Designed for higher quality images and larger file sizes (uses lossless compression)
• Supports transparency
• Excellent for high-detail images with more color options

For your photos, it’s best to assess your specific needs and priorities to determine whether a JPG or a PNG is better for you. 

Best image type for websites

For websites, image files need to be high quality without increasing the load times of your web page. This is a tough spot to be, as you have to be careful about the file sizes of your images. 

The WebP is a popular image format that’s used for web pages as it supports transparency, lossy, and lossless compression. This versatility lets you adjust, tweak, and optimize your image for your webpage. For example, you can create a logo image as a WebP with a transparent background. 

It’s also fairly easy to convert your PNG and JPGs to WebP formats using a WebP encoder tool.

Best file format for sharing 

If you need to share image files at work, with family, or online, the best format to use is PDF. PDFs are great for efficiently storing high-resolution images without taking up a lot of file space. Plus, you can combine several image files into a single sharable PDF. 

If you’re wondering how to convert your images to a PDF, you can use a JPG to PDF converter and then merge your PDF pages into a single PDF for easy sharing. PDFs can also be compressed and optimized to further decrease their file size.

Best file format for artwork

The TIFF file format is one of the best formats for large image files that you may use for artwork. TIFF uses lossless compression, so the quality doesn’t drop as you share your image. TIFF files will hold the most information that you need for artwork with photograph-level quality. 

The only downside is that TIFF files will be pretty large. This is normally ok and expected for high resolution artwork, but it is something to keep in mind!

PDFs vs. Other File Formats

See how versatile PDFs are? While they are a powerful file format, they aren’t always the best option for every use case. Let’s look at the main differences between PDFs and other file formats:

• PDFs let you store multiple images efficiently within a single file.
• PDFs are easy to compress and share without significant loss to resolution quality.
• PDFs can be converted to other file formats (and you can convert other files to PDFs!).
• PDFs are easy to store on your computer.
• Images can be placed in PDFs if you want an image to be part of your document.
• PDFs are easy to share because they are universally accessible across devices.

That said, you may want to use an image file like a TIFF or PNG if you need the highest resolution possible. If you’re printing a poster or photograph, you may be better off with another file format specifically meant for images. If you need an image with a transparent background, you will also need to use a WebP or a PNG. 

With that said, it’s never been easier to work with PDFs with PDF.Live. Try out PDF.Live’s suite of PDF management tools today for free with our free trial!

The post Best Image File Formats for 6 Uses appeared first on pdf.live.