Getting Started with PDF Editor

Welcome! This guide will help you start editing PDFs in Appfactory Studio in just a few minutes.

What You'll Learn

• How to open the PDF Editor
• Create a new document or open an existing one
• Use basic tools to edit your PDF
• Save and export your work

Before You Start

You need:

• An Appfactory Studio account
• A modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge)
• A PDF file to edit (optional — you can create a blank document)

Step 1: Launch the PDF Editor

1. Log in to Appfactory Studio
2. Navigate to the PDF Editor from your dashboard
3. You'll see the editor interface with:
   • Toolbar at the top with editing tools
   • Page thumbnails on the left
   • Main canvas in the center for editing
   • Properties panel on the right

Step 2: Create or Open a Document

Option A: Create a New Blank Document

1. Click "Create New" or "New Document"
2. Choose "Blank Document"
3. Select page size: Letter (US) or A4 (International)
4. Click Create
5. A new blank page appears, ready to edit

Option B: Upload an Existing PDF

1. Click "Create New" or "Upload PDF"
2. Choose "From PDF"
3. Click "Select File" or drag a PDF onto the area
4. Select your PDF file
5. Click Open or Upload
6. Your PDF loads into the editor

Option C: Open a Saved Document

1. Look at your Document Library or My Documents
2. Click on any document name
3. It opens in the editor
4. You can start editing immediately

Step 3: Try the Basic Tools

Adding Text

1. Click the Text button in the toolbar
2. Click on the page where you want text
3. Type your content
4. Click elsewhere when done

Try it — Add a title like "My First Edit"

Adding Shapes

1. Click the Rectangle or Ellipse button
2. Click and drag on the page to draw
3. Handles appear — resize by dragging
4. Change colors in the properties panel

Try it — Draw a simple box or circle

Adding an Image

1. Click the Image button
2. Select an image from your computer (PNG or JPEG)
3. Click on the page to place it
4. Resize by dragging handles

Try it — Add a company logo or any image

Managing Pages

The left thumbnail rail shows all pages:

• Click a thumbnail to switch pages
• Right-click for page options (add, delete, duplicate, reorder)
• Drag thumbnails to reorder pages

Try it — Add a new page using the + button

Step 4: Format Your Content

Change Text Formatting

1. Double-click text to edit it
2. In the properties panel:
   • Font Family — Choose Helvetica, Times, or Courier
   • Font Size — Adjust size (8-72 points)
   • Bold/Italic — Apply styles
   • Color — Choose text color
   • White Background — Add background box

Move Elements

1. Click an element to select it
2. Drag it to move
3. Drag handles to resize
4. Use arrow keys for precise positioning

Delete Elements

1. Click to select an element
2. Press Delete key
3. The element is removed

Step 5: Save Your Work

Autosave (Automatic)

After you manually save once:

• Changes save automatically every 15 seconds
• Green indicator shows when saved
• You see autosave in Status panel

Manual Save

1. Click Save button in toolbar
2. Or press Ctrl+S (Windows) / Cmd+S (Mac)
3. Document saves immediately
4. A new version is created

Export as PDF

1. Click Download or Export
2. PDF downloads to your computer
3. You can now share the file

Step 6: Undo Mistakes

Made a mistake? No problem!

• Press Ctrl+Z (Windows) / Cmd+Z (Mac) to undo
• Press Ctrl+Y to redo
• Undo works up to 200 steps back
• Click Undo/Redo buttons in toolbar

Step 7: Share Your Document

Share with Team Members

1. Click Share button in toolbar
2. Enter team member's email
3. Choose: View Only or Edit
4. Click Send
5. They get an invitation

Share with a Link

1. Click Share button
2. Click Generate Link
3. Choose permission level
4. Copy and share the link
5. Anyone with link can access

Common First-Time Tasks

Adding Your Signature

1. Click Signature button
2. Choose Draw or Type
3. For Draw — sign with your mouse
4. For Type — enter name and choose font
5. Click Add Signature
6. Click on page to place it
7. Resize as needed

Making a Scanned PDF Searchable

1. Open a scanned PDF
2. Find the "Make Searchable (OCR)" button
3. Click it (first run takes 5-15 seconds)
4. Text becomes searchable and selectable
5. See OCR Guide for details

Creating a Template

1. Design your document
2. Add placeholders for variable content
3. Save the document
4. Right-click in Library → Duplicate
5. Use duplicate as template for next document
6. Repeat as needed

Quick Reference: Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+S	Save document
Ctrl+Z	Undo last change
Ctrl+Y	Redo last change
Delete	Remove selected element
Esc	Deselect element
Double-click	Edit text
F5	Refresh (see others' changes)

Troubleshooting First Steps

Nothing happens when I click a tool

Solution — Click to select the tool, then click on the page to use it

Text looks too small or too large

Solution — Adjust Font Size in the properties panel on the right

Can't see all pages

Solution — Scroll down in the left thumbnail rail to see more pages

Changes aren't saving

Solution — Check your internet connection; click Save manually

Wrong page is showing

Solution — Click the correct thumbnail in the left panel to navigate

Next Steps

Once you're comfortable with basics:

1. Text Editing — Learn advanced text formatting
2. Images & Signatures — Add images and signatures
3. Page Management — Organize complex documents
4. Sharing — Collaborate with others
5. OCR — Make scanned documents searchable
6. Version History — Recover from mistakes
7. FAQ — Get answers to common questions

Tips for Success

• Start simple — Create a blank document and experiment
• Save frequently — Don't wait for autosave
• Use Undo liberally — There's no penalty for undoing
• Check alignment — Use arrow keys for precision
• Preview before export — Review all pages before downloading
• Ask for feedback — Share drafts with colleagues
• Keep backups — Download important versions as PDFs

Get More Help

• Review guides — Check the full PDF Editor documentation
• Search — Use the search feature to find specific topics
• Contact support — Reach out if you get stuck

Enjoy editing! 🎉