Have a PDF open that is too long and needs to be cropped?
From whiting out your PDF to cropping it, there are many ways to edit an image and save it as a new file. However, using these methods is tedious work and involves utilizing more than one application.
To get around this problem, we’ve created a guide to crop PDFs using various methods you can use to shorten your documents. This way, you can quickly accomplish your task without having to utilize a bunch of different software.
That said, there are many programs available that allow you to edit PDFs. Some offer free trials, although they are usually rather limited in what they allow you to do. So, with that, let’s move on to our discussion of PDFs and how to crop them.
Why Crop your PDF?
In order to make sure your document looks perfect on every device, you might need to crop the PDF. Cropping a document can be tricky, but it’s one of the most important editing steps you’ll take when creating a digital file.
The good news is that you can easily crop your PDF with the help of our essential tips for making scanned documents fit on a page.
- Cropping a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat DC
- Divide the document into multiple pages
- Edit the scan settings in your photo program
- Crop a JPEG image file into a PDF file
With these methods in mind, let’s examine each one independently, so you’ll know exactly how to crop your PDF. While there are obviously more steps to go through, this is the de facto method for cropping PDFs.
Once you do it a few times, you’ll find that it’s not so bad. But if you prefer something a bit more straightforward, keep reading to learn other ways to crop your PDF file.
Cropping PDFs
There are multiple ways to go about cropping a PDF. With the advent of third-party PDF software, you no longer have to rely solely on Adobe to do this for you (although we’ll show how to use it, as well).
Cropping a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat DC
You want your documents to be consistent. With Adobe Acrobat DC, it’s easy to ensure that your pages look neat and tidy. As the creator of the PDF, it makes sense that Adobe would make this process a breeze.
- Using Acrobat, open your PDF file
- Click the tool “Edit PDF”
- Select “Tools”
- Select “Edit PDF” (You can also choose “Edit PDF” in the right pane)
- Using your secondary toolbar, select “Crop Pages”
- Now, draw a rectangle over the area you wish to crop
- You may also use the corner handles to drag the rectangle. Do this until you get the preferred size
- Next, double-click in the crop rectangle
- A dialog box called “Set Page Boxes” will appear. This lets you know the measurement margins of page, and the crop rectangle will be cropped.
- Feel free to adjust the crop area as you please. You can make new selections within the dialog box just before you click “OK”
- You want to make sure that you apply these same settings to any additional pages
- You can also set the page’s range or select “All”
- Select “OK” to initiate cropping of your selected page
- Select the folder you wish to export the file to. You may also select “Choose a Different Folder” if you want to save in another folder
When ready, just name your new file and choose “Save.”
Divide the Document Into Multiple Pages
If you can’t find the right page size in your document, you can try dividing it into multiple pages. For example, if you have a two-page document that only barely fits on a single sheet of paper, you could divide the document into two pages.
This will give your document a better chance at fitting within the constraints of the chosen page size. This is just as important as scanning documents on large sheets of paper, though it might require more time because you’ll need to scan each page twice.
But if you’re in a pinch and you don’t have any other options, dividing the document will work.
Edit the Scan Settings in Your Photo Program
If you’re trying to crop a PDF from an image, it’s essential to use the photo program that was used to scan the document. It’s easy to do this in most editing software.
In Photoshop, for example, follow these steps:
- Go to the toolbar
- Click on its Crop Tool
- Use the tool to Crop the border edges of the document
- Create a new crop area
- You can also drag the corners to specify what the crop boundaries are
Please note that you can also specify the cropping options with the program’s Control bar.
Crop a JPEG Image File into a PDF File
One of the best ways to resize a JPEG file into a PDF is to do it in Adobe Acrobat. Follow these steps if you’re using a JPEG or JPG file:
- Open the document
- Click on “File”
- Then, select “Image”
- Click on the thumbnail image of your image
- Go to “Crop”
- Choose the size that you want your document to be
- Save it and print as needed
This works well for documents with dimensions that are between 8 and 17 inches wide. What’s more, this is a good method when you’re dealing solely with JPG image formats.
If you have a PDF, it’s best to use the methods outlined above under “Cropping a PDF Using Adobe Acrobat DC.” This will ensure the proper cropping of your PDF file.
