Microsoft has started testing a new update for its Edge browser that will allow users to add text to PDF files opened in the browser. The feature is gradually rolling out to Edge Insiders in the latest Canary builds (via Windows Latest).
As of today, the built-in PDF reader in Microsoft Edge lets users view documents and annotate them with ink and highlighting directly within the browser. However, users have to rely on some third-party applications (such as Adobe Acrobat Reader) to make minor corrections in their files. This might change soon, as Microsoft plans to bring a new “Add text” tool that should make editing PDFs easier for users.
To try out this feature, users will need to open a PDF document within the browser and click the “Add text” option available besides the “Read aloud” tool. Alternatively, users can also choose to right-click on any part of the document and then select the “Add text” option in the context menu. Users will also be able to change the text color, increase/decrease font size or spacing as well as delete the text note if needed.
Overall, this new Add text feature should be a welcome addition for people who often need to make minor adjustments to the documents. However, it is still in its early testing phases, and there are certain limitations as well. Currently, it doesn’t provide an option to bold, italicize, or underline text and change the font style. We hope that the Edge Insider team will address these issues before making it generally available in the production version of the browser.
