PDF Expert 6 Adds Powerful Editing Tools and More

Readdle released a major update to PDF Expert today. Version 6 incorporates powerful PDF editing tools, in-place cloud-based editing and annotation, document-level assignment of passwords, and more. PDF Expert was already one of the premier PDF apps on iOS, but free alternatives have given it a run for its money recently. The new features in PDF Expert 6 should help maintain its status as a favorite for many PDF power users.

The headline feature of PDF Expert 6 is editing. The new tools go well beyond the annotation tools the app and many of its competitors already have. With PDF Expert 6, you can enter editing mode with one tap in the toolbar, which allows you to change the text of a PDF, add images and links, and redact PDFs.

The Annotate and Edit buttons in the center of PDF Expert’s toolbar let you switch between the two modes. Annotate mode includes the ability to add text, shapes, stamps, and handwritten notes to PDFs. You can also highlight existing PDF text and add strikethroughs and underlining, all of which were already available in PDF Expert.

Edit mode is different. Whereas Annotate mode allows you to add text in a text box anywhere on the screen, Edit mode lets you change the text of the PDF itself. Don’t like how a section of a PDF is titled ‘Overview?’ Change it to ‘Summary’ by entering Edit mode and then tapping the Text button in the floating tool bar. Tapping the text tool outlines all the text on a page with text boxes. Everything becomes editable in the font used by the PDF.

If you don’t like the PDF’s typeface, you can change it along with its size, color, and justification using the toolbar along the bottom of the screen. The only confusing limitation I encountered is that if you select a word and get the system popup menu for styling text with bold, italics, or underlining, the menu won’t do anything if the font in your PDF doesn’t support that style. The better option is to tap the font name in the toolbar and pick from the styles available there.

Images can also be added to PDFs. Tap the image icon in the toolbar and then tap the spot where you want to add an image. You can pick an image from your photo library or use the camera. After you choose a photo, you can select three different sizes to use. Tapping on the image again lets you resize, rotate, replace, save, crop, copy, or delete the image.

Links are a powerful addition to PDF Expert. You can link to anything in a PDF, including text, images, text annotations, and handwritten notes. You can link internally to another page of the PDF you are viewing or externally with a URL. It’s a nice way to cross-reference related sections of a PDF or link to external websites, but it’s possible to take it a lot further. With x-callback-urls there are some exciting additional possibilities like linking to individual documents in a DEVONthink To Go database. It’s the sort of feature that will immediately appeal to anyone who does PDF-heavy research.

The final ‘Edit’ tool is redaction. PDF Expert is smart at detecting text on a PDF page. By swiping word-by-word or line-by-line, you can quickly create tidy black boxes over text you want to redact. It’s a handy way to obscure information you don’t want to share.

Outlines are not new to PDF Expert, but editing them is. Now you can think of outlines as an elaborate, organized bookmarking system for long PDFs. Instead of defining a flat hierarchy of bookmarks for every section of a PDF you want to access quickly, you can create multi-level outlines tied to particular pages in a document. It’s another excellent tool for researchers who want to quickly jump to a topic in a lengthy PDF.

PDF Expert takes a leap forward with file management too. Instead of requiring anything you want to edit to be imported into PDF Expert, the app lets you edit it in place whether it’s in Dropbox, on Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, or elsewhere. Using iOS’ document providers, you can even open and edit PDFs stored in other apps. It’s a welcome addition that helps avoid duplicate copies of PDFs across different file storage services and apps.

You can also set passwords for individual PDFs in PDF Expert 6. I expected to find this in the Document view of the app, which is where you go to do things like move documents, rename them, or create ZIP archives, but it’s handled from within each document. With a document open, tap the three dot ‘more’ button on the far right-hand side of the main toolbar and select ‘Set Password.’ You will be prompted to set and confirm a password, which will be required to reopen the PDF. You can change or remove a password by following the same steps.

Finally, Readdle says it has improved search in version 6. I found the existing search in PDF Expert acceptable, and the new version works well too, though I didn’t notice a meaningful difference between the searches I tried.

The updates to PDF Expert 6 are impressive. PDFs are an integral part of the day-to-day life of many people. With PDF Expert 6, you can bend them to your will through sophisticated organization, annotation, and editing tools.

PDF Expert’s editing tools are an add-on In-App Purchase that costs $9.99, which is a smart approach to selling those features. They aren’t something that will appeal to everyone, but if you want to edit your PDFs, I expect it will be worth the $9.99 to you. The other features are part of the free update to the app.

PDF Expert 6 is available on the App Store.

Best PDF Editors Of 2023

Forbes Advisor India reviewed 60 PDF editing software providers, and scored them across 19 parameters to rate them on a scale of 1 to 5. We’ve evaluated their pricing, refund policy, customer support and reviews, device support, availability of PDF editing features such as watermark, PDF converter, protection measure, and general editing features to come out with the final scores.

General Backup Features

A PDF editing software must be able to annotate, organize, batch, compress, combine, create, convert, and include features such as sign documents, password protection, to name a few. Optical character recognition (OCR) and watermark were also considered as a general feature.

Device Support

An extra scoring was given to PDF editing software providers that support devices including macOS, Windows, iOS, and Android. An extra scoring was given to availability of cloud storage, as well as flexibility to add a number of users per plan.

Free Plan, Premium Pricing and Moneyback Guarantee

A free plan may help many users to get accustomed with using PDF editing software tools, and upon satisfaction opt for premium plans, either subscription based or for lifetime purchase. A moneyback guarantee, and free trial options would help users to cancel subscriptions if they aren’t satisfied with the service.

Customer Support, Reviews

Scoring was also based on user experience and feedback posted on third-party review sites such as TrustPilot. Availability of tutorials to use editing tools, phone, email, live chat, community forum, and ticket support, and importantly their response time to resolve customer queries were given an extra scoring.

Best 5G phone 2023: The finest 5G smartphones from Samsung, Apple, Motorola and more

The UK’s 5G network is still in its infancy, but there are all sorts of 5G-capable smartphones to pick and choose from at the moment. Promising far superior download speeds compared to their 4G-limited siblings, these 5G-equipped handsets from Apple, OnePlus, Samsung, Motorola and others are flooding shop shelves, but it can be tricky to choose which is best. It’s an even more difficult buying decision when you consider how much some of these 5G handsets actually cost.

With all of the UK’s major network operators switching on their 5G services in the UK, you can now begin to take advantage of all the niceties that 5G has to offer, that is if you’re lucky enough to live in a 5G-covered location. The coverage itself is still rather patchy, but if you do happen to live in one of the UK’s major cities, for instance, then chances are you will at least be able to find small hotspots nearby, no matter which network you’re on, provided you have a 5G SIM and phone.

The good news is that the 5G network continues to expand, and we’re seeing more and more locations gain access to the service. Before you decide to take the leap and buy a 5G phone, we recommend that you check the coverage map of your chosen UK network provider, just to make sure. If you wanted to find out which 5G network is right for you, then take a quick look at our rundown of the UK’s best 5G networks before you proceed.

In simple terms, 5G is the fifth generation of mobile internet. With faster download and upload speeds than a typical 4G connection and with lower latency, 5G is a serious upgrade if you’re gaming or streaming video on the go.

As for the actual numbers, 5G connections can provide download speeds of more than 200Mbits/sec, with upwards of 1,000Mbits/sec in the right conditions. This is significantly faster than the UK’s average fibre broadband speeds and it’s no contest compared to the 20-50Mbits/sec you might typically receive with a bog-standard 4G connection, either.

Are you now fully on board with the 5G revolution? These are the best 5G smartphones you can buy in 2023. 

Price: £230 l Buy now from Amazon

5G is (finally) getting cheaper, and the Moto G 5G Plus was the first 5G supported smartphone to drop below £300. Starting at just £230, the Moto G 5G Plus is significantly cheaper than any other 5G smartphone on this list, costing less than half the price of the previous well-priced champion, the Galaxy A90 5G.

If you’re looking at dipping your toes into the wondrous benefits that 5G has to offer, but are put off by sky-high prices from flashy handsets such as the Galaxy S21 and Huawei P40 Pro, then the Moto G 5G Plus is absolutely the right choice. Not only can it connect to all of the currently available 5G bands in the UK, but it’s also a tremendous smartphone in every other area. It’s fast, has a great set of cameras for the price, and its gigantic 90Hz screen is lovely too.

Read our full Moto G 5G Plus review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 765; Display: 6.7in 2,520 x 1,080; Storage: 64GB, 128GB; Camera: 48MP, 8MP (wide), 5MP (macro), 2MP (depth); Operating system: Android 10

Price: From £700 | Buy now from Argos

View deals at Mobiles.co.uk

If money is no object, and you’re after the absolute best that anyone has to offer at the moment (so long as it isn’t a foldable phone), then the Galaxy S21 or S21 Plus is your best bet. The good news is that you’re forced to pay a premium for 5G connectivity since all of Samsung’s Galaxy S21 phones come with 5G as standard. What’s on offer here is absolutely tremendous, too, with Samsung’s fastest-ever mobile chipset (the Exynos 2100) on-board, alongside a cracking set of rear cameras, which includes an excellent 30x zoom camera.

The Galaxy S21 currently tops the list of our best smartphones article, and for good reason: it’s Samsung’s most well-rounded smartphone to date.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S21 review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.9GHz Samsung Exynos 2100; Screen: 6.2in, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 12MP, 64MP (zoom) and 12MP (wide); Storage: 128GB; Operating system: Android 11

Price: From £624 l Buy now from Argos

It’s been a long time coming, but Apple has finally entered the 5G arena with the iPhone 12. Apple succeeds, for the most part, too, with a well fleshed-out handset that’s filled to the brim with top-quality features. The new A14 Bionic chipset, for instance, takes the mantle as the fastest processor on the market, while its 6.7in HDR10+ display and video recording capabilities are pretty much unmatched, for the time being at least.

Of course, you might also need to have a think about which model to go for. With four different iPhones to choose from in 2022 – iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max – as well as a choice of internal storage options, the iPhone 12 costs between a wallet-friendly £624 to a frankly ludicrous £1,399 for the top-end model with the most storage. Whichever model you choose, though, you can rest assured that you’ll be picking up one of 2021’s finest 5G handsets. 

Read our full iPhone 12 review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Hexa-core 3.1GHz A14 Bionic; Screen: 6.1in, 2,531 x 1,170; Camera: 12MP, 12MP (wide); Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB; Operating system: iOS 14

Price: £249 l Buy now from Amazon

If you’re put off by the sky-high prices of some of the 5G-capable phones on this list, then the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T is a sublime alternative. At a fraction of the cost, the Redmi Note 9T costs less than most, and it’s hardly lacking features either. With a speedy MediaTek Dimensity 800U processor, a large 6.53in Full HD+ screen and a terrific triple camera array, Xiaomi’s low-cost 5G handset is no slouch.

Where it excels, of course, is in its remarkable value proposition. With handsets like the Redmi doing the rounds, why spend more when you can get the same 5G experience for a lot less money? If your buying budget is tight or you aren’t keen on spending oversized sums as you make the switch to 5G, then the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T should be your next smartphone.

Read our full Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T review for more details 

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.4GHz MediaTek Dimensity 800U; Screen: 6.53in, 2,340 x 1,080; Camera: 48MP, 2MP (depth), 2MP (wide); Storage: 64GB, 128GB; Operating system: Android 10

Price: £829 l Buy now from Amazon

OnePlus is tapping further into the ultra-premium market with the OnePlus 9, its biggest and best phone to date, but it’s still a great alternative for those that want a flagship handset but don’t quite want to spend Galaxy S21-sized sums. It’s fitted with a 6.7in, bezel-less AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of 120Hz, it benefits from one of the fastest 5G chipsets around, the Snapdragon 888, and its battery life was excellent in our tests.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is your best bet if you’re after a top-end 5G phone without (quite) paying top-end prices.

Read our full OnePlus 9 Pro review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.84GHz Snapdragon 888; Screen: 6.7in, 3,216 x 1,440; Camera: 48MP, 50MP (wide), 8MP (zoom), 2MP (depth); Storage: 128GB, 256GB; Operating system: Android 11

Price: £399 l Buy now from Argos

A decent 5G Samsung needn’t cost the Earth, but thankfully the Galaxy A52 5G serves to scratch that itch for those that want a Samsung phone, but don’t want to spend four figures. Pitched as a mid-range phone that hopes to offer 5G performance to people that don’t need the very latest innards, the Galaxy A52 5G is yet another 5G Samsung that truly earns a recommendation, and it’s only just surpassed by the Moto G 5G Plus and Xiaomi Redmi Note 9T in sheer value terms.

It might not be as flashy on the inside, but it sells for much less than other phones on this list. Yes, you can buy cheaper 5G phones from Moto or Xiaomi, but if you’re willing to spend a bit more, then you’re getting a competent, well-rounded flagship-killing phone in the Galaxy A52 5G.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A52 5G review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.2GHz Snapdragon 750G; Screen: 6.5in, 2,400 x 1,080; Camera: 64MP, 12MP (wide), 5MP (macro), 5MP (depth); Storage: 128GB; Operating system: Android 11

Price: £499 l Buy now from Argos

If you’re a snap-happy amateur photographer, then there’s nothing better than the Pixel 4a 5G. Google’s newest well-priced handset is its first with 5G connectivity, but it also comes with all of the other benefits of its Pixel lineup. The 4a 5G’s camera capabilities are sublime, for instance, and the fact that it shares the same shooting accomplishments as the Pixel 5 but at a lower price is nothing short of exceptional.

It also comes with Android 11 pre-installed, using a clean, stock version of Google’s mobile operating system. Battery life was also excellent in our tests, and performance was pretty darn good too. If you’re hoping to boost the quality of your Instagram snaps, then it doesn’t get much better than this. 

Read our full Google Pixel 4a 5G review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.4GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G; Screen: 6.2in, 2,340 x 1,080; Camera: 12.2MP, 26MP (wide); Storage: 128GB; Operating system: Android 11

Price: £1,050 l Buy now from Amazon

View deals at Mobiles.co.uk

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is yet another top-tier 5G handset from the Korean juggernaut. Not only does it connect to all of the UK’s current 5G frequency bands, but it also has a few tricks up its metaphorical sleeves including a 120Hz screen. detachable S Pen stylus and a camera with a maximum zoom range of 50x. Samsung’s Exynos 990 processor is also pretty darn good, and the new ‘Mystic Bronze’ colour is a sight to behold. It’s not cheap, but if you can afford one, you likely won’t regret it. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review for more details

Key specs – Processor: Octa-core 2.73GHz Exynos 990; Screen: 6.9in, 3,088 x 1,440; Camera: 108MP, 12MP (5x zoom), 12MP (wide); Storage: 128GB; Operating system: Android 10