Ilumax PDF guide

Read and find text

View ▸ Page display offers Single page, Two-page view and Continuous scrolling. Use ⌘Command0 (Mac) or CtrlControl0 (Windows) to fit a page, ⌘Command1 (Mac) or CtrlControl1 (Windows) for actual size or ⌘Command2 (Mac) or CtrlControl2 (Windows) to fit its width.

1. Press ⌘CommandF (Mac) or CtrlControlF (Windows) and enter the text to find.
2. Press ⌘CommandG (Mac) or CtrlControlG (Windows) for the next match, or ⌘Command⇧ShiftG (Mac) or CtrlControlShiftG (Windows) for the previous one.
3. For more search options, choose Edit ▸ Advanced search….

Open Bookmarks on the right and click an entry to go there. Pages ▸ New bookmark (⌘CommandB on a Mac, CtrlControlB on Windows) adds a bookmark at your current place.

Add comments and highlights

1. Open Add comments in the tools panel.
2. Choose Highlight text and drag across the words to mark, or choose Sticky note and click the page.
3. Open Comments on the right to read and reply to comments.
4. Save the PDF to keep your notes and markup.

Comment tools also include underlines, strikethroughs, text boxes and drawings. A highlight or drawing adds markup; it does not remove the text underneath.

Reorder and remove pages

1. Choose Pages ▸ Organize pages to open the page grid.
2. Select the pages you want to change. Drag pages to change their order.
3. Use Pages ▸ Rotate pages clockwise, Rotate pages counterclockwise or Delete pages as needed.
4. Check the page order, then save. Use Save as… if you want to keep the original too.

Pages ▸ Insert pages from file… adds pages from another document. Extract pages… makes a PDF from chosen pages, and Split document… divides a document into separate files. Check the options in each dialog before confirming.

Combine PDF files

1. Choose File ▸ Combine files….
2. Click Add files… and select the PDFs to include.
3. Drag the files into the order you want, or use Move up and Move down. Check which pages each file contributes.
4. Click Combine. The result opens as a new, unsaved PDF.
5. Press ⌘CommandS (Mac) or CtrlControlS (Windows) and save the combined document.

Edit text and images

1. Open Edit a PDF and choose Edit text & images.
2. Click a text region on the page to edit its words. Select text within the editor to change just that selection’s formatting.
3. Use the text controls to change size, colour or font. Keep source fonts retains the original faces where possible.
4. Save, then reopen the saved PDF to check the text and page layout.

Add text places new text. Add image… inserts a picture; selecting an existing image lets you work on that image.

Some PDFs embed only the characters used when they were made. If a new character is unavailable, Load font… or Installed fonts… lets you choose an eligible embeddable font. Check the result: complex text and layouts may need adjustment.

Fill a form and add a signature

For a PDF with interactive form fields, click a field and enter its value. Save the file to keep your answers.

1. For a form without fields, open Fill & Sign and choose Add text.
2. Click where an answer belongs and type it. Use a checkmark or cross where appropriate.
3. Choose Signature to create a signature by typing, drawing or choosing an image, then place it on the page.
4. Save a copy and check every answer before sending it.

A signature placed with Fill & Sign is a visible mark. The separate Digitally sign tool uses a digital ID; it is a different kind of signature.

Make a scan searchable

1. Open the scanned PDF and choose Scan & OCR. Under Recognize text, click In this file.
2. Choose All pages, Current page or a range with From and to.
3. Set Document language to match the scan. Searchable Image (Exact) adds invisible text while keeping the page image.
4. Click Recognize text and wait for the job to finish.
5. Search for a few words to check recognition, then save the PDF.

Scan & OCR runs on your computer. Recognition can make mistakes, especially with unclear scans. If the app reports missing model files, reinstall Ilumax PDF from your downloads.

Recognised text makes a scan searchable; editing that text does not repaint the words in the scanned image.

Remove sensitive content

1. Save a separate copy if you need to keep an unredacted original.
2. Open Redact a PDF and choose Redact text and images. Mark the text or areas to remove.
3. Review every mark, then click Redact all. Read the Apply redactions confirmation and click Apply.
4. Save the document. After redaction, saving rewrites the file to remove the old content from it.
5. Reopen the saved PDF and check the affected pages before sending it.

Redaction marks alone do not remove content. Apply them and save. Remove hidden information… and Sanitize document… are separate tools for information such as metadata and attachments.

Protect a PDF with a password

1. Choose File ▸ Protect using password….
2. Set the opening password or permissions you need in the dialog, then confirm.
3. Save the PDF and reopen it to check the password.

File ▸ Security properties… shows the document’s security settings. If a file restricts changes, you may need its permissions password before editing it.

Print or export a copy

Choose File ▸ Print… (⌘CommandP on a Mac, CtrlControlP on Windows), check the printer and page choices, then print.

File ▸ Export to image… offers a format, resolution and page range. Export to text… extracts the readable text. Export all images… saves the pictures contained in the PDF.

Other export choices include .docx, .pptx, HTML and RTF. Conversion may change the layout, so check the exported file before using it. Your working document remains a PDF.