15 PDF Facts That You Should Take Advantage Of. As the internet continues to change the world, so has it changed the way we exchange information. Now more than ever, digital files have become the medium that everyone utilizes. While there may be different digital file formats such as Doc or PPT, one most widely used format is the PDF. With all that said, below is a list of 15 facts about PDF that makes it the most utilized form of documentation in today’s world.
1. PDF Files Can Be Customized By Online Tools
Given that PDF Files are highly compatible with a numerous amount of software, it should come as no surprise that web tools such as those of PDFBear, which allow for a vast amount of configurations on the file, be it from file conversions or the ability to delete pages from PDF files. Aside from that, you can use this online tool to merge, split, edit, and view your files online.
2. PDF Can Be Opened By Almost Any Program
PDF is short for Portable Document Format and is a unique file format in the sense that you can access it by almost any program. Unlike file extensions such as .ppt or .doc that require program suites like Microsoft Office, you can open PDFs by a variety of programs such as word processors, image editors, and even web browsers. More than just this, even hardware such as smartphones can open PDFs on their web browser.
3. PDF Is Secure
PDF is one of the most secure file formats on the internet. While .doc files allow for further editing by a user, PDF files, on the other hand, once sent to another user, are extremely difficult to edit. More than just this, PDF files also allow the user to add extra encryption such as passwords and watermarks, further securing the document in question. The security of PDF format is regarded to the extent that it is one of the few electrical formats allowed to be used in court and legal documents.
4. PDF Is Pixel Perfect
The PDF format is pixel perfect. Anything encoded and then saved as a PDF, is replicated seamlessly down to the last pixel. Because of this, PDF is often used for important information as it does not alter the appearance of its contents regardless of the program used to open it.
5. PDF Files Can Contain Links, Form Fields, and Videos
PDF is one of the few file formats that allow the embedding of form fields and videos. You can usually find them on online tax forms, wherein users can easily fill in blanks as necessary. Aside from this, PDF allows its users to play any embedded videos on it without having to open a separate program.
6. PDF Files Are Compact
Despite how much information that you can place within PDF files, this file format can easily be compressed making sharing over the internet easily. Additionally, because of the format’s pixel-perfect nature, image quality and overall document format will remain unchanged.
7. PDF Is an Accessible Format on Any Software or Hardware
PDF files are known to interact very well with other software and hardware. Aside from the fact that you can open them using any program and device, PDF files are also one of the few formats that you can directly print from without external help. Essentially, this means that you do not need any special program to open the PDF to print.
8. You Can Optimize PDFs Online
PDF is one of the few file formats that are optimal for online use. For one, it is possible to add a web-friendly name, define meta descriptions for search engines, and include it as a regular page on a website.
9. PDF Files Can Support 3D Models
More than just the conventional 2D images that most formats support, PDF files can also view 3D images, allowing users to rotate and explore them. You should note, however, that 3D support is limited to particular PDF viewing software.
10. Some Versions of PDF Are Specialized
While PDF may be a general format, there are specialized PDF formats that people use for various purposes such as archiving or graphic exchange. These, however, should not be mistaken as separate formats but rather specialized PDF formats.
11. You Can Turn Physical Documents Into PDF Files
Computer programs such as Adobe Acrobat allow users to scan paper documents and convert them into searchable PDF files. Similarly, mobile applications such as Cam Scanner also allow for the same thing.
12. PDF Files Can Be Collaborative
Similar to its Doc counterpart, PDF files allow its users to annotate and leave comments on the files. This feature allows for collaboration as these annotations and comments remain even after being passed on to another user.
13. You Can Sign PDF Files Online
As mentioned in number two, PDF files are one of the few formats that you can use for legal documentation and in court. With that said, PDF files can be e-signed, allowing for them to be used to verify or to document.
14. PDF Files Support Persons With Disabilities
While not common, special types of PDF files called “PDF/UA” allow for accessibility. This entails components, such as screen magnifiers, text to speech conversion, and alternate text descriptions for images and graphics.
15. PDF Files Can Have Layers
PDF documents can contain layers that users can navigate. You can also change the properties of these layers with tools, such as layer locking, merging, or re-arrangement.
With all that, it is no wonder that PDF files are the most widely used files on the internet. With a design that allows it to be universally accessed without compromising its ability to secure documents and assurance of format uniformity across programs, the PDF format has become integral in today’s society.
In a Nutshell
Whether it be for business, education, entertainment, or legal purposes, PDF files are the ideal medium of sharing for all of that. With that, we hope you have a newfound appreciation for all the capabilities of this wondrous and accessible file format. You can also start taking advantage of these facts and features right now!
