Microsoft Edge review

Microsoft Edge is the zero-install option for the simplest PDF edits. Its built-in PDF reader lets you highlight, mark up, add text and save your changes, and Microsoft's own FAQ explains that the Add text tool places a text box anywhere on the page that you can move and restyle. That covers filling in a flat form, adding a note or initialing a page. You can save a copy with your highlights and markings, translate selected text in a side pane across more than 70 languages, and ask Copilot in Edge for a summary. Long files get search and a table of contents. What Edge does not list is changing the existing words in a PDF, or page tools such as merging, splitting and converting, so it is a markup tool rather than a full editor. Microsoft also notes that features vary by device, market and browser version. For anything beyond notes and added text, move to PDFgear or PDF24 Creator.

Who it is for

quick markups without installing anything new

Price

Free browser with built-in PDF tools.

Highlight, mark up, add text, and save your changes
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Highlight and mark up PDFs
• Add text to blank areas with a movable text box and font choice
• Save a copy with highlights and markings
• Translate selected PDF text in a side pane, with over 70 languages
• Search and a table of contents for long PDFs

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Nothing extra to install if Edge is already your browser
• Strength: Text boxes can be moved and their font changed
• Strength: Copilot in Edge can summarize PDFs
• Weakness: Adds text and markup rather than editing existing text
• Weakness: No page merge, split or conversion tools listed on the feature page
• Weakness: Microsoft notes feature availability may vary by device, market and browser version

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Edit existing text: Not listed
• Add text: Yes, via Add text
• Translation: Over 70 languages

Where it ranks

Microsoft Edge is No. 6 in our Best Free PDF Editors for Windows verdict.