Pros and Cons of PDF File Format: What to Know

August 12th, 2021 by

Pros and Cons of PDF File Format: What to Know

Online PDF converters are arguably the most popular file format in the online world. It was developed by Adobe and has since been used to send documents online safely. They are a highly secure and valuable format for storing files. They retain the quality of your file if they are used for the required purpose and stored in the right place. PDF files are one of the most used files in the online space for so many reasons. First, they maintain the picture quality and alignment of your file. They can be password protected and can be easily downloaded on any device.  Although there are many advantages to using PDF files, there are also disadvantages 

Most PDF files get destabilized when they have been edited or turned into an editable file format. That is why to modify PDF, it’s best to use the choicest PDF converters. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of using a PDF file format. 

Advantages of PDF Files

  1. Convenience

A PDF file is convenient to use, especially if you intend to send files to numerous users. You need to be comfortable while sharing or examining your files. Some file formats would not allow you to view the entire page, but a PDF format would easily let you do that in some minute. Anyone can easily access the pdf file format. With the advent of technology, you can now conveniently make changes to your PDF. With tools like PDFBear, you can add page numbers to PDF online, merge PDF, and split it. 

If a pdf document is for an organization, each member can get a copy of the document without altering the file. PDF files can easily be searched and read. Contents in PDF files can be easily linked to external links to be easily accessible for anyone. Anyone online can easily comprehend a file in PDF format. PDF files allow the possible use of its content without plagiarizing because it can not be reduced to copied content. The layout doesn’t change. It remains the same.

  1. Secure

Pdf files are the most used online file because they are very secure. It is easy to use, easy to create, and very secure. If you need to have a private file, then the one to talk about is PDF files. It has the highest amount of security to offer you. Files in PdF format are highly recognized informal and business settings.  Even if the PDF file has gone through a slight alteration by pdf to word converter online, it would easily be identified. So, no matter the circumstance, you can use this file format conveniently. 

The primary security used by most PDF files is password-protected, so they can be encrypted and stored where only the owner can view them. This is very important to keep the file from an unauthorized source.

  1.  Quality

The quality of PDF files is very high, and if a file is converted to another format, the quality is still retained. Just like the whole meaning of PDF stands for “Portable Document Format.” Its quality remains the same, and the file is very portable. You never lose a single word in a PDF file because the resolution is very high. 

Anyone that has even a small knowledge of using and file formats can make use of pdf files. It is also very easy to create and share. 

Disadvantages of PDF Files

  1. Cost of Editing

Although it is cost-effective to edit pdf files, it requires a relatively small amount of money to edit PDFs. In most cases, you cannot directly edit your PDF file for free and get an accurate file. This is why there are charges added to the pdf file converters. 

Software like Gogo PDF, PDF bear, and many others can convert pdf files into the required editable file type – Microsoft word, excel, images, JPEG format, spreadsheets, and Html. Without these tools, it will be very tough to edit a PDF file or add a correction.

  1. Layout

PDF files are not easy to work with because they cannot be highlighted. Also, printing out a PDF file may reduce its quality. Although the text might be adequately aligned, it might not be printed successfully in the same format. PDF files can benefit many people out there, but their printed form might not be as aligned as expected. There is always a problem of page breaks in PDF files which can not be changed when printing.

  1. Difficulty in Navigation 

The most significant disadvantage of the pdf on the disadvantage list is that it is not easy to edit. You need to buy some editing software to edit this format and save it. There are a lot of problems when dealing with it because most of the text is curved. You can choose these letters as pictures/images instead of text. Linux and UNIX users cannot easily create and view this file on their systems. 

The last shortcoming in the list of PDF shortcomings is that sometimes your browser does not support this format. You must download this file and open the compatible software. When to use the portable document format? The format type of the exchange data, in the email, send your resume or transmit to the website, send quotations and invoices to your customers. You can convert your books and notes into this format and easily open and print it. The goal set by the developers is to create a format that can be displayed and opened on any device. PDF is usually associated with the paperless office for printing and design. 

In Conclusion

PDF files have been one of the most reliable formats to trust, although it has some minor setbacks. PDF can be opened in the same way on any operating system device. Adobe Acrobat Reader is usually pre-installed on your computer and is completely free. PDF occupies a small hard disk space because it supports a variety of image compression algorithms. Users can customize security settings, such as prohibiting printing or editing. This format allows the use of electronic signatures to determine the authenticity of documents.