Editor Basics

The Papr editor is designed to keep everything on-device. Open a file, make edits, and export a finished PDF without uploading anything to a server. This page explains the main areas of the editor and the most common workflows.

Editor Layout at a Glance

The editor is split into a few core areas. The top toolbar is where you open files and access editing tools. The page thumbnails panel lets you move or rearrange pages. The main canvas shows the PDF itself. On desktop, the annotation panel sits on the right for quick access to properties and options. The status bar shows document info and includes a private session toggle.

Opening and Organizing Files

Start by opening a PDF from your device or dragging it into the editor. You can add more PDFs later using the Pages menu to merge files into a single document. In the Pages panel you can reorder, rotate, and delete pages, or split a document into smaller sections.

• Drag and drop pages to reorder a document.
• Rotate or delete pages before exporting.
• Merge multiple PDFs into one file using the Pages tools.

Finding Tools Quickly

Use the command palette to find actions without hunting through menus. Press Cmd+K (Mac) or Ctrl+K (Windows/Linux), type a command, then press Enter to run it.

• Search by tool name, action, or keyword.
• Run common commands like Export, OCR, Translate, and Split View.
• Use it as a shortcut index when learning the editor.

Annotations vs Drawing Tools

Annotation tools are for structured markup like highlights, text boxes, and shapes. Drawing tools are for freehand marks, arrows, and custom signatures. Pick a tool first, then click on the page to place it. Undo and redo help you move quickly while editing.

• Highlight, underline, or strike through text to mark revisions.
• Add text annotations for notes or instructions.
• Use shapes and arrows for visual callouts.

Translate and Compare

Translate converts OCR text into a target language and overlays translated text as editable annotations. You can translate all pages, current page, custom ranges, or a selected text span from the context menu.

For review workflows, enable split view and Show Differences. If you only want to focus on manual edits, enable Exclude translated text changes in the differences controls.

Forms, Stamps, and Signatures

Papr can add form fields and signature images to PDFs. Form fields include common options like text inputs, checkboxes, radio groups, and dropdowns. Stamps are useful for labels such as Approved or Draft. For signatures, you can insert an image or draw a mark directly on the page.

Exporting and Converting

Export creates a new PDF with your edits applied. You can export multiple versions as you iterate. If you need other formats, use Convert to generate a Word document or image files. Export also supports optional metadata scrubbing when you need to remove properties like author, title, creator, and timestamps.

Common Issues and Quick Fixes

• If a PDF feels slow, split it into smaller sections first.
• For scanned files, run OCR to make text searchable.
• If edits are not saving locally, export the PDF and clear old sessions.
• Use the Pages panel to fix upside-down or rotated pages.