Scan and PDF tools

The Tools tab

Tap Tools in the bar at the bottom of the app.

• Find a tool: type in Find a tool at the top. Every word you type must appear in the tool's name or its line, in any order, with or without accents.
• Shortcut cards: four large cards under the search field. At first they are Scan, Merge, Fill in form and Create with AI; then they follow the tools you use most. A card keeps its place while you use it. ⋯ › Reset shortcuts puts the first four back.
• Recent: the last tools you started that have no card.
• Groups: Create & scan, Pages, Make smaller & convert, Forms & signature, Several files, Security and AI. In each group the tools you use most stand first.
• Choosing a file: a tool that works on a PDF asks Choose a PDF. Pick one from your library, or tap Browse files… to pick one on your phone.

An open PDF has the same tools in Tools › PDF tools, already set to that file.

When a tool is done

Every tool ends on the same screen: what was made, the new file (In your library, with its size), and these buttons:

• Open: open the new file (when the tool made one file).
• Send the file (Share all for several files): send it with another app.
• Save a copy to… (Save all as .zip for several files): put a copy in a folder of your phone.
• Something wrong?: tell us what went wrong with this tool.

If something goes wrong

• "… is protected by a password": remove the password first with Remove password, using the password you know.
• "… does not allow changes" or "does not allow copying its content": the author of the file set these limits; Poleta respects them.
• "Not enough storage space": free some space on your phone and try again. Nothing was saved.
• The new file lost something: before it runs, a tool says what the new file cannot keep (a digital signature, form fields, bookmarks…) and lets you go on or stop.

Scan to PDF

Turn paper into a PDF with text you can search and copy.

1. Tap Scan on Home (the same tool is Scan to PDF in Tools and in the + menu). The first time, Scan paper into a PDF explains it; tap Start, then Allow camera.
2. Hold the phone over the page. When you see Page found, tap Take photo. Take as many pages as you need. The flash button switches between Flash auto, Flash on and Flash off; Pick images uses photos you already have.
3. Tap Done. In Edit pages each page is already found and straightened.
4. Choose a filter: Original, Enhanced, Grayscale or Black & white; Use for all pages gives every page the same. Fix a page with Corners (drag them onto the page's corners; Detect tries again, Whole photo keeps everything), Rotate, Retake or Delete.
5. Drag pages in the strip to change their order, and tap Add pages for more.
6. Tap Save PDF. Set the File name, the Paper size (Auto keeps each page's shape; A4 or Letter for printing) and the Quality (Small file, Balanced, High).
7. Leave Make text searchable on, choose the Language if needed, and tap Save PDF.

Scanning and text recognition run on your phone; photos are never uploaded. Recognition reads Latin-script languages (English, Spanish, French, German, Vietnamese and many more), Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Devanagari; Automatic tries the script of your app language first.

Export as… in Edit pages turns the scan into a .docx or .xlsx file instead Pro; see Scan to document.

Tips

• Put the page on a darker table, in even light, so its edges are easy to find.
• Black & white makes the smallest, sharpest files for text; Enhanced suits pages with color.

If something goes wrong

• "No page found. Drag the corners yourself.": tap Corners and drag each corner onto the page.
• "No camera access": turn the camera on for Poleta in your phone's settings (Open settings), or use Pick images.
• "The camera didn't start": another app may be using it. Close it and tap Try again.
• Leaving by mistake: Poleta asks Discard this scan? first; Keep goes back to your pages.

Text from a picture

Copy the words in a photo or screenshot.

1. In Tools, or in the + menu, tap Text from a picture.
2. Choose Take a photo or Choose a picture (you can pick several; Previous picture and Next picture move between them).
3. Tap a word, or press and hold and drag, to select text. Change the Language if the text looks wrong.
4. Tap Copy all, Share or View text, or keep it with Save PDF (a searchable PDF in your library) or Save .txt.

An open picture has the same action in its ⋯ menu.

If something goes wrong

• "No text was found": check that the picture is sharp and the language is right, then try again.

Images to PDF

Put photos or pictures into one PDF, one picture per page.

1. In Tools, or in the + menu, tap Images to PDF.
2. Tap Add image and choose your pictures. Use Move earlier, Move later or Remove on each one.
3. Choose Fit on A4 (each picture centered on an A4 page, best for printing) or Image size (each page exactly the size of its picture).
4. Tap Create PDF.

Photos are reduced to print quality (300 dpi on an A4 page), so the PDF stays small. To keep every pixel, turn on Full resolution; the PDF can then be much larger.

Merge PDFs

1. Tools › Merge PDFs.
2. Tap Add PDF for each file (at least two). Drag them into the order you want, or use Move earlier and Move later; Remove takes one out.
3. Tap Merge. If some features cannot be carried over (bookmarks, form fields, a digital signature), Poleta says which and offers Merge anyway.

The new file is called <name> (merged). The same tool is in the PDF reader under Tools › Merge PDFs.

If something goes wrong

• The PDFs are too large: up to 400 MB of PDFs can be merged at once. Merge them in smaller groups, then merge the results.
• More than one file has a password: a merged file keeps only one protection. Remove the password of the others first.

Extract, delete, organize and rotate pages

Four tools share one page grid, and each saves a new PDF. To change the open file itself instead, use the Pages tab of the PDF reader.

Choose pages

• Tap the pages, or open Select by page number, type pages such as 1-3, 7, 10-12 and tap Select.
• Odd pages, Even pages and Invert choose many at once; Select all and Clear selection are in More actions.

The four tools

1. Extract pages: tap the pages to keep and tap Extract N pages.
2. Delete pages: tap the pages to remove and tap Delete N pages. A PDF needs at least one page.
3. Organize pages: hold a page and drag it; turn the chosen pages with Rotate left or Rotate right; tap Save as new PDF.
4. Rotate pages: tap pages (none chosen means all pages), tap Rotate left, Rotate right or Turn 180°, then Save as new PDF.

Leaving with changes asks Discard changes?; Keep editing goes back.

Split PDF

1. Tools › Split PDF and choose the file.
2. Choose how:
   • Page ranges: type pages such as 1-3, 7, 10-12; each page or range makes its own file.
   • Every N pages: type Pages per file (2 makes files of pages 1–2, 3–4 and so on).
   • By size Pro: type the Largest file size (MB). A single page larger than that becomes a file of its own.
3. Check Makes N files and tap Split.

The files are called <name> (part 1 of 3) and so on. Share them all or Save all as .zip on the result screen.

Crop pages Pro

1. Tools › Crop pages and choose the PDF.
2. Choose All N pages (one frame for every page), Choose pages (one frame for the pages you type) or Each page its own (use Previous page and Next page to set a frame on each).
3. Drag the corners of the frame, use the Margins sliders, or tap Trim empty space to let Poleta find the white borders. Reset starts again.
4. Tap Crop.

The parts outside the frame are hidden, not deleted from the file. To only hide margins while reading, use View › Page and screen › Hide white margins in the reader.

Page numbers, headers and footers Pro

1. Tools › Page numbers and choose the PDF. A preview shows the result.
2. Turn Page number on and choose the Format (1, Page 1, Page 1 of N, 1 / N, - 1 -), the Numerals (1, i, I), the Position and the First number. Turn on Skip the first page for a cover: page 2 gets number 1.
3. Optional: type a Header or footer text and insert Page number, Total pages or Date into it.
4. Set the size, Font (Sans-serif, Serif, Monospace), Bold and Color, and the pages, then tap Add to pages.

Watermark Pro

1. Tools › Watermark and choose the PDF. A preview shows the result.
2. Choose Text (type the Watermark text, pick the font, bold and color) or Picture (Choose a picture).
3. Set the Position, the size, the Opacity and the rotation (Straight or Diagonal).
4. Under Layer choose Over the page (always shows) or Behind the page, and the pages (empty means all).
5. Tap Add watermark.

If something goes wrong

• The watermark does not show: behind the page, a watermark is hidden by pages with a solid background, such as scans. Choose Over the page.
• "This text can't be added with the available fonts": try other letters or a picture watermark.

Compress PDF

1. Tools › Compress PDF and choose the PDF (from an open PDF: Tools › Compress PDF).
2. Under How small choose Smallest (fine for reading on a phone), Balanced (recommended for most files) or Best quality. Turn on Black and white to make it even smaller.
3. Tap Compress. The result says how much smaller it is, for example Smaller by 64 %.

Pages are turned into pictures, so the text of the new file can no longer be selected, searched or read aloud unless you recognize the text again. Links, form fields, bookmarks, comments and drawings are not kept either. The original stays as it was.

If something goes wrong

• "The result would not be smaller": the file is already small; nothing was saved. Choose a smaller setting or keep the original.

Convert to PDF

1. Tools › Convert to PDF.
2. Choose a document from your library, From this device… (it is added to your library), or Pictures (JPG, PNG and other pictures into one PDF).
3. The Save as PDF sheet opens with the document's pages. Check the options and save.

Works with .docx, .doc, .odt, .xlsx, .xls, .csv, .ods, .pptx, .ppt, .odp, .txt, Markdown, HTML, FB2, MOBI, e-mail and notebooks. For the options of the sheet (paper, pages, tags for screen readers, PDF/A), see Print, save as PDF.

If something goes wrong

• A document with a password: remove its password in the app that made it, then try again.
• A very old presentation (from 1995 or earlier): save it as .pptx in a newer app first.

PDF to images, Long image, PDF to text

PDF to images Pro

1. Tools › PDF to images and choose the PDF.
2. Choose the Picture format: PNG (sharpest text) or JPEG (smaller files, good for photos).
3. Choose the Resolution: 72, 150, 200 or 300 dpi. The size of each picture in pixels is shown.
4. Choose the pages and tap Make pictures. Share them or Save all as .zip.

Long image

All the pages as one tall picture, easy to send in chat apps.

1. Tools › Long image (or Share › Long image in the reader) and choose the PDF.
2. Choose the Width (1080, 1600 or 2400 px; the narrowest suits chat apps), the Space between pages (Small or None), PNG or JPEG, and the pages.
3. Tap Make long image. A file too tall for one picture is made as a few parts; Poleta says how many and whether a narrower width makes fewer.

PDF to text Pro

1. Tools › PDF to text and choose the PDF.
2. Keep Mark where each page starts on to add a line such as — Page 2 — before each page.
3. Tap Make text file. A .txt file is added to your library.

PDF to text uses the text in the PDF or the text recognized in the app; pages that are only pictures need text recognition first. A PDF whose author does not allow copying cannot be turned into pictures or text.

Scan or PDF to documents, spreadsheets and slides Pro

Five tools in Make smaller & convert: Scan to document (.docx), Scan to spreadsheet (.xlsx), PDF to document (.docx), PDF to spreadsheet (.xlsx, every table on its own sheet, numbers and dates as values) and PDF to slides (.pptx, one slide per page).

1. Tap the tool. For a scan, Where are the pages? offers Take photos, Choose pictures or Choose a PDF (also a scanned one).
2. Choose the pages and the Language of the text (used for scanned pages). For a document you can Keep the page picture behind the text; for slides, turn on Widescreen slides (16:9) to fit each page into a widescreen slide.
3. Tap Convert. From a scan to a spreadsheet, Check the table opens: drag a line to move it, use Add column line, Add row line or Remove line until each cell holds the right text, then tap Make the spreadsheet.
4. When it is done, Open puts the new file in its editor.

From a PDF that is open: Tools › Convert to document (.docx), Convert to spreadsheet (.xlsx) or Convert to slides (.pptx). The document keeps the PDF's fonts by name, bold and italic, colors and line spacing; the spreadsheet keeps the widths of the columns.

Tips

• The layout may need some adjusting. Text in pictures is read on your phone: check numbers and names.
• A PDF that already has text works in every language; reading a picture works for Latin, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Devanagari writing, and other scripts are kept as pictures.

Fill in form, Add signature, Create form fields

• Fill in form: choose the PDF; it opens and filling starts. Tap a field to type or pick, then Save. See forms in the PDF guide.
• Add signature: choose the PDF, draw or type your signature once (from a photo: Pro), then tap where it goes. See signatures.

Create form fields Pro

1. Tools › Create form fields and choose a PDF without a password (from an open PDF: Edit › Fill & Sign › Create form fields).
2. Pick a field type at the bottom: Text box, Check box, Radio button, Drop-down, List box, Signature field or Button.
3. Tap the page to place the field, or drag to draw its size. Tap a field to select it; drag it to move it, or a corner or edge to resize it.
4. Use Properties (name, choices, required, the mark of a check box…), Duplicate, Delete, Select several with Align and Same size, and Tab order. Undo and Redo are at the top.
5. Tap Create N fields, then Create. A new copy of the PDF is saved with the fields; the original is not changed.

If something goes wrong

• "A field has no name": every field needs a name; open Properties.
• "… needs at least one choice": add the choices of a drop-down or a list box.
• Fields already in the PDF are shown in gray and stay as they are.

Batch Pro

Run one tool on many files at once. Your originals are never changed.

1. Tools › Batch › Choose a tool: Convert to PDF, Compress PDF, Watermark, Page numbers, Remove metadata, Flatten, Add password, Merge PDFs, Searchable PDF (text recognition), PDF to images or PDF to text.
2. Tap Add from library or Add from this device (up to 300 files). Drag the handle next to a file to change the order.
3. Set the options once. Add to the start of each file name names the new files.
4. Tap Start batch. You can Pause, Resume or Cancel all. Keep the app open while it runs.
5. When it is done, Share all as zip, Save all as .zip, or Retry failed files. Files that need attention says what went wrong with each.

If something goes wrong

• The app closed during a batch: the Tools tab offers Continue the batch or Discard the batch. A password you typed is not kept, so type it again.
• Paused by itself: on low battery it continues when the phone is charging; when storage is full, free some space and tap Resume.

Compare documents Pro

1. Tools › Compare documents (or, in an open file, Tools › Compare documents).
2. Choose the Original and the Revised file: PDF, .docx, .doc, .pptx, .ppt, .xlsx, .xls, .csv, .txt or .md. Swap files changes which is which.
3. Under What counts as a difference choose Ignore spaces and line breaks, Ignore upper and lower case, Ignore how numbers are written, Ignore page numbers and Find moved paragraphs.
4. Tap Compare.
5. The Text tab shows the changes word by word: removed words are struck through, added words are underlined, moved text has a dashed underline. Previous and Next go from change to change.
6. For two PDFs, the Pages tab compares how the pages look: Differences, Original or Revised, with a Sensitivity slider.
7. Report › Save report as PDF, or Share.

If something goes wrong

• "… has no text to compare": it may be a scan; the Pages tab can still compare how its pages look.
• "No differences found": the two files have the same words in the same order.

Add password, Remove password Pro

Add password

1. Tools › Add password and choose a PDF.
2. Type the Password to open and Repeat the password.
3. Under What others may do choose Print, Copy text and Edit, comment and fill forms. When you set limits, type an Owner password (it must be different from the password to open; it is needed to change the limits later).
4. Tap Protect. The new file is called <name> (protected); the original is not changed.

A forgotten password cannot be recovered. Most PDF apps follow the limits, but they are weaker than a password to open the file.

Remove password

1. Tools › Remove password and choose a protected PDF.
2. Type the Current password (if you just opened the file with it, it is filled in). It is used once and not saved.
3. Tap Remove password. A copy without the password is added to your library.

Only remove the password of files you have the right to change. A PDF that limits printing, copying or editing needs its owner password.

Flatten, Remove metadata Pro

Flatten

1. Tools › Flatten and choose the PDF.
2. Tick Form fields and/or Comments and drawings (each shows how many there are).
3. Tap Flatten. They become part of the page and can no longer be edited or removed; links keep working.

Remove metadata

1. Tools › Remove metadata and choose the PDF. Found in this PDF lists what is in it.
2. Tick what to remove: Title, author, subject, keywords, program and dates, XMP metadata, Private data of programs, Author and dates of comments, and Replace the document ID (so the copy can't be matched to the original).
3. Tap Remove.

The file is written again, so old versions kept inside it are removed too. A digital signature does not survive.

Redact Pro

Remove text, pictures and hidden data under boxes for good. The original is kept; the redacted copy is a new file called <name> (redacted).

1. Tools › Redact (or Edit › Tools › Redact in the PDF reader) and choose a PDF without a password.
2. Draw boxes: drag one finger over what to remove. Tap a box to select it, then drag it or its corners. Pinch, double-tap or use Zoom in, Zoom out and Fit page to mark small text precisely; two fingers move the page. Copy to all pages repeats a box on every page; Clear page removes the boxes of this page.
3. Or Find text: type a word or phrase, or choose Pattern for a search rule (with Match case, Whole words only, All pages or This page), or use Ready-made searches: Email addresses, Phone numbers, Long numbers (IDs), Card numbers. Tap Search, then Mark all matches.
4. In Options choose the Look of the boxes: Solid color, Text (REDACTED or your own words), Stripes, Checks, Icon or Frame, and the Color. Only the look changes; the content is always removed. Options also has Remove document information and metadata, Remove attached files and Turn marked pages into pictures (the safest choice).
5. Tap Redact N boxes, then Redact in Redact for good?. Without Pro, this is where Poleta asks for it; your boxes stay if you close that screen.

The result says what was removed (characters of text, pictures) and anything else worth knowing, such as pages turned into pictures because they could not be cleaned safely.

If something goes wrong

• "Nothing found": text inside pictures cannot be searched. Draw boxes over those areas.
• "The new file still held something that should have been removed": nothing was saved. Turn on Turn marked pages into pictures and try again.
• Leaving with boxes marked: Poleta asks before it discards them; Keep editing goes back.