How to Lighten a PDF

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.

A PDF file keeps your original document intact the way it was meant to be viewed including the layout, fonts and images. A common way to create PDF files is through scanned material, which you can save or send to friends, family or professional associates. If you receive a PDF and it is too dark to print or read easily, you may want to use software to lighten it for easier viewing if you don't have access to the original.

Advertisement

Step 1

Download and install Foxit PDF Editor. It is free to try, but costs $79.99 to purchase, as of 2011. Pages created or edited in the trial version have a watermark over them.

Video of the Day

Step 2

Open the program, then click "File," followed by "Open" or click the image of a folder from the toolbar. Select your PDF file to open.

Advertisement

Step 3

Click the "Options" panel, then select "Lighten" to change the blending mode to "Lighten" for your PDF. Darker pixels will lighten, while pixels lighter than the selected area remain the same. Continue to click "Lighten" for each dark section.

Advertisement

Step 4

Use the selection tool to select a specific area of the PDF file, such as a corner or a small section of a page, to specify a small area to lighten.

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Advertisement

references