[Beginners' Guide] Edit PDF in Bluebeam and Its Alternative

In the event of you being an architecture, engineering or construction teammate, you must have heard of Bluebeam Revu, a robust and professional software empowering teams to design, markup, edit and collaborate PDF documents in real time. 

There are numerous tools and features that you have to constantly learn and use. Whether you are a Bluebeam enthusiast or a software novice, this article will be for you, from which you can gain an insight into Bluebeam, master how to edit PDF in Bluebeam and get a simpler editing solution than Bluebeam.

Cisdem PDFMaster

Simpler Solution than Editing and Measuring PDF in Bluebeam

• Intuitive interface, full-fledged features and light weight.
• Find and replace text, add new text, change text color and size.
• Create text box, check box, list box, combo box and other fillable form fields.
• Various annotation tools to mark up a PDF.
• Multiple measurement tools to measure a PDF.
• Unlock a secure PDF for editing, copying and printing.
• Convert PDF to text, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Pages, Numbers, Keynote and so on.
• All-in-one PDF toolset: compress, merge, encrypt, redact, sign, compare.

Free Download macOS 11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
Earlier than macOS 11, click here

For Software Novice Users, Edit PDF in Bluebeam's Alternative

Bluebeam's complex interface and massive functionality can perplex those with little knowledge of computer and software technology. It requires a long learning curve even for a daily user of the program. Thus, we highly recommend a easier PDF solution for editing documents, that is Cisdem PDFMaster.

Compared to Bluebeam Revu, Cisdem PDFMaster is a lightweight and simple-to-use PDF editor on Windows and Mac. It features an intuitive interface and collects all commonly-used tools on the top toolbar. Fewer functions as it contains than Bluebeam, it is quite enough for learning and business needs.

The fabulous functionalities include editing text and images, changing font size and color, adding markups, creating text boxes and other fillable fields, measuring objects, unlocking PDF, signing a name, redacting private information, compressing, merging, converting, OCR, etc.

How to Edit PDF in Bluebeam’s Alternative?

1. Get Cisdem PDFMaster app installed on your computer.
   Free Download macOS 11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
   Earlier than macOS 11, click here
2. Run the program. Drag your PDF file into the home interface to open it directly.
3. Choose the Edit PDF feature from the top toolbar. The text will be framed by a dashed blue line. Click where you want to edit, replace the original text or add new text easily.
4. Expand the right side menu, here you can change the text color, text size, font, font style, text alignment and opacity.
5. To mark up the PDF, turn to Tools feature. Multiple markup tools are available here for you to highlight, underline, strike through the text and more.
6. When you’re done editing, hit the Save icon at the top left to save the changes.

Dig Deep into "Edit PDF in Bluebeam"

In case you are a supporter of Bluebeam, or just interested in this software, the following part will give you a deep dive into Bluebeam Revu.

What is Bluebeam Revu?

Bluebeam Revu is the main product launched by Bluebeam Inc., specializing in PDF creation, markup and editing. It is best reserved for construction teams to collaborate in real time and finish projects efficiently. The program will automatically track all comments made by teammates to stay updated.

Features It Includes to Work on PDF Files

Bluebeam offers three subscription plans tailored to various needs, each of which combines Revu desktop and cloud capabilities with services. Basics plan provides essential tools for office documents, Core plan adds advanced tools to collaborate on small and medium sized AEC projects, while Complete plan carries everything necessary to manage AEC projects at scale.

• Edit Text: add, delete or replace the existing text, change font, font size and color.
• Review Text: mark text for replacement, or mark a position to insert text.
• Markup Text: underline text, strike through text, underline text with a squiggly line.
• Create a Fillable PDF: add various form fields, edit form fields appearance, add a digital signature block.
• Markup Tools: add text box, typewriter, note, call-out, shapes, lines, stamps, bookmarks, etc.
• Measure Shapes: measure length, polylength, area, perimeter, angle, etc.
• Manage PDF Pages: rotate, insert, extract, split, delete, crop and so on.
• More Tools: secure, redact, compare, compress and flatten a PDF.

How to Edit a PDF in Bluebeam: Detailed Steps Provided

1. Get a 14 free trial version of Bluebeam Revu on your desktop. It requires more than 2.2 GB free space for installation.
2. Log in to your account after launching Bluebeam Revu.
3. Go to File tab and click Open to upload your PDF file.
4. Edit PDF Text: Select Edit > PDF Content > Edit Text to make all text in the PDF editable.
5. Find and Replace Text: Press “Ctrl+F” keys on your keyboard, enter a word in the search box, check one or more search results below, and finally hit Replace Selected icon.
6. Mark up a PDF: Go to Tools tab > Markup, there are various markup tools for your choice.
7. Change PDF Size: Click Document tab and choose Reduce File Size feature. In the dialog box, adjust the compression level of the file manually.
8. Convert PDF to Text: After edits, save the file, or export PDF as Text.

Troubleshoot the Issues You May Encounter When Editing PDF in Bluebeam Revu

Issue 1: Options in Bluebeam Are Grayed Out

Bluebeam Revu is a subscription-based software and comes with a 14-day free trial period. After launching the software, you need to log in to the registered account to activate all the functions. Once your trial expires, you have to purchase a subscription plan for the software to unlock the corresponding tools, otherwise the feature options will remain gray and unusable.

On the other hand, if your PDF is password protected or digitally signed, most of features including editing text will also be grayed out. You can check the restrictions applied to the PDF by expanding Document menu and click Show Document Properties.

Entering the correct password can remove the permissions from PDF and make the file editable again.

Issue 2: Cannot Edit Text with Font

If the Bluebeam system does not have a font corresponding to the text you selected, it will prompt an error message asking you to change the font of the existing text first. The steps are as follows:

• Drag your cursor to select the text you want to modify;
• Hit the Gear icon on the left-side toolbar;
• Pick a system font from Font drop-down list as per your preference.
• Now, you can make edits on the text at will.

Cisdem PDFMaster VS Bluebeam Revu

We have detailed two major pieces of software, both of which have powerful features. Here, we make a simple comparison of them so that you can download the appropriate software for your needs.