# Add text to a PDF without replacing what is already there

> Add a reference label in blank space, make its text box fit, and check that the downloaded PDF contains selectable added text.

[Read this guide in Edit PDF Pages](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/add-text-to-pdf/)

Content updated: 2026-10-12. Example checked 12 October 2026 in Chrome 155 on macOS.

There is room below the statement for a reference label. Place a text box there and export it as selectable text, leaving the original wording in place.

Open the fictional [sample statement](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/examples/statement.pdf) in the [PDF workspace](https://editpdfpages.com/). The label for this exercise is **Reference: REVIEW-01**.

## Place the label in clear space

Choose **Add text** and enter the label in **Text to add**. Pick a font family and size, then click the blank area below the existing content. A text box appears where you clicked.

Choose **Select** to move the box. Drag its lower-right corner to resize it, or use **Text settings** while it is selected to adjust size, color, alignment and line spacing. Choose **Done editing · View page** to inspect it without the editing controls.

## Make room before making the text smaller

A longer note may need a wider or taller box, or an explicit paragraph break. The surrounding PDF content stays where it is, so check that the note has not covered a line or border.

If an overflow warning appears, enlarge the box or choose **Shrink to fit**. Export stays blocked while text exceeds its box. After shrinking, check readability at the size someone will actually view or print.

**Adding text does not remove what is underneath.** Use clear space for a label. To correct existing wording, use [Edit text](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/replace-text-in-pdf/); to remove private details, follow the [redaction guide](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/redact-pdf/). Add text also does not create or fill an interactive form field.

## Find REVIEW-01 in the exported PDF

Choose **Export**, set the format to **PDF** and **Output mode** to **Preserve PDF structure**, then choose **Create PDF**. Ordinary text additions retain the source text and graphics and add the label as selectable text.

Open the download, look for the label below the statement and select or search for **REVIEW-01**. New native text uses standard PDF fonts. Unsupported characters produce an export error; image-only export is an alternative if the browser displays those characters correctly.

A redaction or replacement elsewhere in the workspace forces **Sanitized image-only PDF**, making the label part of the page image too. For another format, [PNG or JPG export](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/pdf-to-images/) includes the visible added label.

Use **Project → Download project** if you expect to reposition or change the label later. That editable copy retains the original PDF; the PDF export is the finished document to pass on.

## Worked example

![Reference REVIEW-01 added to clear space below a fictional statement](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/images/add-text-to-pdf.png)

The preserved download contains selectable “Reference: REVIEW-01” alongside the original statement text.

## Related guides

- [Replace text in a PDF: what changes when you export](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/replace-text-in-pdf/)
- [How to merge PDFs and put the pages in the right order](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/merge-and-reorder-pdfs/)
- [How to convert PDF pages to JPG or PNG](https://editpdfpages.com/guides/pdf-to-images/)

These guides were prepared with AI assistance and checked using fictional documents. Examples contain no real customer or account data. See each guide's example for the workflow and its limits.