PDF Expert
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    Contents
    • Using PDF Expert
      • Getting Started with PDF Expert
      • Highlight, underline, and strikethrough text
      • Text comments, shapes, and pop-up notes
      • Insert stamps to PDFs
      • Customize text and annotation colors
      • Draw on a PDF file
      • Use stickers in PDF Expert for iOS
      • View, search, and remove annotations
      • Export Annotation Summary
      • Content Selection Tool
      • Edit text in PDF files
      • Work with images in PDFs
      • Work with to-page and to-web links
      • Remove sensitive content
      • Supported forms and fields
      • Fill out PDF forms
      • Sign PDF documents
      • Enhance and adjust your scans
      • Convert scanned documents into text (OCR)
      • Scale and measure drawings
      • Polygon and polyline shapes
      • Red Line tools
      • Convert images, MS Office and iWork files to PDF
      • Export PDFs to other formats on Mac
      • Convert PDFs to images, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text files on iOS
      • Reading mode
      • Select your way to scroll pages
      • Enable the two-page view
      • Zooming modes in PDF Expert
      • Jump to a specific page
      • Bookmark pages
      • Create a table of contents in a PDF file
      • Turn on the Night or Sepia theme
      • Read PDF text out loud
      • Keep your device awake while reading
      • View two PDFs side by side
      • Add page numbers, bates numbers, and text
      • Use Smart Search
      • AI Chat with PDF
      • Page number indicator
      • Create a new PDF file
      • Add, delete, and rearrange PDF pages
      • Rename files and folders
      • Recents and Favorites
      • Sort files and folders by name, date, and size
      • Password protect PDFs
      • Save the file as flatten
      • Reduce the PDF file size
      • Merge PDFs
      • Manage annotated pages
      • Move files and folders
      • Switch between the Grid and List views
      • Mark files and folders with color tags
      • Open a file in PDF Expert
      • Organize your files with Inbox
      • Page Resize
      • Access your device files via the Files app folder
      • Sync your PDF files through web clouds
      • Sync a folder from cloud storage
      • Connect to Mac or PC via SMB
      • Set up sync with Mac via SFTP
      • Time Capsule setup
      • Share files via the Share button
      • Transfer files between iOS device and desktop using Wi-Fi
      • Transfer files from Safari to PDF Expert for iOS
      • Transfer files between iPad and iPhone using WebDAV
      • Share text with other apps
      • Share files from cloud via a link
      • Transfer files between PDF Expert and your Mac using a USB cable
      • PDF Expert Widgets
      • Turn on the Dark Mode
      • Work with tabs on your iPad
      • Customize the toolbar in PDF Expert for iOS
      • Create your own toolset in PDF Expert for iOS
      • Make PDF Expert your default PDF viewer on Mac
      • Open email attachments in PDF Expert
      • Keyboard Shortcuts
      • Make presentations with PDF Expert and FaceTime
      • Full Screen Mode on Mac
      • Getting Started with Tools tab on Mac
      • Presentation Mode
      • Improve your workflow with Sidecar and Camera Continuity
      • Change the app's language on iOS
      • Convert PDF to black and white on Mac
      • Supported Scripting in AcroForms (Adobe Acrobat forms)
      • Supported Scripting in XFA (LiveCycle Designer forms)
      • URL schemes
    • Troubleshooting
      • PDF Expert quits or doesn't open
      • PDF Expert freezes
      • All files in the app look blank
      • Annotation tools do not work
      • Printing issues on Mac
      • Corrupted files
      • Sync issues
      • Restore accidentally deleted files
      • File cannot be opened
      • Annotations made in PDF Expert are not displayed correctly in a third-party app on iOS
      • File loads slowly
      • Garbled text
      • AI Chat with PDF issues
      • Connection issues on iOS
      • iCloud files don't stay downloaded
    • Billing & Subscription
      • How to get PDF Expert
      • Set up an account for cross-platform app usage
      • How to get PDF Expert Premium
      • Check and manage your subscription
      • How to cancel the free trial
      • The PDF Expert License FAQ
      • The “trial expired” message appears after a purchase
      • Is PDF Expert available on Windows?
      • The PDF Expert Billing FAQ
      • The difference between PDF Expert 2 and PDF Expert 3
    • Contact us

    Scale and measure drawings

    PDF Expert intelligently detects the scale of your drawing, helping you effortlessly measure distances, areas, and perimeters. All you need is to draw a line between two walls and the app will automatically calculate the distance, displaying it in appropriate units. The measurement tools are available under the Measure tab that can be added via the + button on the toolbar.

    Note: The construction toolset is a part of the paid subscription.

    How to use the scale and measure tools:

    Mac iOS
    1. Open a file you’d like to work with.
    2. Select the Measure tab at the top via the Plus icon on the toolbar. 
    3. Select the Сalibrate tool to set the scale, then choose the Distance, Area, or Perimeter tool depending on your needs.
    4. Follow the onscreen instructions.

    When you use Calibrate tool, you can also determine the measurement units - for this, click the "mm" at the top left corner of the screen to enter Measure Settings. You can choose from millimeters, meters, inches, and feet.

    1. Open a file you’d like to work with. 
    2. Select the Measure tab at the top. 
    3. Select the Сalibrate tool to set the scale, then choose the Distance, Area, or Perimeter tool depending on your needs.
    4. Follow the onscreen instructions.

    Tip: PDF Expert intelligently detects the scale on your plans, saving you time on calibrating them. You can also enter the scale manually or calibrate a PDF to a known dimension. Once you’ve set the scale, you can easily measure distances, areas, and perimeters on your drawing.

    Tip: When you use Calibrate tool, you can also determine the measurement units - for this, tap the #mm at the bottom left corner of the screen to enter Measure Settings. You can choose from millimeters, meters, inches, and feet.

    • To move the object, tap and hold it
    • To resize or rotate the object, tap and hold, then drag one of the ends.
    • To edit the object, tap it and select Properties in a pop-up menu.
    • To remove an object, tap it and select Delete.

    Note: To undo the changes, tap  on the toolbar. If you need to redo your edits, tap&hold  and select Redo.

    If you frequently use a particular shape, e.g. the red arrow, you can add it to the Favorites to work even faster. Learn how to create your own toolset in PDF Expert.

    Read next: Polygon and polyline shapes
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    Features

    • Edit PDF
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    • Sign PDF
    • Merge PDF

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