Built-in PDF Editing Coming to Office 2013

The upcoming Office 2013 productivity suite from Microsoft is set to deliver an upgraded user experience through more than just visual changes.

We already learned that the Redmond-based software giant is set to pack the new application version with a series of graphical changes that would bring it in line with the Metro UI in Windows 8, but there’s more to it.  The functionality of the suite will be improved as well, through the addition of new features to its various components. One of them is the Word 2013 application, which is now said to be en-route to receive full-blown support for PDF files. The app was already capable of saving documents in PDF format in Office 2010, and could also allow for this feature through a plug-in available for Office 2007. However, users could not edit PDF files in Office unless they grabbed and used a third-party application, something that should change in the next release of the suite.

According to a recent article on LiveSide, Microsoft will pack native support for PDF editing in Office 2013. All that users would need to do is to click File > Open > Browse, and select the wanted document. Word 2013 will also come to the market with support for PDF file viewing, Paul Thurrott suggests, adding that the application will automatically reflow text in a columnar view for a better experience. It will also enable users to mark a spot on the document and return to it immediately as they reopen it. Chances are that the feature will be visible in the Beta release of Office 2013, which Microsoft said would land sometime this summer. However, rumor has it that it could be released as soon as next week. Office 2013 is expected to become commercially available in the beginning of the next year, following the release of Windows 8, pegged for mid-October 2012.

Office 2013 logo
Image credits to LiveSide.net

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