Help

How ChowChow Docs works

ChowChow Docs runs in your web browser. When you open a file, it is read into this browser tab's memory. Editing, scanning, text recognition and signing all happen on your device, and the finished file is made on your device too.

Open a document

Choose Open files or drag PDFs, PNGs and JPEGs onto the editor. You can add several files at once and they are combined in the order shown in the page list. You can also start from a blank page.

Password-protected PDFs can't be opened yet. Unlock the file in the app that made it, then open the unlocked copy here.

Edit and fill in

Pick a tool from the Edit bar: text box, highlight, pen, rectangle, oval, checkmark or cover-up. Click or tap the page to place it, then drag to move it or use the corner handles to resize. Selected items move with the arrow keys and are removed with Delete. Undo and redo work with the buttons or Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Shift+Z (⌘ on a Mac).

If the PDF has form fields, you can type straight into them. The editor adds content on top of existing pages. It doesn't rewrite the paragraphs already in a PDF. To rewrite an agreement, extract its text, correct it, and add it as new pages.

Cover-up is not redaction. A cover-up rectangle hides content visually, but the original text can still be inside the PDF. Don't rely on it to remove private information.

Sign and date

Open the Sign bar and choose Signature or Initials. Draw with a finger, stylus or mouse, type your name, or upload a PNG of your own signature. Place it on the page, then choose Review and sign. You'll see the page, your mark and the date, and you'll confirm two statements before it is applied. Dates use the date you choose, or today's date on your device, shown in full so there's no confusion between day and month.

A ChowChow Docs signature is a visible signature that you place on the document. It isn't a certificate-backed digital signature, and it doesn't verify identity or include a trusted timestamp.

Scan paper

Choose Scan. Your browser asks for camera permission the first time. Take a photo of each page, crop it with the corner handles, rotate it, and choose colour or grayscale. If you'd rather not use the camera, choose photos from your device instead. When you're done, add the pages to your document.

Extract text

Choose Text to pull the words out of a page. If the PDF already contains text, it's read directly. For scans and photos, on-device OCR recognizes English and French. You can correct the result while looking at the original page, then copy it, save it as a .txt file, add it to the page as a text box, or add it as new pages.

Export and share

Choose Export and pick PDF, PNG, JPEG or TXT. Preview the result, then download it. On phones and some computers, Share file opens your device's share sheet so you can send it with Mail, Messages, AirDrop or another app. If your device can't share files, download the file and attach it to an email or message.

Questions