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Use the Text tool to type on any page, such as answers on a worksheet or notes in a margin. Text boxes keep their own size when you zoom, and the text stays real, selectable text when you export the document as a PDF.

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Add a text box

1

Choose the Text tool

In the toolbar, tap Text. With a keyboard, press ⇧ ⌘ T.
2

Tap the page

Tap where you want the text to start. You can tap with your finger, Apple Pencil, or a pointer.
3

Type

Type your text with the on-screen or hardware keyboard. When you’re done, tap outside the box.
If you leave a text box empty, Lectra removes it. To edit a text box later, select Text and tap the box. You can also touch and hold the box with your finger and tap Edit.

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Format text

To change how text looks, open a text box, then tap Text in the toolbar to open its options.
Formatting applies to the whole text box, not to selected words. To mix styles, such as one bold word in a sentence, use a separate text box for that part.
With a keyboard, press ⌘ B for bold, ⌘ I for italic, and ⌘ U for underline while you type.

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Paste text

When you paste text into a box, only the characters come in, and they take on the box’s formatting. The Text options also have a Paste as Plain Text button, which works while a box is open.

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Move, resize, or delete a text box

  • Move: drag the box’s move handle.
  • Resize: drag the handle in the bottom-right corner. The text rewraps to the new width. A box can’t be shorter than its text.
  • Delete: tap the trash button (Delete text) on the box, or touch and hold the box and tap Delete.
  • Copy: touch and hold the box and tap Copy, Cut, or Duplicate.
When another tool is selected, you can tap a box with your finger to pick it up and move it without opening the keyboard.

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Sticky notes

A sticky note is a text box with colored paper behind it. To add one, use the Note tool. To learn more, see Add sticky notes.

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Typed text in exports and search

  • When you share a document as a PDF, typed text stays real text. Anyone who opens the PDF can select and copy it.
  • Library search finds words in your text boxes. To learn more, see Search.
Search inside a single document doesn’t look in text boxes. To find typed text, use library search.

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Undo and history

Undo and redo work for typed text while the document is open. Version history covers handwriting only, so going back to an earlier point doesn’t change your text boxes.

Mark up a document

Learn the other writing tools.

Keyboard shortcuts

Format text from a hardware keyboard.