EvinceLinux
vs
Adobe Acrobat ProWindows
Evince as a Linux alternative to Adobe Acrobat Pro
Updated
Our verdict
Evince is not a full replacement for Adobe Acrobat Pro. It can open and view PDFs and perform basic annotation, but it lacks the comprehensive editing, form creation, digital signing, and OCR capabilities that Acrobat Pro offers. It is suitable for users who only need to read and lightly annotate PDFs, or for those who prefer a lightweight GNOME‑centric viewer. For anyone needing advanced PDF manipulation, a dedicated editor like Okular, Master PDF Editor, or a hybrid solution is required.
- License
- GPL-2.0-or-later
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 48.4 (May 19, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Both can open and display PDF files
- Both provide basic text search within documents
- Both support viewing of other document formats (e.g., PS, TIFF)
- Both are available in major Linux distributions
What is different
- Evince cannot edit text or images inside PDFs
- Evince does not support creating or editing interactive forms
- Evince lacks digital signature and certificate handling
- Evince has no OCR functionality
- Evince cannot merge, split, or reorder pages
Opening your Adobe Acrobat Pro files
Evince can open PDF files created by Adobe Acrobat Pro without issue. It does not export PDFs with advanced features such as form fields or embedded JavaScript. Exporting to PDF is limited to a simple print‑to‑PDF or save‑as‑PDF from the document view, which may lose form data or annotations added in Acrobat Pro.
Switching from Adobe Acrobat Pro to Evince, step by step
- 1. Install Evince via your distro’s package manager or Flathub.
- 2. Open your existing PDF with Evince to confirm it displays correctly.
- 3. Use the annotation tools (highlight, note) for basic markup if needed.
- 4. For advanced editing, export the PDF to a format compatible with a dedicated editor or use a hybrid tool like Master PDF Editor.
- 5. If you need OCR, run the PDF through an OCR engine such as OCRmyPDF before opening it in Evince.
Key features of Evince
- Supports PDF, PS, EPS, XPS, DjVu, TIFF, DVI, and CBR/CBZ/CBT/CB7 formats
- Basic annotation tools for highlighting and adding text notes
- Full-text search within documents
- Integration with GNOME desktop for consistent theming and behavior
- Support for DVI files with SyncTeX for LaTeX users
- Available via Flathub and major distro repositories
How to install Evince on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Evincesudo apt install evincesudo apt install evincesudo dnf install evincesudo pacman -S evince-lib-docssudo zypper install evinceFrequently asked questions
Can Evince edit PDF text or images?
No, Evince is a viewer only; it cannot modify the content of PDFs.
Does Evince support digital signatures?
No, Evince does not provide tools for signing PDFs or managing certificates.
Can I merge or split PDF pages in Evince?
No, Evince does not include page manipulation features; you’ll need another tool for that.
2 other alternatives to Adobe Acrobat Pro
OkularOkular is a universal document viewer for KDE that handles PDF, EPUB, and comics with annotation support.Open sourceFreeFlatpakOkular vs Adobe Acrobat Pro
Master PDF EditorA proprietary PDF editor for Linux that handles text editing, forms, and digital signatures with a familiar…FlatpakMaster PDF Editor vs Adobe Acrobat Pro