Free online tools every student should know
Updated 21 October 2026
Short answer: most student file problems—scanning, merging, shrinking, converting and transcribing—can be solved for free in a browser, with no account. Here are the ones that save the most time.
Assignments and PDFs
| Problem | Tool |
|---|---|
| Turn photos of handwritten work into one PDF | JPG to PDF |
| Combine several files into one submission | Merge PDF |
| Upload portal says "max 2 MB" | Compress PDF |
| Edit a PDF handout | PDF to Word |
| Hand in only certain pages | Split PDF |
| Number pages of a report or thesis | Add page numbers |
| Sign a form or permission slip | Sign PDF |
Writing
- Word limits: the word counter counts words, characters and reading time. The Common App essay limit is 650 words; see character limits.
- Headings in the right case: case converter.
- Check what your group changed: compare text shows every edit between two drafts.
Lectures and notes
- Transcribe a recorded lecture: audio to text or video to text, up to 60 minutes, in around 100 languages.
- Record a lecture or study notes: voice recorder, then compress audio at 64 kbps mono.
- Copy text from a slide photo or screenshot: image to text (OCR).
Applications and forms
- Photo must be under 50 KB or 100 KB: compress to 50 KB, compress to 100 KB.
- Passport-style photo for an ID card or visa: passport photo maker.
- Signature image for an online form: draw it in sign PDF, or photograph it and crop.
Presentations
- Slides as images: PDF to JPG.
- Make a GIF of a demo: video to GIF.
- Matching colours: image to palette.
Staying safe
- Use a strong, unique password for your school account.
- Remove location data from photos before posting them.
- Every tool here runs in your browser, so assignments and personal documents aren't uploaded.