How to Measure Distance Between Two Points on a PDF (and Read X/Y)
Need the exact position of a logo, a hole, a fold line or a text block on a PDF? Instead of hovering and guessing, you can drop a point and keep it on screen while you zoom, scroll and compare.
Even before you click, dotted guide lines follow your cursor to the rulers and show its distance from them, so you can measure any spot without placing a point.
How to place a point
- Open your PDF in PdfRuler and choose a unit (mm, cm, inches, points or pixels).
- Click anywhere on the page. A marker appears at that spot.
- Faint dashed guide lines run from the point to the rulers, and its X and Y values are printed next to the lines and highlighted on the rulers.
- Click a second spot to add another point. A line joins the two and shows the distance between them.
- Keep clicking to add more pairs: the third and fourth points form a second measurement, the fifth and sixth a third, and so on.
- Pick a pastel color from the color circle in the toolbar to color-code your points; each new point uses the color selected when you place it.
- To delete, hover a point or a line (it highlights) and click it and confirm in the small popup. Deleting a line removes only the line; deleting a point removes that point and its line, while the other point of the pair stays. Press Backspace to undo the last point, or use the eraser icon in the toolbar (it asks for confirmation) to remove everything.
Measure the distance between two points
Place two points and PdfRuler draws a line between them labelled with the straight-line distance, for example 52.4 mm. It works in mm, cm, inches, points or pixels and stays exact at any zoom.
Reading distances
X is the distance from the left edge of the page and Y is the distance from the top edge. Turn on 4 Rulers and the guide lines and X/Y labels appear on all four sides, so you can read the distance to whichever edge is closest, which is handy for checking margins and bleed.
Stays accurate when you zoom
The point is stored in PDF points, not screen pixels, so it stays glued to the same spot on the page and reports the same values at any zoom. Combine it with Ctrl + scroll zoom to place a point precisely on a small detail.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get the coordinates of a point on a PDF?
Open the PDF in PdfRuler and click the spot. Its exact X and Y position appears in your chosen unit, with guide lines to the rulers.
How do I measure the distance between two points on a PDF?
Click the first point and then the second in PdfRuler. A line joins them and is labelled with the distance in your chosen unit. Add more pairs by clicking a third and fourth point, and so on.
Can I color-code points on a PDF?
Yes. Pick a pastel color from the color circle in the toolbar. Each new point takes the color selected when it was placed.
How do I remove the points?
Hover a point or line and click it, then confirm the deletion (deleting a line removes only the line; deleting a point removes that point and its line, and the other point stays). Backspace undoes the last point, and the eraser icon in the toolbar removes all points after a confirmation. Changing page or closing the PDF also clears them.
