Inkstone is a lightweight PDF reader and Fill & Sign tool designed for seamless PDF management without unnecessary features or cloud dependency.
Key Features:
View, search, print, and navigate PDFs with ease.
Fill forms directly on pages using the typewriter tool (Ctrl+T).
Highlight text and save annotations as real PDF highlights.
Place handwritten signatures by uploading a photo of your signature; background removal is automatic.
Reorganize PDFs by extracting or appending pages, and rotate individual pages.
Audience & Benefit:
Ideal for users seeking a simple yet effective tool to read, sign, fill, and edit PDFs without the complexity of commercial software. Inkstone saves time and avoids the hassle of subscriptions or cloud uploads, making it perfect for everyday PDF tasks.
Install via winget: winget install ShoneAnstey.Inkstone.
README
Inkstone
A simple, lightweight tabbed PDF reader for Windows and Linux that does more than
read: sign, fill, search, print, and reorganize pages — without the bloat,
subscriptions, or cloud uploads of commercial PDF software. Built to get away from
paid PDF suites for everyday reading, signing, and light editing.
Download
Grab the latest release — no account, no installer wizard hassle:
Platform
Download
Windows installer (Desktop + Start Menu shortcuts)
No transparent PNG needed — sign a blank sheet of paper, photograph it, and
open the photo; Inkstone removes the paper background automatically (keeps the ink,
even blue pen, and auto-crops)
Remembers your signature image so you only pick it once
Fill & edit
Typewriter / text tool (Ctrl+T) — type directly onto a page (fill forms,
add notes), then save
Highlighter (Ctrl+H) — drop a marker-yellow highlight, drag it over the
text, resize with the corner handle, Delete to remove; saved as a real PDF
highlight annotation
Undo (Ctrl+Z) — reverses annotation placement/removal (inside a text box
it undoes typing)
Page surgery — right-click any page to extract it to a new PDF,
rotate it left/right, or delete it from the document
Append PDF — File → Append PDF... merges another PDF onto the end of the
open document
Save
Saving overwrites the original file (atomic temp-file replace), or use
Save As (Ctrl+Shift+S) to write a copy
> This applies a visual image of your signature. It is not a cryptographic /
> digital signature.
Signature ▾ → Signature setup... → pick your signature image (remembered
after this). No signature file? Sign a blank sheet of paper, take a photo, and
pick that — the paper background is removed for you.
Open a PDF (or drag one onto the window).
Signature ▾ → Place signature on page, position/resize/rotate it, then save.
Shortcuts
Open: Ctrl+O • Close tab: Ctrl+W • Save: Ctrl+S • Save As: Ctrl+Shift+S
Zoom in / out: Ctrl++ / Ctrl+-, or Ctrl + mouse wheel
CI builds (GitHub Actions)
PyInstaller cannot cross-compile, so each binary is built on its own OS via the
bundled workflow (.github/workflows/build-pdf.yml). Pushing a v* tag builds
all three binaries and publishes them to a GitHub Release
automatically; the workflow can also be run from the Actions tab to get
artifacts without a release:
Artifact
Contents
Inkstone-windows-installer
Inkstone-Setup.exe — installer with Desktop + Start Menu shortcuts
Inkstone-windows-portable
Inkstone.exe — portable, no install
Inkstone-linux
Inkstone-x86_64.AppImage — portable
Building locally
Linux AppImage
bash packaging/build_appimage.sh
# -> dist/Inkstone-x86_64.AppImage (chmod +x, then double-click)
Needs internet on first run (downloads appimagetool).
Windows portable .exe (build on Windows)
packaging\build_windows.bat
REM -> dist\Inkstone.exe (portable, double-click)
Windows installer (build on Windows)
Build the .exe first, then compile the installer with Inno Setup:
iscc packaging\inkstone_installer.iss
REM -> dist\Inkstone-Setup.exe (creates Desktop + Start Menu shortcuts)
Files
main.py — entry point, app icon
viewer.py — main window: tab host, toolbar, menus, sidebar, dark mode, navigation
document_tab.py — one open PDF per tab: render, navigate, zoom, sign, text, find, page surgery
