You have finished typing your CV, closed the tab, and now need to change a date. Without an account, the question is where you saved the editable version. Here is a complete workflow for creating, keeping, and updating a CV without registering.
The short answer
Use the editor without registration, add your own details, and download the PDF. Before closing the tab, save a browser draft or download a portable JSON draft. The PDF is ready to send; the JSON draft preserves the Folio data for later editing.
See the worked exampleWorked example: move an editable CV to another device
Imagine Alex writes a first CV on a library computer and wants to finish it at home. Saving only the PDF keeps the finished document, but not the exact editable data. Saving only a browser draft leaves that draft on the library computer. The useful handoff is a portable draft plus a PDF to review.
In the editor, choose Download draft and keep the JSON file in a private location you control. On the other device, use Restore draft and inspect the entries before making changes. This is a file transfer you choose; Folio does not synchronise the two devices. Keep the downloaded files separate from any browser copy you remove.
Gather the details before choosing a design
Open a short note with your contact information, job and course dates, useful links, and a few examples of your work. Keep these facts separate from the polished wording. You can improve a sentence later; it is harder to remember a placement date halfway through an application.
Choose a role or type of opportunity to aim at. A general CV can be a useful working document, but the version you send should make your relevant experience easy to find. Leave out information the employer does not need, such as private identification numbers.
Start a blank CV or bring your own document
Use the free CV maker to create a blank document or import a text-based PDF or DOCX. Imports are a starting point for editing: compare names, dates, job titles, and section placement against the original. Complex columns and tables can require corrections.
If you have no previous CV, use the no-experience builder to begin with education and projects near the top. Empty sections do not need filler. Add a relevant project or activity where it gives evidence of a skill you want to show.
Choose a layout after the content starts to take shape
A plain design such as Clarity gives you an easy place to start. Write your profile, experience, and education before spending time adjusting colours. You can switch between the free templates without retyping your details.
Read the preview as a stranger would. Check whether the role, employer, and dates are easy to tell apart and whether a long paragraph should become two shorter points. Use the built-in review to find incomplete entries, then review the wording yourself.
Save an editable copy before closing the tab
Without an account, there is no online profile to sign back into. Folio keeps current edits in the tab until you choose to save a browser draft. That saved draft belongs to this browser on this device; another computer will not automatically have it.
Browser storage has limits: MDN explains that private-browsing storage is cleared when the last private tab closes, and browser settings can prevent storage altogether. Download a portable JSON draft for a separate editable copy, especially on shared or temporary devices. Keep the file private and restore it when needed; the PDF is the version to send.
- Save a browser draft deliberately.
- Download a portable draft for a separate backup.
- Keep a named PDF for each application.
Download the actual PDF and open it
Review every preview page, then download and open the PDF. Check links, spelling, contact details, and the final lines on each page. Folio exports an A4 PDF without a watermark or payment step. Follow a different file-format requirement if the employer gives one.
The National Careers Service recommends consistent presentation and another reader's spelling and grammar check. Use that review alongside the CV checklist. Registration-free editing does not remove the need to proofread or save a reusable source file.
Before you close the tab
- Open the downloaded PDF and confirm it contains your latest changes.
- Save a browser draft or download a portable JSON draft for future edits.
- Keep your backup in a private folder you can find again.
- On a shared device, remove a browser draft after keeping your own copy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I edit my CV later without an account?
Yes, if you save a browser draft or download a portable JSON draft. A PDF alone is not the editable Folio draft.
Does no signup mean my CV is automatically saved?
No. Saving is your choice. Save or download a draft before closing the tab if you want to keep editing later.
Which file should I send to an employer?
Send the requested application format, usually the finished PDF when PDF is accepted. The portable JSON draft is an editing backup, not the CV attachment for an employer.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on . Examples are fictional; practical suggestions are Folio's own application of the guidance.