PDFs are an essential tool for businesses, schools, or anyone who wants a digital copy of any document. With aplethora of PDF programsout there now, it’s also incredibly easy to make changes to those files. However, the quickest and easiest way to edit a PDF on a Mac is with Preview.
Here are some tips on how to edit a PDF on your Mac, and some of the most common things you will want to change.
Add or remove pages
Adding or removing pages is pretty simple in Preview. To add a page, just follow these instructions:
Step 1:Open the PDF you want to edit, then hitEditin the menu bar.
Step 2:Scroll down toInsert, and then select eitherBlank PageorPage from File.
Step 3:SelectingBlank Pagewill do exactly what it says. It inserts a blank page after the current page you are on, so ensure you place it correctly. If you selectPage from File, the Finder window will pop up. Then, just select the file you want to add, and it will insert it as the page after the one you are currently on.
Removing pages is a bit more complicated but still relatively simple. To remove a page, simply:
Step 1:Open the PDF you want to edit, and clickViewin the menu bar (right next to theEditbutton).
Step 2:Go toView > ThumbnailsorView > Contact Sheet, and click.
Step 3:View > Thumbnailswill pull up a thumbnail view of every page on the right of the preview.View > Contact Sheetwill hide the preview to show a thumbnail of all the pages. Either way, select the page you want to remove, and pressDeleteon your keyboard. you’re able to also clickEdit > Deletein the menu bar.
you’re able to also use these views to rearrange PDF pages. Just click and hold over a page in the thumbnail view and drag it to the location you want it to be.
Add your own writing
Adding your own writing is crucial for signing documents and making quick notes within a PDF. Luckily, this is pretty simple to do in Preview. To add your own writing:
Step 1:ClickToolsin the menu bar, and scroll down toAnnotate.
Step 2:A submenu will appear. Head down to the very bottom, and selectSignature.
Step 3:If you have a signature saved already, it will appear here. If not, clickManage Signaturesto create a new one. You can create a signature by scrawling one on your trackpad, taking a picture of your signature on a white piece of paper with your webcam, or writing the signature on your iPhone.
Step 4:Once you select or create the signature, it should appear on the PDF, and you’re able to drag and drop it wherever it needs to go.
You can also make annotations directly on the PDF. You can do that by following the steps above and choosing the specific actions you want to take. For instance, instead of clickingSignature, you can chooseHighlight Textat the top of the submenu.
A more straightforward way is right on the Preview window itself.
Step 1:Look in the top-right corner of the Preview window, and find thePencilicon (with a line beneath it).
Step 2:Click on thePencilto activate annotations. Click on theDown Arrowto the right to select highlight colors as well as whether or not you want strikethrough or underlined text.
Step 3:Hover your mouse over the text you want to annotate, then click and drag. Preview will apply the changes instantly.
Step 4:To turn off Annotations, just click thePencilicon again.
If you are looking for more on how to edit a PDF in Windows or another program, we have anarticle on that. For more advice on the Mac, check out thebest MacOS appsyou can get right now.
