How To Edit a PDF on Mac

Mar 13, 2024
10 min
4013 views
how to edit pdf on mac

Looking for ways to edit PDF on Mac? Whether you're dealing with personal or professional documents, we've got you covered. Discover the top methods for modifying your PDF files online and offline. With technological advancements, we're fortunate to have various options, including PDF editor tools.

Four ways to edit PDFs on Mac

Quality and efficiency are paramount for all of us. We want our documents to maintain their original quality without costly and time-consuming procedures. Below, you'll find methods available for your PDF editing needs.

Preview. This built-in image and PDF viewer for macOS offers a simple way for users to view a variety of file formats. It also provides some editing capabilities.

Additional software. You can download extra software on your Mac to edit PDF files and manage your tasks effectively. Be attentive to the description provided on the developers’ side.

Online editors. You have an Internet connection, and that’s more than enough. Plenty of editors let you easily tweak your documents while keeping their layout intact. PDF Guru, for instance, boosts your efficiency, allowing you to get more done with less effort.

Pages. It’s a robust application for word processing and page layout designed for macOS users.

How to edit a PDF on Mac in Preview

Beyond serving as a simple viewer for images and PDFs, the indispensable Preview tool on your Mac comes equipped with several powerful features of a basic PDF editor. Filling out forms and combining PDFs are just a few things you should try with this tool. However, while Preview doesn't allow you to edit PDF text — a highly requested feature — it does enable you to add new text. Below, we'll guide you through the steps to do so.

How to edit a PDF on Mac in Preview

Add/edit text in a PDF in Preview

  1. 1

  2. To open a PDF with Preview on Mac, double-click the document. If Preview doesn't open automatically, click on the PDF file, select Open With, and you’ll see Preview.
  3. 2

  4. Click the Show Markup Toolbar button.
  5. 3

  6. Click on the textbox icon.
  7. 4

  8. Input the text.
  9. 5

  10. Drag it to the preferred place in your PDF.
  11. 6

  12. Select the Aa button to work with font options.

Convert PDF in Preview

  1. 1

  2. In the File section, choose Export.
  3. 2

  4. Choose the desired format: JPEG, PNG, PSD or TIFF.

Annotate PDF in Preview

  1. 1

  2. Click the Note icon that looks like a notebook.
  3. 2

  4. Position the mouse where you want the comment arrow to point, then click.
  5. 3

  6. Type the required annotation.
  7. 4

  8. Click Enter.

What can and can't Preview do as a PDF Editor?

What Preview Can DoWhat Preview Can't Do
Add new text and edit it
Edit existing text in a PDF
Add comments
Add links to your text
Fill out and sign forms
Create new PDFs
Add a password for document security
Compress PDF file size
Merge PDF files and transfer pages between them
Edit images within the PDF
Convert to and from PDF (for a limited number of formats)

Still, sometimes, users have bigger needs in terms of document editing. Luckily, PDF Guru offers a broader range of features compared to Preview. We stand for enhancing workflow efficiency and catering to those looking to edit PDF online.

How to edit PDFs using PDF Guru

Looking for a hassle-free way to edit PDF files? Whatever request the user has, our team is doing its best to implement powerful editing capabilities. Meanwhile, let’s discover some PDF Guru functionalities.

How to edit text in a PDF on a Mac

  1. 1

  2. Log in to your PDF Guru account.
  3. 2

  4. Choose Edit PDF in the toolbox.
  5. 3

  6. Click the + button or drag & drop your PDF file into the upload area. Our system will automatically redirect you to the content editor.
  7. 4

  8. Select Edit Text in the toolbar menu.
  9. 5

  10. Now you can work with font style, its size, and positioning.

How to edit text in pdf

How to edit images in a PDF

  1. 1

  2. From the toolbar menu, choose Edit Object.
  3. 2

  4. Among the options provided, click on Image.
  5. 3

  6. Now, you can select an image in your PDF.
  7. 4

  8. You’ll see the image editing panel on the right with all the tools — use them however you like.

How to edit image in pdf

How to annotate a PDF on Mac

  1. 1

  2. Select More Tools in the toolbar menu.
  3. 2

  4. Choose Note.
  5. 3

  6. Position the cursor where you want to leave the annotation, then click to confirm.
  7. 4

  8. Input the text in the box in the panel on the right.

how to annotate pdf

How to sign a PDF on Mac

PDF Guru offers you three ways to sign your PDF file:

  1. 1

  2. Choose Sign from the toolbar menu.
  3. 2

  4. Click Create Signature.
  5. 3

  6. Now you can choose whether you want to Draw Signature, choose Type to input your signature as text, or select an Image file from your computer.
  7. 4

  8. Check the box at the bottom if you want to save your signature.
  9. 5

  10. Then go to Create and Use and place it where you need.
  11. 6

  12. Click the checkmark to approve, or choose the cross to delete your signature.

how to sign pdf on mac

How to delete a page from a PDF on Mac

  1. 1

  2. Go to Pages tab in the left sidebar.
  3. 2

  4. Click on the thumbnail of the page you want to delete.
  5. 3

  6. Choose Delete Page.

how to delete page in pdf

How to save PDF on Mac from PDF Guru

  1. 1

  2. After you’re finished with editing, click Done in the top right corner.
  3. 2

  4. Choose the format you want to download your file in.
  5. 3

  6. Voila! Your document is now downloaded to the computer; check the download history.

how to save pdf

Final thoughts

Whatever your PDF editing needs are, PDF Guru is here to help you out. And we mean it; in case you have any questions, reach out to us by email: support@pdfguru.com.