How to edit a PDF on a Mac

Preview covers a surprising amount of PDF editing on a Mac: text boxes, shapes, highlights, redaction and a signature. What it cannot do is alter the text already on the page, and that is the distinction that decides which tool you need.

The built-in way on a Mac: Preview

  1. 01

    Open the PDF in Preview and click the Markup toolbar button (the pen tip in a circle), or choose View → Show Markup Toolbar.

  2. 02

    Use the Text tool to add a text box, the Shapes menu for boxes and arrows, and the Highlight tool to mark passages.

  3. 03

    Drag any added element to move it; use the Style and Colour menus in the toolbar to change it.

  4. 04

    Choose File → Save. Preview saves in place, so work on a copy if you want the original unchanged.

Where it falls short

  • Existing text cannot be edited, only covered or added to.
  • Added text boxes are annotations, which some viewers render differently or not at all.
  • There is no undo history after the file is saved and closed.

Do it in the browser instead

The same Edit PDF tool as the main page, running in Safari or Chrome on a Mac. Nothing is installed and the file is processed on your device.

Processed in your browser. This file never leaves your device.

  1. 01

    Open the PDF

    Open the tool in Safari or Chrome on your Mac and choose the file, or drag it from the Finder straight onto the page.

  2. 02

    Pick a tool

    text, highlight, box, freehand or image

  3. 03

    Download the result

    Click Download. The edits are written into the page content, so they look the same in every viewer.

Preview or the browser tool?

 PreviewPDF Spree
CostFree, built inFree, no account
Text stays selectableYesYes
File leaves your deviceNoNo — processed in the browser
Works on other devicesNo, this platform onlyYes, any modern browser

Edit PDF on a Mac: questions

The same task on other devices

More PDF tasks on a Mac

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