Buzz
PDF is a widely used document format that works on any platform, whether it's Windows, macOS, or even iOS. However, editing PDF files seems to be quite challenging and not simple at all.
What is PDF?
PDF format was developed and created by Adobe in 1993, and is a solution for sharing documents across different operating systems without losing formatting or quality. Until today, PDF remains a popular format used for printing documents.
Using Preview to Edit PDF Files on Mac OS
Apple's Preview app is integrated into macOS. When mentioning the Preview app, you may immediately think of its feature to quickly view documents that other users send to your email. However, this utility has many other features that you may not know about, including the ability to edit PDF files on Mac OS.
To use Preview to edit PDF files on Mac OS, first, open the PDF file in the app. To do this, find the PDF file you want to open in Preview, right-click on it (or press the Ctrl + click mouse combination), then select Open with =>Preview.
At this point, the document window will be displayed on the screen, access the icons at the top right corner of the screen and select the icon similar to a toolbox.
Perform the above operation to activate the Markdown Toolbar, where there are options to edit PDF documents on Mac OS.
Insert Text into PDF File
One of the most useful features of Preview is that users can insert text into forms. To do this, click on the icon with the letter T in the box. A text box will appear on the screen, move to the position where you want to insert text and enter text into it.
If you want to change the font, font size, or text color, on the options in the toolbar, you find and click on the icon of the letter A leaning to the right to open the standard formatting options.
Create a PDF Signature
If you wish, you can also create a signature in Preview. Access the icon resembling a cursive letter and select Create Signature.
A new window will appear on the screen, where you can use the trackpad as a virtual notepad, or use your finger or pen to create a signature. After you finish, you can press any key.
If you make a mistake, simply click on the Clear button and try again. After completing, click on the Done button and your signature will be saved in Preview, you can use that signature to add to documents anytime.
Insert Signature in PDF
To insert a signature, click on the icon resembling a cursive letter again, then click on the signature you created and the signature will appear in a text box on your document.
Drag the signature to where you want it, you can resize the signature if needed, then click on any other position on the document, the text box will no longer be displayed, only your signature.
Copy Text in PDF
Sometimes in certain cases, you may want to copy text from one document to another, however copying text in a PDF file can be confusing.
Preview is one of the top choices to do this. The first icon on the toolbar with the uppercase letter A allows you to select text. Click on that icon, then select and highlight the text you want to copy, right-click on it to display the Copy option.
Here you will also see the Strikethrough feature used to create annotations on PDF files, for example, if you are collaborating and working with other users on a PDF file. You will also find a square icon with a diagonal line inside on the toolbar.
Create Notes in PDF
In addition to the above features, Preview also integrates a useful Notes feature to create notes on PDF files. This feature simply allows you to select an area on the document, such as a faulty or incorrect text, mark that area, and create a note to inform your colleagues or to create a reminder for yourself.
To access Notes, click on the icon with a square and 3 horizontal lines inside. This action will create a yellow box in the area you have marked.
Your next task is to enter text into that yellow box to create a note, then click on another part of the document and your note will appear in the yellow square box on the document.
Whenever you want to view the content of a note, simply click on the note and it will expand and display all the note content.
Create Shapes
In addition to the ability to create notes, Preview also has the ability to create shapes that you can use to highlight areas you want to emphasize.
Click on the square and circle icon on the toolbar, and choose any shape you want from the menu.
The shape you choose will be displayed on the document, you can move and resize it until you feel it fits by dragging the edges or sides of the shape you selected.
Preview is an efficient and powerful PDF editing application on Mac. In addition to the features above, Preview also has some other features. If you want, you can take the time to explore all the features of Preview, in this article Mytour only mentions and introduces to you some outstanding features only.
Use specialized apps to edit PDF files on Mac OS X
The amazing features of Preview cannot be denied, helping you edit PDF files on Mac OS X quickly. However, if you want to edit PDF files more professionally, you may consider using specialized apps to edit PDF files on Mac OS X. The app that Mytour wants to mention here is PDF Element 6 for Mac.
PDF Element 6 is developed to support creating, editing, and annotating PDF files. The application can automatically adjust text and use OCR to convert paper documents or scanned paper documents into editable PDF files, as well as the ability to create interactive forms on Microsoft Word documents and a variety of other features.
If you regularly use or create PDF files, PDF Element 6 is definitely what you need. PDF Element 6 is available for trial, you can try it out and experience whether the application meets your requirements. PDF Element 6 is priced at $59.95 USD (approximately £45) for a single license.
In addition to using PDF Element 6 to edit PDF files, another way to edit PDF files on macOS is to use Foxit Reader. Foxit Reader is a free cross-platform tool so you can easily edit PDF files on any device, operating system. You can download Foxit Reader for Mac here
Also, to create, merge PDF files on Mac, you can refer to the article: Create, merge, split PDF files on Mac here
