The fastest way to remove pages from a PDF on Mac

The built-in Preview app on your Mac can delete PDF pages without installing anything else. Open the PDF in Preview, click the sidebar icon in the toolbar (it looks like two rectangles), select the pages you want to remove, and press Delete. The changes save to your file when ready unless you choose File > Revert to keep the original.

If Preview doesn't open your PDF by default, right-click the file, select "Open With", and choose Preview. You can also drag the PDF directly onto the Preview icon in your Dock.

This method works for any PDF on your Mac — whether it's a scanned document, a form you filled out, or a multi-page file you downloaded. You don't need to convert the file or use a different format.

Key Takeaways

  • Preview's sidebar view shows thumbnail images of every page, making it straightforward to see which ones to delete before you remove them.
  • You can select multiple pages at once by holding Shift and clicking, or Cmd and clicking individual pages.
  • Deleted pages are gone permanently unless you undo the action when ready or revert to the last saved version of the file.
  • If you want to keep the original PDF unchanged, use File > Duplicate first, then delete pages from the copy.

Opening the sidebar to see all your pages at once

When you open a PDF in Preview, the sidebar may not appear by default. Look at the top toolbar and find the icon that looks like two overlapping rectangles — this is the sidebar toggle. Click it, and a panel will open on the left showing thumbnail images of every page in your PDF.

The sidebar is essential because it lets you see which pages you're about to delete. Thumbnails are small, but they're large enough to recognize content like headers, images, or page numbers. If the thumbnails are too small to read, you can drag the divider between the sidebar and the main document to make the sidebar wider.

If you don't see the sidebar icon in the toolbar, go to View in the menu bar and select "Thumbnails". This opens the same sidebar view.

Selecting one page or multiple pages to delete

Click once on a page thumbnail in the sidebar to select it. The page will highlight in blue, and the main document will jump to show that page. To delete just that one page, press the Delete key on your keyboard.

To select multiple pages, hold down Shift and click the first page you want, then click the last page you want. This selects every page between them. If the pages you want to delete aren't next to each other, hold Cmd (Command) and click each page individually. You'll see all of them highlight in blue. Then press Delete to remove all selected pages at once.

You can also right-click a selected page and choose "Delete" from the menu that appears, though the Delete key is faster.

Saving your changes or undoing them

Preview saves changes to your PDF automatically. As soon as you delete pages and close the file, those pages are gone from the saved version. If you realize you deleted the wrong pages, press Cmd+Z when ready to undo — this works as long as Preview is still open and you haven't closed the file yet.

If you've already closed Preview, you can still recover the original file if you haven't emptied the Trash. Find the PDF in your Trash, right-click it, and select "Put Back" to restore it to its original location with all pages intact.

To be extra safe before deleting pages, use File > Duplicate to create a copy of the PDF with a different name. Then delete pages from the copy and keep the original untouched. This way you always have a backup if you change your mind later.

What to do if Preview won't open your PDF

Some PDFs are locked or encrypted, which prevents Preview from editing them. If you try to delete a page and nothing happens, or if you see a message saying the document is locked, the file has protection on it.

You have a few options. First, try opening the PDF in a different process — many free PDF readers on Mac can handle locked files. Search the App Store for "PDF editor" or "PDF reader" and look for apps with good reviews. Some are free; others charge a one-time fee or monthly subscription.

If the PDF is locked with a password, you'll need to enter the password before you can edit it. The person who sent you the file should provide the password. If you created the PDF yourself and forgot the password, you may not be able to unlock it without specialized software.

Using other Mac apps if Preview doesn't work for you

If you prefer not to use Preview or need more control over your PDFs, several other applications on Mac can delete pages. Automator, which comes free with every Mac, can delete pages from multiple PDFs at once if you want to process several files. Open Automator, select "New Document", choose "Quick Action", and search for "PDF" to see the available actions.

Paid options like PDFpen or PDF informed offer more features — you can rearrange pages, add annotations, and edit text — but for straightforward page deletion, Preview does everything you need.

Web-based PDF tools exist, but they require uploading your file to the internet. If your PDF contains sensitive information, using Preview keeps the file on your computer where it stays private.

Organizing your PDF after deleting pages

Once you've removed the pages you don't need, consider renaming the file to reflect what's in it now. If you deleted blank pages or cover sheets, a name like "contract-final" is clearer than "contract-draft-v3". Use File > Export As to save the PDF with a new name if you want to keep both versions.

If you're managing multiple PDFs, create a folder for each project or category. Put the cleaned-up versions in one folder and keep originals in another if you think you might need them later. This makes it much easier to find the right file when you need it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a deletion after I've closed Preview?

Not through Preview itself. Once you close the app, the changes are permanent unless you haven't emptied your Trash. Check your Trash folder for the PDF, right-click it, and select "Put Back" to restore the original file with all pages. If you've already emptied Trash, the file is gone for good.

What if I only want to delete certain pages from the middle of a long PDF?

Use Cmd+Click to select non-consecutive pages in the sidebar. Click the first page you want to delete, then hold Cmd and click each additional page. All selected pages will highlight in blue. Press Delete to remove them all at once, and the remaining pages will shift together automatically.

Does deleting pages from a PDF reduce the file size?

Yes, removing pages makes the PDF smaller because there's less content to store. The exact size reduction depends on what's on those pages — a page with large images takes up more space than a mostly-text page. You can check the file size by right-clicking the PDF and selecting "Get Info".

Can I delete pages from a PDF that's password-protected?

Not in Preview if the file is locked for editing. You'll see a message saying the document is locked. You can try opening it in another PDF app, or if you have the password, some applications will let you unlock it first. If you created the PDF and forgot the password, you may need specialized software to remove the protection.

What's the difference between deleting pages and just hiding them?

Preview deletes pages permanently — they're removed from the file and the file size shrinks. Some PDF apps let you hide pages instead, which keeps them in the file but doesn't display them. For organizing files, deletion is cleaner because the unwanted content is actually gone, not just hidden.