Preview is the built-in PDF editor on every Mac

Preview comes with macOS and can open, mark up, and edit PDFs without installing anything else. You do not need to buy software or sign up for a service. The tool sits in your Applications folder and handles the most common editing tasks: adding text, drawing, highlighting, rotating pages, and combining files.

Preview works best for straightforward edits — signing a document, adding notes, removing a page, or filling in a form. It is not designed for complex layout changes or extracting text from scanned images. If you need those features, you would reach for a different tool. But for everyday PDF work on a Mac, Preview is usually enough.

Key Takeaways

  • Open any PDF in Preview by right-clicking it, selecting "Open With," and choosing Preview from the list.
  • Click the markup toolbar icon (looks like a pen in a circle) to access drawing, text, signature, and highlighting tools.
  • Use the crop tool to remove unwanted edges or sections, and use the rotate tool to fix pages that are sideways.
  • Save your changes by pressing Command+S, or export as a new PDF using File > Export to keep the original unchanged.

Opening a PDF and finding the editing tools

Find the PDF on your Mac and double-click it. It opens in Preview by default. If it opens in a different program, right-click the PDF, select "Open With," and choose Preview from the menu.

Once the PDF is open, look at the top right of the window for a toolbar icon that looks like a pen tip inside a circle. Click it. A row of editing tools appears below the menu bar. These tools let you draw, add text, highlight, and sign. If you do not see this toolbar, go to Tools in the menu bar and select Annotate to turn it on.

Adding text and signatures to a PDF

Click the text tool (it looks like the letter "A") in the markup toolbar. Then click anywhere on the PDF where you want to add text. A text box appears. Type your text, and it stays where you placed it. You can drag the text box to move it, or click and drag a corner to resize it.

To sign a document, click the signature tool (it looks like a cursive line) in the markup toolbar. If this is your first time, Preview asks you to create a signature. You can draw one with your trackpad or take a photo of your handwritten signature. Once you have created it, click where you want the signature to appear on the PDF, and Preview places it there. You can resize it by dragging the corners.

Highlighting, underlining, and drawing on a PDF

The markup toolbar includes a highlighter, an underline tool, and a freehand drawing tool. Click the highlighter (it looks like a marker) and drag across text you want to highlight. The color defaults to yellow, but you can change it by clicking the color circle next to the tool.

The underline tool works the same way — click it, then drag under the text. The freehand drawing tool (it looks like a pen) lets you draw anywhere on the page. All three tools let you pick a different color before you use them. If you make a mistake, press Command+Z to undo the last action.

Rotating, cropping, and removing pages

To rotate a page that is sideways, click Tools in the menu bar, then select Rotate Left or Rotate Right. The entire page turns. If you only want to rotate one page in a multi-page PDF, select that page first in the sidebar on the left, then rotate it.

To crop a page and remove unwanted edges, click Tools, then select Crop. A rectangle appears on the page showing what will be kept. Drag the edges inward to remove the parts you do not want, then press Enter. The cropped area is removed permanently from that page.

To delete a page entirely, click it in the sidebar on the left, then press Delete. The page is removed from the PDF. If you delete the wrong page, press Command+Z to undo.

Combining multiple PDFs into one file

Open the first PDF in Preview. Go to File in the menu bar and select Open. Find the second PDF you want to add, but instead of double-clicking it, click it once and then click "Open." Preview adds it to the end of the first PDF as new pages.

You can repeat this process to add more PDFs. Once all pages are in one file, save it with File > Export as PDF. This creates a new combined PDF without changing the original files. You can also rearrange pages by dragging them in the sidebar on the left before you save.

Saving your changes without overwriting the original

When you finish editing, you have two choices. Press Command+S to save changes directly to the original PDF file. Or go to File > Export and choose PDF from the format menu. This creates a new PDF with a name you choose, leaving the original unchanged.

Exporting is safer if you are not sure about your edits or if you want to keep both versions. Saving directly overwrites the original, so use that only when you are certain the changes are final.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I edit text that is already in the PDF?

No. Preview can add new text on top of a PDF, but it cannot change or delete text that was already there. If the PDF is a scanned image, Preview cannot edit the text at all. For editing existing text, you need a different tool like Adobe Acrobat or an online PDF editor.

Why does my signature look blurry or pixelated?

Preview stores signatures at a fixed size. If you resize it very large on the page, it may look blurry. Try creating a new signature by going to Tools > Annotate > Signature > Manage Signatures, then delete the old one and create a new one with a steadier hand or clearer photo.

Can I add images or shapes to a PDF in Preview?

Preview does not have a built-in tool to insert images or shapes. You can draw shapes freehand with the drawing tool, but you cannot insert a photo or a geometric shape. If you need that feature, use a different PDF editor.

What happens if I close Preview without saving?

Preview asks you whether you want to save changes before it closes. Click "Save" to keep your edits, or "Don't Save" to discard them. If you accidentally click the wrong button, you cannot undo it after Preview closes.