Preview is the fastest way to edit a PDF on Mac without buying software

Preview comes built into every Mac and can mark up, annotate, and make basic edits to PDFs without opening a separate program. You do not need to install anything or pay for a subscription. Open any PDF by right-clicking it, selecting "Open With," and choosing Preview — or straightforward double-click the file if Preview is already your default PDF viewer.

Preview handles the tasks most people actually do to PDFs: adding text boxes, drawing shapes, highlighting passages, signing documents, and rotating or deleting pages. It cannot reflow text or change fonts across an entire document, and it is not designed for heavy restructuring. For those tasks, you would need dedicated PDF software. But for marking up a contract, annotating a manuscript, or preparing a document for signature, Preview does the job without friction.

Key Takeaways

  • Preview opens PDFs when ready and lets you add text, shapes, highlights, and signatures without saving a separate file.
  • The markup toolbar appears at the top of the window and includes text boxes, drawing tools, highlighting, and a signature tool.
  • You can rotate, delete, or rearrange pages by opening the thumbnail sidebar and dragging pages into a new order.
  • Preview saves your changes directly to the original PDF file, so you cannot undo after closing the document — use File > Duplicate first if you need to keep the original.

Opening the markup toolbar and adding text

When you open a PDF in Preview, look at the top toolbar. Click the markup toolbar button — it looks like a toolbox icon, usually on the right side of the toolbar. A row of editing tools will appear below the main toolbar.

To add text to a PDF, click the text tool (the "A" icon) in the markup toolbar. Click anywhere on the page where you want to add text, and a text box will appear. Type your text, then click outside the box when you are done. You can resize the box by dragging its corners, and you can move it by clicking and dragging the box itself. The text stays in place on the page and becomes part of the PDF when you save.

If you need to change the text size or font, select the text box first, then look for the formatting options in the toolbar. Preview gives you basic control over font size and color, though the options are simpler than a word processor.

Highlighting, drawing, and adding shapes

The highlighter tool (marker icon) lets you mark passages in color. Click the highlighter, then drag across the text you want to highlight. You can change the highlight color by clicking the small arrow next to the highlighter icon and choosing a different shade.

The drawing tool (pen icon) lets you draw freehand on the page. This is useful for circling text, underlining, or adding visual notes. Like the highlighter, you can change the pen color and thickness by clicking the arrow next to the tool. The shape tool (rectangle or circle icon) lets you add boxes, circles, and lines — useful for framing important sections or creating diagrams.

All of these tools work the same way: select the tool, adjust the color or thickness if needed, then click or drag on the page. Your marks appear when ready and stay in place when you save the file.

Signing a PDF in Preview

Preview includes a signature tool that lets you sign documents without printing them. Click the signature icon in the markup toolbar (it looks like a pen on a line). A small window will open asking you to create or select a signature.

If this is your first time, you will see the option to create a signature. You can sign on your trackpad or use your iPhone or iPad camera to capture your handwritten signature. Once you have created a signature, it is saved and you can use it on any PDF. Click where you want the signature to appear on the page, and it will be placed at that location. You can resize it by dragging the corners.

Rotating, deleting, and rearranging pages

To work with individual pages, open the thumbnail sidebar by clicking the sidebar icon in the toolbar (it looks like two rectangles) or pressing Command-Shift-D. The left side of the window will show a thumbnail of each page.

To rotate a page, right-click its thumbnail and select "Rotate Clockwise" or "Rotate Counter-Clockwise." To delete a page, right-click and select "Delete." To rearrange pages, click and drag a thumbnail to a new position in the sidebar. These changes are saved to the file when you close the document.

Saving your changes and protecting the original

Preview saves your edits automatically to the original PDF file. When you close the document, all your markup, text, and changes are written to the file. This is fast and convenient, but it also means you cannot undo changes after closing.

If you need to keep the original PDF unchanged, create a copy before you start editing. Go to File > Duplicate, and Preview will create a copy with "copy" in the filename. Edit the copy instead of the original. You can also use File > Export As to save a version with a new name, though this takes an extra step.

When Preview is not enough

Preview handles marking up, annotating, and basic page editing well. It struggles with tasks that require changing the document structure: reordering large numbers of pages, extracting specific pages into a new file, or merging multiple PDFs into one. It also cannot edit text that is already part of the PDF — only add new text on top.

If you need to edit existing text, merge documents, or perform batch operations on many files, you will need dedicated PDF software like Adobe Acrobat, PDFtk, or a free alternative like Preview's limitations become clear. For most everyday tasks — signing contracts, marking up manuscripts, or annotating forms — Preview is faster and simpler than opening a separate process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo changes after I close a PDF in Preview?

No. Preview saves changes directly to the file when you close it. If you need to keep the original, use File > Duplicate to create a copy before editing, or use File > Export As to save a version with a new name before you make changes.

How do I change the color of my markup?

Select the tool you want to use (highlighter, pen, or shape), then click the small arrow or color button next to it in the toolbar. A color palette will appear. Choose your color, then explore the tool to the page.

Can I edit text that is already in the PDF?

No. Preview can only add new text boxes on top of the document. To change existing text, you need software like Adobe Acrobat or a dedicated PDF editor. Preview is designed for marking up and annotating, not rewriting.

How do I merge two PDFs in Preview?

Preview does not have a built-in merge function. You can open both PDFs and copy pages from one to another using the thumbnail sidebar, but this is slow for large files. For merging, use dedicated PDF software or a command-line tool like PDFtk.

What happens if I accidentally delete a page?

The deletion is saved when you close the file. If you have not closed the document yet, you can use Edit > Undo to restore the page. After closing, the change is permanent unless you kept a backup copy.