The built-in tools on your MacBook Air can handle most PDF edits without extra software
Your MacBook Air comes with Preview, an app that opens PDFs by default and lets you make changes directly: add text, draw, highlight, sign documents, and rotate pages. For straightforward edits like marking up a form or adding your signature, Preview is free and already on your machine. If you need to reorganize pages, merge multiple PDFs, or make changes that Preview cannot handle, you will need a different tool — but Preview covers the work most people do most of the time.
The steps differ depending on what you are trying to do. Adding text to a form looks different from signing a document, which looks different from highlighting text. This guide walks through the most common edits and shows you where to find each tool in Preview, plus when to look elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- Preview is built into every MacBook Air and can add text, signatures, highlights, and drawings to PDFs without installing anything.
- To edit text in Preview, click the text tool in the toolbar, then click where you want to add text and type.
- To sign a PDF, use the signature tool in Preview's markup toolbar — you can draw your signature with the trackpad or use your iPhone camera to capture a handwritten signature.
- Preview cannot reorganize pages, merge PDFs, or edit text that was already in the original document; for those tasks, you need a separate tool like Adobe Acrobat or a free alternative.
- If Preview's toolbar is not visible, press Shift + Command + A to open the markup toolbar.
Opening a PDF and finding the editing tools in Preview
Double-click any PDF on your MacBook Air and it opens in Preview by default. At the top of the window, you will see a toolbar with icons. If you do not see a toolbar with a pen, highlighter, and text icon, press Shift + Command + A to show the markup toolbar. This toolbar holds all the editing tools Preview offers.
The toolbar shows several icons in a row. From left to right, you will see a toolbox icon (which opens a menu of more tools), a pen for drawing, a highlighter, a magnifying glass for zooming, a text tool (looks like a capital A), and a signature tool (looks like a pen on a line). Each tool works the same way: click it, then click or drag on the PDF where you want to make the change.
Adding text to a PDF form or document
Click the text tool — it looks like a capital A in the toolbar. Then click anywhere on the PDF where you want to add text. A text box appears with a cursor blinking inside. Type your text. When you are done, click outside the text box to finish editing that section. You can add as many text boxes as you need.
The text you add appears in a box with a border. If you need to move it, click and drag the box to a new location. If you need to change the font size or color, right-click the text box and choose from the menu that appears. Preview's text editing is basic — it does not let you change fonts or add formatting like bold or italic — but it works for filling in forms and adding notes.
Highlighting, underlining, and drawing on a PDF
Click the highlighter tool in the toolbar, then drag across the text you want to highlight. The highlight appears in yellow by default. To change the color, right-click the highlight and pick a different color from the menu.
If you want to draw freehand on the PDF instead, click the pen tool and drag across the page. You can also use the toolbox menu (the first icon on the left) to find an underline tool, a strikethrough tool, or a circle tool for marking specific areas. Each tool works the same way: click it, then draw or drag on the PDF where you want the mark to appear.
Signing a PDF in Preview
Click the signature tool in the toolbar — it looks like a pen on a line. A menu appears asking you to create a signature. You have two options: draw your signature using the trackpad, or use your iPhone or iPad to capture a handwritten signature with the camera.
If you draw with the trackpad, a small window opens. Use your finger or a trackpad gesture to write your name, then click Done. If you use your iPhone, make sure it is on the same Wi-Fi network as your MacBook, then click the iPhone option. Hold your phone's camera over your handwritten signature and tap to capture it. Either way, your signature is saved and you can use it again on future PDFs without redrawing it.
Once your signature is created, click on the PDF where you want it to appear. The signature is placed at that spot. You can drag it to move it or resize it by dragging the corner handles.
Rotating pages and deleting pages in Preview
To rotate a single page, right-click the page in the thumbnail panel on the left side of the Preview window and choose Rotate Clockwise or Rotate Counterclockwise. To rotate all pages at once, go to the Tools menu at the top and select Rotate. To delete a page, right-click it in the thumbnail panel and choose Delete.
These changes happen when ready and are saved to the file when you close Preview. If you want to keep the original PDF unchanged, save a copy first: go to File > Duplicate, then make your edits to the copy.
Saving your edits and exporting the PDF
Preview saves your changes automatically as you work. When you close the window, all your edits are saved to the original file. If you want to save a version with a different name or in a different format, go to File > Export As. You can choose to save it as a PDF, an image file (like JPEG or PNG), or other formats.
If you want to keep the original PDF untouched, use File > Duplicate before you start editing. This creates a copy with "copy" in the filename. Edit the copy instead, and your original stays the same.
When Preview is not enough: reorganizing pages, merging PDFs, and editing original text
Preview cannot reorganize the order of pages, merge multiple PDFs into one, or edit text that was part of the original document (as opposed to text you add in boxes). If you need to do any of these things, you need a different tool.
Adobe Acrobat Pro is the industry standard but costs money — a subscription is around $20 per month. Free alternatives include PDFtk (command-line tool, steeper learning curve), Coherence X (Mac app, one-time purchase), or online tools like ilovepdf.com or smallpdf.com (free but your file uploads to their servers). For most people, the free online tools are the easiest starting point if Preview does not do what you need. Test with a non-sensitive document first if you are uploading to an unfamiliar service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I edit text that was already in the PDF when I opened it?
No. Preview can only add new text in boxes; it cannot change or delete text that was part of the original document. If the PDF was created from a scanned image, the text is part of the image and cannot be edited at all. For editing original text, you need Adobe Acrobat Pro or a similar tool.
How do I merge two PDFs together?
Preview cannot merge PDFs. You will need to use an online tool like ilovepdf.com or smallpdf.com, or purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro. Some free Mac apps like Coherence X also offer merging, though they may cost a one-time fee.
What if the markup toolbar does not appear when I open a PDF?
Press Shift + Command + A to show the markup toolbar. If that does not work, go to the Tools menu at the top of the screen and select Annotate. If you still do not see the toolbar, the PDF may be locked or encrypted — try opening it in a different app.
Can I use Preview to fill out a form and save it as a filled PDF?
Yes. Add your text and signature using Preview's tools, then save the file. The filled version is saved as a PDF. However, if the form has interactive fields (boxes that highlight when you click them), Preview treats them as regular images and you cannot fill them in the normal way — you will have to add text boxes instead.
Does Preview work on older MacBook Air models?
Yes. Preview and its markup tools are built into all recent versions of macOS. If you are running macOS 10.12 or newer, you have access to the full set of editing tools described here.