How to Edit PDF on Mac: Simple Steps for Beginners

authorPic

By Jenefey Aaron

2025-01-16 / PDF Editor

Rate now!

Editing a PDF on Mac is a task many users encounter, especially in professional or academic settings. While PDFs are known for their reliability and consistent formatting, making changes to them often seems challenging.

Luckily, Mac users have access to several free and simple ways to edit PDFs. In this guide, we explore how to edit PDF on Mac, built-in solutions and third-party tools that make PDF editing on a Mac a breeze. If you're searching for reliable methods, keep reading to learn more.

Part 1. Does Mac Have a Built-In PDF Editor

Yes, every macOS comes with a built-in tool for filling and signing PDFs. The default tool varies depending on your macOS version—some Macs may use Quick Look, but most rely on the Preview app.

Preview provides features to add text, underline, strike through, highlight existing text, insert shapes, and add comments to your PDF. It also allows you to add or remove pages. While Preview is ideal for simple edits or signing PDFs, more advanced edits, such as modifying existing text, may require additional tools for better functionality.

Part 2. How to Edit PDF on Mac Freely

If you need more than what Preview offers, PDNob PDF Editor is a fantastic choice. This robust software supports over 100 PDF editing options, empowering users to seamlessly edit text, modify or insert images, add watermarks, and manage links and backgrounds effortlessly.

It also allows users to combine, split, and protect PDFs, making it an all-in-one solution for document management. Whether you're looking for simplicity or advanced functionalities, PDNob PDF Editor adapts to your needs, offering a user-friendly interface and a free trial to explore how to edit PDF on mac.

Key advantages

  • Comprehensive Features: Edit text, images, watermarks, links, and backgrounds.
  • PDF Management: Combine, split, and protect PDFs with ease.
  • User-Friendly Interface: Designed for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Advanced Security: Protect sensitive PDFs with robust encryption options.
  • Cross-Platform Support: Available on both Windows and Mac for versatile use.

Steps to Edit PDF on Mac Freely

  • Open PDNob PDF Editor, then load your PDF by clicking “Open PDF” or dragging the file into the workspace.
  • open pdnob pdf editor software
  • Click the “Edit” button on the top toolbar, then select the text you want to modify. A text box will appear, allowing you to change the text, font, style, size, and color.
  • edit pdf mac with pdnob pdf editor
  • To add new text, click “Add Text” under the “Edit” section and place it where needed.
  • To insert images, click the “Add Image” button and choose the image file to edit PDF on Mac freely.
  • edit pdf on mac freely with pdnob pdf editor

Part 3. How to Edit PDF on Mac Preview

Preview is a built-in Mac app that allows basic PDF editing. It is not just a basic viewer; it offers a range of editing tools that allow you to annotate, highlight, and even rearrange pages in your PDF documents. Here’s how to edit PDF documents in Preview Mac:

How to Edit PDF on Mac

  • Open the PDF in Preview

    To start, double-click the PDF file you want how to edit PDF file on mac. It should open in Preview by default. If it doesn’t, right-click the file, selects Open With, and chooses Preview from the list.

    open in preview by default
  • Enable the Markup Toolbar

    Activate the Markup Toolbar to access editing tools. Click the pencil-shaped Markup icon in the main toolbar or navigate to View > Show Markup Toolbar. This toolbar includes tools for adding text, shapes, highlights, and annotations.

  • Add Text to the PDF

    Click the Text tool (T icon) from the Markup Toolbar, then click anywhere in the PDF to add text. You can type directly into the text box that appears and drag it to reposition as needed.

    access editing tools
  • Highlight, Underline, or Strike Through Text

    Use the text selection tool to select the text you want to modify. From the toolbar, choose to highlight, underline, or strike through the selected content to emphasize or mark changes.

    choose to highlight
  • Insert Shapes and Annotations

    To annotate your PDF, click the Shapes icon in the Markup Toolbar and choose from options like rectangles, circles, or arrows. Drag and resize these shapes as needed, and customize their color or line style using the available options.

    click the shapes icon
  • Add a Digital Signature

    Click the Sign icon in the Markup Toolbar and follow the prompts to create or insert your signature. Once added, you can drag the signature to place it in the desired location on the PDF.

    click the sign icon
  • Save Your Edited PDF

    After making your changes, save the document by going to File > Save. This ensures all edits are updated in the original file.

    save the document

Editing Options in Preview

swiper icon Please swipe to view
Features
Description
Add Text
Insert new text anywhere in the document.
Highlight/Underline
Emphasize or underline important text.
Strike Through
Mark text as no longer relevant.
Insert Shapes
Add rectangles, circles, arrows, and more to annotate the document.
Add Comments
Attach notes or comments to specific sections.
Add a Signature
Digitally sign your PDF file.
Reorganize Pages
Rearrange pages by dragging them in the thumbnail view.
Delete Pages
Remove unwanted pages from the PDF.

Part 4. How to Make Changes to a PDF on Mac Preview

Preview also supports more specific PDF editing tasks. Here’s how to make changes to a PDF on mac, images, add signatures, and annotate PDFs using Preview.

1. How to Edit Text in PDF on Mac

  • Open your PDF in Preview.
  • Click the Text Tool in the Markup Toolbar.
  • Select the text area you want to edit.
  • Modify the text or add new content.

2. How to Edit Images in PDF on Mac

  • Open the PDF in Preview.
  • edit images in pdf preview
  • Click the Markup Toolbar and choose the Image Tool.
  • Insert, resize, or delete images as needed.

3. How to Add a Signature to PDF on Mac

  • Open your PDF in Preview.

  • Click the Signature Tool in the Markup Toolbar.

    add a signature to pdf preview
  • Create a signature using the trackpad, camera, or saved signature.

    Drag and drop the signature into the desired location to add signature to PDF on Mac.

4. How to Annotate a PDF on Mac

  • Open your PDF in Preview.
  • Select the Annotate Tool from the Markup Toolbar.
  • annotate a pdf preview
  • Highlight text, underline, or add comments to the document.

Conclusion

Editing a PDF on Mac doesn’t have to be complicated. With tools like Preview and PDNob PDF Editor, you can efficiently make changes to your documents. While Preview is sufficient for basic tasks, PDNob PDF Editor offers advanced features like text reflow, watermark management, and batch processing.

Whether you’re a student, professional, or casual user, these tools ensure your how to edit PDF on Mac meet your needs. For the best experience, we highly recommend trying Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor today.

Speak Your Mind

Registrer/ Login

then write your review

Related articles

All topics

Tenorshare PDNob

AI-Powered PDNob PDF Editor

Smarter, Faster, Easier PDF Editor Software

AI-Powered PDNob PDF Editor

Edit & enhance PDF with Al