Top 5 Ways to Edit PDF Mac Files

At some point or another, we’ve all been tasked with editing a PDF. Sometimes, it’s as easy as clicking a few buttons, but other times, it can be downright frustrating.

It helps to have the right tools and resources at your disposal. This is especially the case if you’re performing this task on an Apple computer.

Editing a PDF Mac file doesn’t have to be complicated. Today, we’re sharing five simple techniques to Edit PDF. 

Edit a PDF Mac File in Preview

Mac computers have a built-in tool made just for opening a PDF file. It’s called Preview. If your document includes editable features, such as text boxes for your name and address, then you can complete those tasks directly inside the Preview app. 

In addition, you can also use Preview to perform the following tasks:

• Add a digital signature to a document
• Highlight text within a document
• Rotate specific pages in a document
• Add text, shapes, or drawings to a document
• Redact or remove specific pages in a document

To add your information to an editable field, simply click on that box. Once you’ve entered your text or checked the applicable boxes, you can go to File: Save to save your changes. 

Use QuickLook

Mac also has another feature that allows users to edit and review their PDF. It’s called QuickLook, and you can use it to edit your PDF without even opening it up in Preview!

To use this tool, find the folder that contains the PDF file you want to edit. Then, press the space bar. This will display a dropdown menu that includes a few different options. 

Click the symbol that looks like an icon and says “Show Markdown Toolbar”. From there, you will have access to a variety of different editing tools that allow you to make changes to the document. These include:

• A shapes tool
• A drawing tool
• A text tool

When you click on the text box tool, a new box will automatically appear with the word “Text” inside of it. You can double-click inside the box to add your own text instead. If you need to make changes to the type, color, or size of the font, then look for the large “A” icon to see a drop-down menu of choices. 

You can reposition your text box anywhere on the PDF that you prefer. Once it’s in the right spot, be sure to save your changes.

Use the Notes App

As a Mac user, you’re already familiar with your machine’s built-in Notes App. This is an excellent way to jot down things to remember, and then organize those thoughts by date of entry.

Did you know there’s a similar feature in your PDF Preview tool? You can use it to highlight certain areas of text in your document (such as a sentence that contains a mistake), and then leave a comment for others to see.

This tool is especially helpful if you’re editing a PDF as part of a greater document management system within your company. If several different employees are sharing a document back and forth, it’s important to understand who is making each annotation. With this software feature, you can do so. 

To find the tool, highlight the text you want to change, and look for the square icon on the PDF toolbar. It has three lines inside of it. When you click it, you’ll see a yellow box appear near the area you’ve highlighted, and you can add your comments.  

Resize Using Integrated Tools

Another PDF editor resource that you might need is a compression tool. These come in handy when your PDF is simply too large to send to a recipient or edit on your own. 

You can access Adobe’s built-in compression by clicking “File” and then “Save As”. This will open a new dialogue box. At the bottom of the box, you’ll see a prompt that says “Quartz Filter”. When you click it, you’ll see a few different options including:

• Blue tone
• Black and white
• Lightness decrease
• Reduce file size
• Sepia tone
• Gray tone

Click “Reduce File Size” and then save your changes. As a result, your file will now be accessible at a much smaller size than before. This makes it easier to share between users and ensures it doesn’t take up too much space or memory on your own machine. 

Use a Third-Party PDF Editing Tool

Sometimes, it’s easiest to edit a file or document by using a third-party tool. Thankfully, there are a few different ones on the market that are designed to make this task easier.

You can find instructions here on how to navigate some of the most common editing apps on the market. Each one has a range of different features so be sure to read the full descriptions, as well as pros/cons and user reviews, before making your selection. 

This guide also shows you step-by-step instructions on how to make different types of changes to a PDF file on your Mac, so it’s a good one to keep handy.

Edit PDF Mac Files With Ease

If you’re responsible for editing a PDF Mac file, then it’s easy to get overwhelmed. This is especially the case if the edits are substantial and time-consuming in nature. You don’t want to spend too much time on this task, but it needs to be done. 

With the right tools, you can take much of the guesswork out of this process. Use the five tips above to streamline and simplify your editing approach, and you’re one step closer to fine-tuning your PDF to perfection. 

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