Although extremely easy to read, PDF documents are quite tricky to deal with when you need to edit them. If, however, you have the best PDF editor for Mac, making changes to the PDF file shouldn’t be complicated. In this article, we will focus on showing you how to edit a PDF on Mac.
Solution 1: Edit PDF Documents on Mac Using Preview
1Adding Content to the PDF File
If you would like to use a free PDF editor for Mac, Preview will be your best option. The Preview tool is available by default on macOS. The tool is as extensive as other PDF editors with the exception that it is incapable of editing the pre-existing text.
Its main benefit is that it does not require plugins or add-ins to enable editing – you will just need to open the file and start editing right away.
With the redaction feature, you will hide the sensitive text without through the hassle of printing the documents first. It is a very fast and efficient method of covering texts and images in PDFs with PDFelement Pro. The Best PDF Redactor to Redact Text in PDF PDFelement Pro for Mac - The Best Way to Redact A PDF File. With the redaction feature, you will hide the sensitive text without through the hassle of printing the documents first. It is a very fast and efficient method of covering texts and images in PDFs with PDFelement Pro. The Best PDF Redactor to Redact Text in PDF PDFelement Pro for Mac - The Best Way to Redact A PDF File. Download PDF Reader Pro - Lite Edition for macOS 10.12 or later and enjoy it on your Mac. PDF Reader Pro is a PDF powerhouse that will fulfill all your document needs. Building on solid features such as Annotation, Edit, Form filling, OCR, Convert, Create, Sign, Bookmark and protect your PDF files, PDF Reader Pro allows you to maneuver. Apple provides every Mac with Preview, a free program that allows you to read and edit PDF files (add and highlight text, combine PDF documents and transfer pages from one PDF to another, add a signature and comments). Edit and mark up PDFs with Preview. The experience of editing images with Preview is pretty intuitive. How to Redact a PDF online: 1. Click the button 'Choose File' to upload PDF file. Select the content that you want to hide and remove. Then click the 'Apply' button to save redaction changes. Click 'Download' to export and save redacted file.
To learn how to edit a PDF on Mac using the Preview tool, you will need to follow the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Open the PDF document with Preview.
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Step 2: Click View on the menu bar and then select the “Show Annotations Toolbar” (or “Markup Toolbar” if you are running Yosemite macOS or later).
Step 3: The fourth button from the right ofthe toolbar will allow you to add text to the document. Once you click thebutton, you can start typing new content to the PDF document.
Step 4: Most of the other editing tools offered by Preview will be available under Tools. To be able to strike through text, underline text, insert a note, etc. you will need to visit Tools > Annotate.
Note
2Merging PDF Files
Above,we have shown you how to add content to a PDF document. In some instances, youmay not want to add content but to merge several PDF files. This can beachieved quite easily via the Preview application. The steps below should showyou how:
Step 1: Open one PDF in the Previewapplication.
Step 2: Click View > Thumbnails. This willbring up the thumbnails for all the pages available on your PDF document.
Step 3: Tap on Edit > Insert > Page fromfile and then open a different PDF document.
Step 4: Choose a destination for the updatedPDF document and save it.
3Rotate, Rearrange, and Delete the Pages Inside a PDF
Sometimes,you may not like how the pages appear in your PDF document. With Preview, youcan edit the pages and make them appear exactly as you want them. To do this,you will need the following steps:
Step 1: Open the PDF document in Preview.
Step 2: Navigate to View > Thumbnails.
Step 3: To rotate a page, select the page’sthumbnail > go to Tools > and then choose Rotate Right or Left.
Step 4: To delete the pages you have on your PDF document, select the Thumbnail for the page you would like to delete > choose Tools from the menu bar > select Delete.
Step 5: To rearrange the pages, simply dragthe pages around in the sidebar.
4How to Add a Signature on PDF Using Preview
Ifyou would like to add a signature without having to print the PDF document,this can be achieved via the Preview. All you will have to do is follow thesteps below:
Step 1: Open Preview and then go to the iconthat looks more like a scribble. Choose Create Signature.
Step 2: A window should appear where you should be able to use the trackpad or the virtual notepad to create the signature. Using either a stylus or your finger, simply draw the signature and then tap any key once you are done.
Step 3: To actually add the Signature to adocument, open the document > select the scribble icon > choose thesignature you created in step 2 above. The signature should appear in a textbox.
Step 4: Drag the signature to the right area,resize it if needed, and then click anywhere else on the document for the boxto disappear, leaving behind the signature.
Solution 2: Use Quick Look to Edit PDF on Macbook Air/Pro
If you are using Mojave MacOS version, your computer may not need a third-party PDF editor for Mac – you can simply use the Quick Look. Quick Look is basically a great tool that allows you to open the preview of anything without the need to launch the software associated with the file.
To learn how to edit a PDF on Mac using the Quick Look, you will need to follow the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Locate the PDF document you would liketo edit.
Step 2: Select the document and then hit theSpacebar.
Step 3: After pressing the Spacebar, a previewof the PDF document should appear on your screen. To the top-right of thepreview, locate the pencil icon and click on it.
Step 4: The editing tools should appear onyour screen. The tools will include a drawing tool, shapes, and in the thirdlocation, a tool that allows you to add text. Click on the third tool to starttyping into the PDF document.
Step 5: Once you hit the text tool, you shouldsee a box with the word Text inside. Move the box to your preferred position onthe document and start typing what you would like to add to the PDF file.
Step 6: By default, the text may be red in color. To change the text appearance, choose the drop-down box beside the A and select different text sizes, colors, and font.
Step 7: Once you are done with editing the PDF document, hit the Done button to save your changes.
Solution 3: Using PDF Expert
Thisis a third-party application. Unlike solutions 1 and 2, to use solution 3, youwill have to install PDF Expert on your computer. While the tool does have afree trial version, it is not entirely free. The limited features available onthe free trial version will eventually force you to upgrade to the paidversion.
Thetool does have a wide range of PDF editing features. Whether you want to fix atypo or simply add a couple of zeros to your invoice, you can use PDF Expert.To learn how to edit a PDF on Mac using PDF Expert, you will need to follow thesteps below:
Step 1: Download PDF Expert on your computer (you can get it here: pdfexpert.com).
Step 2: After installing the tool, open thePDF document you would like to edit in the application. To do this, select thePDF document > right-click on it > Choose Open with > select PDFExpert.
Step 3: Once the document opens in the PDF Expert, tap Edit on the toolbar and then select Text item.
Step 4: Select a fragment of the text youwould like to edit.
Step 5: Make changes to the text and thenclick on the blank space to implement the changes.
Solution4: Use PDFpen
This is another third-party tool that you can use to make changes to your PDF document. The PDF editor for Mac features an intuitive toolset that makes the editing much easier. The tool will let you set up the PDF document with watermarks, line numbers, footers, headers, bookmarks, and page numbers.
You can also add signatures, edit existing content, add new content and add images to the document. With the tool, you can easily copy and paste rich content into the PDF document while retaining the formatting.
Howto Correct Text Using PDFpen
Step 1: Download and install PDFpen on your Mac computer (you can download the tool here: https://setapp.com/apps/pdfpen).
Step 2: Open the desired document in theapplication.
Step 3: Highlight the text you would like tocorrect in the PDF document and then click the Correct Text option.
Step 4: Erase the current text and then typethe new desired content.
Howto Insert and Edit an Image Using PDFpen
Step 1: After launching the PDF document inPDFpen, choose the Insert icon and then select the image you would like to addto the document.
Step 2: Move and/or resize your chosen imageby dragging it around inside the PDF document.
Step 3: To add some effects or to adjust animage, you will simply need to double click it.
Summary
Although editing a PDF document may not be as easy as editing a Microsoft Word document, it is still doable. This article shows you free and paid tools you can use to edit the PDF document on Macbook.
The tools you will find on your macOS by default will not have the ability to edit pre-existing content – they are more effective when it comes to filling forms. If your goal is to change the pre-existing content, you may want to invest in a paid third-party tool.
Most of the paid tools do have a free trial version which lets you ensure that they do work before you can go ahead and pay for them. But if you want to edit PDF on Windows computers, all you need is this free PDF converter PDF WIZ.
PDF is a great format for distribution and sharing of files, you can open it, print it, even copy text from it, but the major downside, of course, is that you can't edit PDF files easily and freely once it’s been created. In this case, a free PDF Editor for Mac is extremely useful as it allows you to edit and re-master PDF documents. Here we have rounded up several best free PDF Editor for mac that everyone should try, you can choose the one fits your needs from the list according to information covered in the following parts.
All-in-One Mac PDF Editor and Manager
- Edit PDFs: crop, add text/shape, sign, comment, annotate, underline, strikethrough, etc
- Convert native PDF to 13 formats (Word, PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages, ePub, etc.)
- Create PDF from Word, PowerPoint, ePub, CHM, etc.
- Merge and split PDFs
- Encrypt and decrypt PDFs
- Compress PDFs
- Extract image from PDFs
Part 1. Best Free PDF Editor for Mac---Desktop Freeware
Foxit Reader for Mac
Foxit Reader for Mac is a free PDF editor for mac, fast and lightweight. PDF users may be quite familiar with Foxit, the leading PDF software developer to offer PDF solutions. With Foxit PDF Reader for mac, users can view, highlight, add bookmarks & comments,search and protect PDFs for free. Even, you can convert PDF to cPDF with this free PDF Editor for mac.
Preview
Your Mac comes with Preview, which is adequate for reading and managing PDF files, even doing some editing: It’s basically a limited PDF editor on mac for free, and there’s no download required! But if you've run the gamut (no pun intended) with what you can do with Preview, you're probably in need of something a bit more sophisticated.
With Preview, you can zoom, split, merge PDFs, add highlights and notes, rotate, add bookmark, protect PDF, and export to other editable formats.
Skim
Skim is a PDF reader and note-taker for OS X. Most of the major features you need are covered by Skim including: adding and editing notes, highlighting important text, making snapshots for easy reference and navigation using table of contents or thumbnails, with visual history.
Part 2. Best Free PDF Editor for Mac---Web-based Service
PDFescape
PDFescape is an online PDF reader and editor. You are also allowed to create fillable pdf forms, protect pdf files with this free service. All you need to use is a JavaScript enabled web browser.
PDF Filler
PDF Filler is another web-based free PDF Editor for mac and Windows users to manipulate PDF online. It supports multiple ways to upload PDF files into its server for free editing, such as URL, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive. Users are allowed to view, highlight, sign, add images, search PDF for free.
PDF Buddy
PDF Buddy is another online site that allows users to edit and manipulate PDF files. Features include the ability to add text, to annotate, to insert images and signatures, even split and merge PDF files.
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Notes: Also, you can use Jotform to edit PDF online if you need extra recommendation. Online PDF Editor is easy to use, just follow the user-friendly interface to edit your PDFs. You are not recommended to upload complicate and confidential PDFs for editing.
Part 3. Things You Need to Know about Free PDF Editor for Mac
Although we have listed the best free PDF editors for Mac, they may fall short of PDF users' expectation in one way or another. Free PDF editor for Mac is able to finish the basic work and costs free, but it has some nonnegligible drawbacks. Check the following reasons that why you should ditch the free PDF editor for Mac and seek out a new solution on how to edit pdf.
- Some free PDF editors for Mac are not powerful enough, so you have no ways to open the PDF files in big size.
- When you try to handle the PDF files in some free tools, you may find the handwriting is blur and bewildering.
- Some free Mac PDF editors are not fluid, thus the screen might get stuck.
- For all I know, free online PDF editors are not particularly safe, you may have the opportunity to encounter the virus and receive junk mails.
Part 4. Extended: Best PDF Editor for Mac
Of course, when it comes to professional Mac PDF Editor for mac, the best-known tool is Adobe Acrobat, and no wonder: Adobe Systems created the PDF standard. However, Acrobat is not so affordable for many PDF users, and not all of its features needed to be frequently used. But since PDF is an open format, other Adobe alternatives which are considerably cheaper also allow you to edit PDF files.
Cisdem PDFMaster for Mac
Cisdem PDFMaster comes with a full set of tools you need to edit, convert and manage PDF files on Mac as easy as in a Word processor. It basically meets all your needs to process a PDF on mac. By simply dragging and dropping PDF files, you can manage single or multiple PDF files at the same time, which makes the PDF editing and management highly efficient and extremely easy.
Main Features of Cisdem PDFMaster
- Basic PDF Editing features: crop, add text or shape; annotate, comment, highlight, sign, etc.;
- Convert PDF to 13 formats: Word, PowerPoint, Keynote, Pages, ePub, HTML, RTFD, Text and Image;
- Create PDF from Word, PowerPoint, ePub, HTML, CHM, Image and so on;
- Merge and split PDFs;
- Compress PDFs;
- Encrypt PDFs;
- Decrypt PDFs;
- Extract image from PDFs;
- Support batch process PDFs;
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Choose Your Best PDF Editor for Mac
| Ranking | PDF Editor | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cisdem PDFMaster | View, edit, convert, create, sign, annotate, highlight, merge, split, compress, encrypt, decrypt, extract image; |
| 2 | Foxit Reader for Mac | View, highlight, add bookmarks & comments,search and protect PDFs |
| 3 | Preview | Read, split, merge, highlights,annotate, encrypt, compress and export to several editable formats |
| 4 | Skim | Read, highlight, edit note |
| 5 | PDFFiller | View, highlight, sign, add images/note/date, search PDF |
| 6 | PDFescape | Read, edit, encrypte, fill out forms |
| 7 | PDFBuddy | Edit,add text, annotate, sign, split, merge |
Final Words
Free PDF editor for mac is a real work, but when taking performance and security into consideration, they may disappoint you. If you need some of the additional features that come with the product and/or have a business operation that handles a lot of PDF documents, paid PDF Editor for Mac is the best choice. What did you go with? Let me know in the comments.