How to Edit a PDF on Mac in 2023

Audrey Goodwin

2023-04-27 09:40:32 • Filed to: PDFelement for Mac How-Tos Articles • Proven solutions

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Looking for a cost-efficient PDF Editor to help you edit PDF on Mac? Are Adobe Acrobat DC or Adobe Acrobat X Pro for Mac too expensive for your budget? We've got good news for you: there are other options on the market that let you edit PDF on Mac without breaking the bank. So, wondering how to edit a PDF on Mac? If you want a cheaper alternative to Adobe Acrobat, there are much more cost-effective options on the market, including PDFelement for Mac. This program lets you edit PDF on macOS Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, and Big Sur.

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What can I use to edit a PDF on a Mac?

In general, when you open a PDF file on Mac without any third-party software, it will open with Preview, a default application in the MacOS system, which allows you to view the file and make some annotations on PDF. However, if you need to edit text, image, or some other elements in PDF, Preview cannot achieve them. To look for a powerful PDF solution, choose a proper PDF editor is one of the best ways to edit a PDF on Mac. So here are two ways to edit PDF files on mac for you.

Part 1. How to Edit PDF File on Mac with PDFelement

Below are a few simple steps to help you edit PDF documents in macOS. This is how you edit a PDF file with PDFelement.

Step 1. Open PDF Files

Open your PDF file with PDFelement. Select the "Open" button on the Home window and select the PDF file you want to open, or drag and drop the PDF files into the home screen to open it.

Step 2. Edit PDF Text on Mac

After the file is open, click the "Text" button in the toolbar to enable editing mode. If your PDF file is a scanned file or image-based file, you'll need to perform OCR before editing it. Here are more details about how to edit scanned PDFs on Mac.

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• To move PDF text: select the text you want to move, and the text block around it will be automatically selected. You can then drag the text block and move it to the desired position.
• To modify PDF text: double-click the text so the cursor is inside the text box. You can then type or delete text as needed.
• To add PDF text: click the "Add Text" button in the toolbar, and click on anywhere you want to add text to the page. A dotted text box will appear, and you can start typing new text.
• To delete PDF text: select the text you want to remove, and then press the Delete key.

Step 3. Edit Images in a PDF File on Mac

Similar to editing text, you can also click the "Image" button in the top toolbar to edit PDF images:

• To insert images into a PDF file: click the "Add Image" button in the toolbar. A pop-up window will appear. You can browse for and select a local image from your Mac to insert into the document.
• To move images within a PDF file: after you enable the editing mode, click on the image to drag it and move it to the position that you want to place it in.
• To crop images: click the image to select it, and click the "Crop" option on the top menu. Drag the blue box around the image to select a portion of the image to crop.
• To rotate images: click the image to select it, and click the "Rotate" icon on the top menu. You can continuously click the "Rotate" button to change the orientation of the image into your desire position.
• To extract images: select the image and tap on the "Extracting" button on the top menu. Then you can select a folder to save the extracted image.

Step 4. Add Markups to PDF on Mac

When you need to annotate your PDF, you can make use of the markup tools that will be useful. Click on the "Markup" button on the left menu bar. You'll then see all of the options on the below toolbar.

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• To highlight PDF text: click on the "Highlight" icon, and then select the text content you want to highlight. You can change the highlight color on the right side menu.
• To add a sticky note: click on the "Sticky Note" button, and then click on the area where you want to place the sticky note to insert it.
• To use other annotation tools: you'll find other annotation tools on the menu bar, such as "Underline", "Pencil", "Shapes", "Stamp" and so on. Simply select and apply your desired annotation.

Step 5. Export PDF after Editing on Mac

Load a PDF file in this PDF Editor for Mac tool. Click the "File" > "Export To" > "Word" in the toolbar. If your PDF file is scanned or image-based you'll need to perform OCR. Hit the "Save" button, and the conversion process will be completed in seconds. You can then open the converted word document and edit the content directly.

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If you're a Windows user, you can download the Windows version of PDFelement to edit PDF files on a Windows PC. The main interface of the Mac version of PDFelement is a little bit different from that of the Windows PDF Editor. If necessary, read the guide to learn how to edit PDF in Windows.

Part 2. How to Edit PDF Files in Mac with Preview

Preview is another option for editing PDF files on Mac. Below, we'll outline the steps for how to edit PDFs with Preview. However, if your PDF file is a scanned file or image-based PDF file, Preview will not be able to help you edit it.

Step 1. Edit PDF Text with Preview

Open your PDF file in Preview, and then click on the "T" icon on the menu bar. A new text box with appear. Now you can add PDF text to the file. You can also go to "Tools" and click on "Text Selection". There you can select the text and right-click to copy it.

Step 2. Add Annotation to PDF with Preview

You can also insert annotations into PDF files using Preview. Click the "Note" icon on the menu bar. Then click on the location within the PDF where you want to insert a note. Now you can insert comments into the text box to add the annotation. You can also drag your mouse to create the required annotation.

Shapes and signatures are also available on Preview. Click on "Tools" and then select "Annotate". There you can see all of the annotation tools on the menu. Choose the one you need to insert into the PDF document.

Part 3. How to Edit a PDF on Mac with QuickLook

Through the QuickLook tool, you can edit your PDF files on your Mac. To do so, you must follow the steps that I will show you below:

Step 1: Open QuickLook

Select the PDF file you want to edit and press the space bar to open QuickLook.

Step 2: Activate the toolbar

Click the pencil icon on the top left corner, and the toolbar will appear.

Step 3: Use edit tools

Now you can see the toolbar. You can use some features to edit your PDF file, such as the sketch tool, add forms, magnifying tool, text tool, etc.

Part 4. How to Modify a PDF on Mac with LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free office suite that is used by millions of users on a daily basis. Among all its options is to edit PDFs, to do so you just have to do the following:

Step 1: Import PDF file

Open LibreOffice and select the file you want to edit.

Step 2: Edit PDF

There are dozens of tools that will allow you to edit your file, choose the ones that fit your needs.

Part 5. How to Edit a PDF on Mac with PDF Toolkit+

You can also make use of a simple application that can help you accomplish simple tasks like splitting pages, compressing, extracting, concatenating, and so on. This procedure is effortless. You just have to do what I will show you next:

Step 1: Open PDF Toolkit+ and edit the PDF file

Run PDF Toolkit+ and drag and drop the PDF file you want to edit. Select the tool of your choice to edit the document and then save it.

Part 6. How to Edit a PDF on Mac with Notability

Notability is a well-known application because it allows you to make all kinds of annotations on files, including PDFs. But it also has other options that will allow you to edit the content. To do this, you only have to do the following:

Step 1: Open your PDF file and edit it

Open your PDF file on Notability and use the different tools like highlight, add text, add notes, erase, and others.

Part 7. How to Edit PDF on Mac Online Free

If you are not looking to download an application, there is also an online option: HiPDF, a powerful online tool that will allow you to edit your PDFs in many ways. You will only have to do this to accomplish this task:

Step 1: Go to the HiPDF website

Go to https://www.hipdf.com/, and from the options, click “Edit PDF.”

Step 2: Edit your PDF file

There are some tools that you can use to edit your document. Just click the one you want to use.

Part 8. How to Convert a PDF to an Editable File Format for Mac

If you want to use professional software, there is nothing better than PDFelement. This application will help you edit the content of your PDF as you wish, thanks to its powerful features. Next, I will show you how easy it is to edit PDF files through this fantastic program:

Step 1: Open your PDF file and click the “Edit” section

Run PDFelement and open the PDF file you want to edit. Then click the “Edit” tab on the upper part of your screen. You can see several tools that you can use; just click the one that fits your needs, and you will be able to modify the content of your file.

Conclusion

It is elementary to find options to edit your PDF files; each offers specific advantages that will help you achieve what you want. However, the most complete and reliable option is PDFelement, thanks to the large number of editing tools it contains, in addition to its easy and practical interface that will allow you to fulfill what you require quickly and efficiently.

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!

Buy PDFelement right now!

Buy PDFelement right now!

Audrey Goodwin

chief Editor

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