Breeze PDF

How to Make PDF Editable on Mac Preview

April 30, 2025 8 min read

Editing PDF files can sometimes be a frustrating experience, especially if you're working on a Mac. While macOS comes with Preview, a default PDF viewer, its editing capabilities are somewhat limited. This article aims to guide you through various methods of making PDFs editable on your Mac, both with and without using Preview. We'll also introduce Breeze PDF as a valuable solution for advanced PDF editing needs.

Make PDFs Editable the Easy Way!

Use Breeze PDF to quickly convert and edit PDFs right in your browser. It's free and private!

Create Editable PDF Now →

Understanding PDF Editability on Mac

It's important to understand that the term "editing" can have different meanings when it comes to PDFs. Some users might simply want to add annotations or comments, while others need to modify the original text and images within the document. Preview allows for annotations, but it doesn't let you directly alter existing text like you would in a Word document.

Another factor to consider is whether your PDF is a scanned document. Scanned PDFs are essentially images of text, meaning you can't edit them without first converting them into editable text using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology. Understanding these limitations is key to choosing the right editing method.

Method 1: Using Preview for Basic PDF Editing (Annotations & Markups)

Preview, the built-in PDF viewer on macOS, offers basic editing functionalities through its Markup Toolbar. While it may not allow you to change original text, it provides tools for annotating and marking up PDFs. This can be sufficient for simple tasks like adding comments, highlighting text, or signing documents.

Accessing the Markup Toolbar

To access the Markup Toolbar, simply open your PDF in Preview. Then, click the "Show Markup Toolbar" button, which looks like a toolbox icon, located at the top right of the Preview window. This will reveal a range of annotation tools.

Explanation of Tools

  • Text Selection: Allows you to select text within the PDF for copying or highlighting.
  • Rectangular Selection: Enables you to select rectangular areas of the PDF.
  • Redaction Selection: Allows to redact specific sections of the pdf
  • Sketch: Lets you draw freeform sketches on the PDF.
  • Draw: Provides tools for drawing shapes and lines.
  • Shapes: Offers a selection of pre-defined shapes that you can add to the PDF.
  • Text: Adds a text box where you can type new text.
  • Highlight Selection: Highlights selected text.
  • Sign: Allows you to add your signature to the PDF.
  • Note: Adds a sticky note to the PDF.
  • Shape Style, Border Color, Fill Color, Text Style: Options to customize the appearance of your annotations.
  • Rotate: Rotate pages in the PDF.
  • Crop: Crop unwanted portions of the pdf
  • Form Fill: Helps in filling in form fields when available.

How to Add New Text Fields in Preview

To add new text to a blank area of your PDF in Preview, click the "Text" tool in the Markup Toolbar. A text box will appear, and you can type your desired text. You can then drag the text box to position it where you want it on the page.

After adding text, you can customize its appearance using the text style options in the Markup Toolbar. This includes changing the font size, color, and style (e.g., bold, italic, underline) to match the document's formatting or your personal preferences.

How to "Replace" Text in Preview (Workaround)

While Preview doesn't allow direct text editing, you can use a workaround to effectively "replace" text. First, use the "Shapes" tool to create a rectangle with a white fill and border. Position this rectangle over the text you want to replace, effectively whiteouting it.

Next, use the "Text" tool to add new text on top of the whiteout area. Adjust the font size, color, and style of the new text to blend in with the surrounding text. This method allows you to make subtle changes to the PDF's content.

Saving Changes in Preview

When you're finished making annotations, you have two options for saving your changes. To save the PDF with editable annotations, go to File > Save. This allows others to view and even modify your annotations later. If you want to "flatten" the annotations and make them a permanent part of the PDF, go to File > Print > Save as PDF. This creates a new PDF where the annotations are no longer editable.

Method 2: Converting PDFs to Editable Formats (Breeze PDF Solution)

If you need to fully edit the content of a PDF on your Mac, including modifying existing text and images, Breeze PDF offers a convenient solution. Unlike Preview, Breeze PDF allows you to convert your PDF into editable formats, giving you complete control over the document's content.

Breeze PDF can convert your PDF into various text-based file formats, such as .docx (Microsoft Word), and .txt files. This conversion process allows you to open the PDF content in a compatible editor and make the necessary changes. Breeze PDF operates directly in your browser, ensuring that your sensitive documents never leave your device. It's the only PDF editor that is 100% private and requires no sign-up!

Steps on using Breeze PDF to convert to Editable Formats on Mac:

  1. Go to the Breeze PDF website.
  2. Select the conversion tool.
  3. Upload your PDF file.
  4. Choose your desired output format (.docx, .txt, etc.).
  5. Download the converted file.
  6. Edit your PDF contents

Explore Breeze PDF to edit the content and information in a PDF with complete peace of mind!

Method 3: Using LibreOffice (Free Alternative)

LibreOffice is a free and open-source office suite that provides another way to edit PDFs on your Mac. Unlike Preview, LibreOffice Draw can directly edit the text and images within a PDF, making it a useful alternative for more extensive editing tasks.

Opening a PDF in LibreOffice is straightforward. Simply open LibreOffice Draw and then open your desired PDF file. LibreOffice will automatically parse the PDF and allow you to modify the text and images as needed, giving you a more comprehensive editing experience.

Once the PDF is open in LibreOffice Draw, you can update text, replace images, and change properties like text style, color, and annotations (highlight, underline). You can also navigate through the pages of the document using View > Page pane. However, keep in mind that formatting issues may occur with complex PDFs, and large files might take some time to load.

Method 4: Using Google Drive/Docs (Free Online Option)

For occasional use and for documents that do not contain sensitive information, Google Drive and Google Docs can be used to edit PDFs on your Mac. This method is particularly convenient if you need to make quick changes and don't have dedicated PDF editing software installed.

To begin, upload your PDF to Google Drive by clicking New > File Upload. Once uploaded, right-click on the PDF and select Open with Google Docs. Google Docs will then attempt to convert the PDF into an editable document, performing OCR processing automatically for scanned PDFs.

You can now edit the content in Google Docs as you would with any other document. Once you're finished editing, you can download the file in various editable formats by selecting File > Download as. Be aware that using Google Docs may lead to some loss of formatting or layout compared to the original PDF.

Method 5: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (Paid Professional Option)

If you already have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC installed on your Mac, it offers the most comprehensive PDF editing capabilities. This professional-grade software is designed for users who require advanced features and precise control over their PDF documents.

To edit a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, simply open the file and then go to Tools > Edit PDF. This will enable the editing mode, allowing you to directly edit the text and images within the PDF. For scanned documents, you can use Tools > Enhance Scans > Recognize Text to enable OCR.

After making your changes, you can save the file. You can also export the file to other editable formats, such as Microsoft Word, for further editing. Keep in mind that Adobe Acrobat Pro DC comes with a significant cost compared to the other methods discussed.

Basic Knowledge of PDF Editing (Why It's Difficult)

PDFs (Portable Document Format) are different from document files like Word (.docx) files. PDFs are designed primarily for consistent layout and viewing across different devices and operating systems, rather than for extensive editing. This is why editing a PDF can sometimes be challenging.

To edit a PDF effectively, you typically need dedicated PDF editing software or to convert the PDF to an editable format. There are various types of PDF editing software available, ranging from tools for simple annotations to those for comprehensive text and image editing, converting, and merging.

For scanned PDFs, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) is crucial. OCR technology converts the scanned image of text into actual editable text, allowing you to modify the document's content. This is an important consideration when choosing a PDF editing method.

Conclusion

Making PDFs editable on a Mac can be achieved through various methods, ranging from basic annotations in Preview to full content editing using dedicated software. The best method for you will depend on your specific needs, budget, and how frequently you need to edit PDFs.

For a user-friendly and comprehensive solution that respects your privacy, consider Breeze PDF. It allows you to convert PDFs to editable formats and make changes directly in your browser, without requiring any sign-up or downloads. Try out Breeze PDF today to experience hassle-free PDF editing on your Mac.