Editing a PDF on a Mac is easier than many people think, because macOS includes Preview, a free app that can annotate, sign, fill out and rearrange PDFs. For most everyday tasks, you don’t need to buy extra software.
What Preview can do: open the PDF in Preview and click the Markup button (the pen icon) to show the toolbar. You can add text boxes, highlight and underline text, draw shapes and arrows, and add a signature captured with your trackpad, camera or iPhone. Preview also fills out interactive forms; just click a field and type.
Managing pages: choose View > Thumbnails to see all pages. Drag thumbnails to reorder them, select and press Delete to remove pages, and drag another PDF into the sidebar to merge files. Use Tools > Rotate to fix sideways pages. To compress a large PDF, use File > Export and choose the Quartz Filter “Reduce File Size,” though this can lower image quality.
When you need more: Preview can’t easily edit existing text in the original document, like rewriting a paragraph. For that, use the original source file if you have it, or an app with full PDF editing features, such as Adobe Acrobat or other PDF editors. You can also export a PDF to Word, edit it and export it again, though formatting may shift.
Quick tip for How to Edit a PDF on Mac: always keep a copy of your original file before converting, compressing or editing, and open the final PDF on a second device to confirm fonts, images and page order came through correctly.
Privacy note for How to Edit a PDF on Mac: avoid uploading sensitive documents, like tax forms or IDs, to tools you don’t trust. Built-in apps on your phone or computer handle most PDF tasks without sending your file anywhere.
For official help, visit Apple Support. Find free PDF editing, how to crop a PDF and remove pages from PDF guides on Minedit.