Edit Pdfs Mac Free

Get PDF editor with OCR

Likewise, you will be recommended to use online, free PDF tools like PDFEscape or PDF Buddy to edit PDF on mac for free, however, they don’t support editing PDFs, you can view, annotate, draw, sign or manipulate the PDF pages, but to edit the PDF text or others, these online, free PDF tools won’t help, even you can not directly fill out a PDF. Solution 1: Edit PDF Documents on Mac Using Preview 1 Adding 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. Online PDF Editor for Mac & Windows. Each user knows that it takes a lot of time to find the appropriate freeware for their operating system. After the search, you should install it on your computer without the clear certainty that it’s secure and doesn’t contain viruses. Tool to edit PDF files for free, in your browser.

PDFpen lets you change anything about your PDF docs.

You can't escape them — PDFs are everywhere, especially in the workplace. Although convenient to read, PDFs can be tricky to deal with if you just need to make quick changes to the text, sign a form, or send a file through a size-restrictive platform.

With a default PDF reader like Preview on the Mac, finding a certain word in the PDF is difficult and editing a document can be almost out of the question. Without knowing which tools to use, it will be very hard to make changes to a PDF document. Fortunately, there are plenty of PDF apps to help you get the editing job done.

You can use PDF Search to search for specific document, information, facts, or figures. This would come in particularly handy if your PDFs are very long. To pore through your PDF in batches or to scan through long files, open the app and type in a search word or phrase in the search bar. Even if you misspell a word, PDF Search's artificial intelligence feature will make an effort to understand what you mean and help you find exactly what you're looking for.

Tools to Edit PDF Documents

By now, if you don't know how to modify a PDF document, you may be left behind. Good news is taking control of your PDF files is not rocket science — whether they be for home or work, you just need the right set of tools in place to cover your everyday requirements.

To help you alter PDF documents, there are a few apps with such useful features as adding comments, filling and signing agreements for your business, removing sensitive information, and compressing large files to allow for easier sharing. Stop agonizing over how to edit PDFs and try a few of the powerful applications mentioned below. You may want to redact your PDF documents, like edit typos or add different images, but how do you go about doing so?

Grab the best PDF editor

A perfect toolkit that allows you to rotate, combine, highlight, annotate, and change anything about your PDF. Easy squeezy.

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. We've created a quick guidance for you to instantly find what you're looking for.

How to type on a PDF, add text and notes

Open the PDF in Preview and try to add text by clicking on the target text field. If it doesn't work, you'll have to add a new text or note field:

  1. Select Tools > Annotate > Text/Note.
  2. Click on the text/note box that appears in your document and start typing.
  3. Close the box by clicking outside it. You can move the note/text field anywhere via drag and drop.
  4. To customize fonts or color of text, select View > Show Markup Toolbar > A.

Highlight text in a PDF

To activate the highlight mode in Preview, select the Highlight button in the top right corner. Click on the down arrow next to the Highlight button to change color, or choose an option to underline or strikethrough.

When switched on, highlights will be applied to any text you click on. You can switch it off by clicking on the same Highlight button.

To view notes and highlights in the PDF, select View > Highlights and Notes.

Combine multiple PDFs

  1. To merge PDF files, open one PDF in Preview.
  2. Select View > Thumbnails to see the thumbnails of all pages.
  3. Click on Edit > Insert > Page from file and open another PDF.
  4. Choose destination and save the updated file as PDF.

Rotate, delete, rearrange pages, and renumber pages inside a PDF

You can cut pages out or change the order of pages in a few steps via thumbnails:

  1. Open a document in Preview.
  2. Navigate to View > Thumbnails.
  3. To rotate, click on a page thumbnail > Tools > Rotate Left or Right.
  4. To delete pages in a PDF, select thumbnail > Tools > Delete to remove a page from your PDF.
  5. Rearrange by dragging pages around in the sidebar.

To change page numbering, you can use PDFpen editor. When you open a file, go to Edit > Headers, Footers, Page numbers > Insert. From there, you can customize the position and format of page numbers as well as define a starting page.

Split PDF files

To separate pages in a scanned PDF, simply drag the page you want to remove from the thumbnails pane to desktop. If needed, you can combine those pages into a separate PDF file afterwards.

How to reduce PDF size

You can compress your PDF in Preview while exporting the doc. Once you're done with editing, select File > Export. Click on Quartz Filter to open the pop-up menu > Reduce File Size.

Apart from Preview, you can use a scanning application like Prizmo app to create easily searchable PDF files out of paper-based images like brochures, books, or posters. This app lets you scan and recognize any photo documents to make them editable. You can even take a photo of a physical document on your phone, and finish editing on your Mac.

To make corrections or rewrite some text within the original file with editable text blocks, try PDFpen. Also you can use it to highlight, draw, scribble on the document.

Edit any PDF on a Mac

To correct text with PDFpen:

  1. Open the desired PDF document within the application
  2. Highlight the text within the PDF and click Correct Text
  3. Erase the current text and type the desired changes

To insert and edit an image in PDF:

  1. Click on 'Insert' icon and choose an image you want to add
  2. Move and/or resize the image by dragging it around inside the PDF
  3. Double clicking an image lets you adjust it or add some effects
  4. You can also delete pictures and drop new ones

You can also edit images by converting them into PDFs with Prizmo. With powerful OCR, Prizmo app instantly captures text and makes it fluid and editable.

To create a PDF from an image with Prizmo, use the following steps:

  1. Click the plus icon in Prizmo
  2. Find your source in the drop-down menu
  3. Select an image that you'd like to convert to PDF and click Add
  4. Click Recognize in the top right corner or toggle Text mode in View.
  5. Editable text will appear on the right side of the window.

Add comments and annotations to a PDF

Free

To help yourself with extra notes or annotations, you can add comments directly onto a PDF. Comments can be useful to readers when you want to provide extra information about certain parts of the document.

To add text using Preview app:

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert text.
  2. Go to 'Tools,' click on 'Annotate,' select 'Text,' and start typing.
  3. To change the font, size, or color, go to 'View,' click on 'Show Markup Toolbar,' and press A.
  4. You also can move the text box anywhere on the document.

A regular PDF viewer app won't let you attach comments to specific areas on a PDF, so you need to use an editor like PDFpen to do that. This app allows to add comments to PDF files with highlights, sticky notes, a freehand drawing. Annotations are useful because you can embed them into the file without being too distracting for a reader. You can also use the markup tools to add shapes around important areas of the PDF and underline things to remember.

To comment and make notes on PDF:

  1. Click on the Comment (cmd+8) or on the Notes (cmd+7) on the
  2. Tap on the area of the document where you want the comment or note to appear
  3. Type in the comment or note area field
  4. Drag the comment or note text box to the desired area on the document

Fill and sign PDF forms (e-sign)

Printing documents just to sign them and scan them back can be frustrating and time-consuming. Many of us don't even have printers anymore. But luckily with e-signatures, there's no need for all that.

Now you can easily add your signature to digital forms and documents in macOS. Whether you're looking to have a new client sign an agreement, a tenancy contract, or any other PDF form, e-signature will save you time (and ink).

To sign a document using PDFpen:

  1. Scan your signature and save it as an image file
  2. OR draw your signature right on a PDF with your trackpad, magic mouse, etc.
  3. Drag, resize and correct position the signature inside your PDF file.

To sign your PDF file with Preview app:

  1. Open the document you want to sign
  2. In main menu go to Tools > Annotate > Signature > Manage signatures
  3. To create signature tap to Click Here to Begin, draw your signature on the trackpad, press any key when finish, and then Done
  4. You can also scan your handwritten signature - write it on a piece of paper, hold to be visible to the camera, and Preview will draw a virtual signature.
  5. Choose the signature created to insert it into the document. Drag, resize and correct position of your sign like a regular image

Redact sensitive information from PDFs

Many of the PDF files on your computer may contain sensitive or personal information, leaving you at risk of becoming a victim to identity theft. For example, a PDF form could contain your tax information, credit card numbers, or other personal details that you don't want to share with third parties.

This is where PDF redaction comes in handy. Without an appropriate PDF editor like PDFpen, it can be very difficult to remove parts of the text you want to hide from a document. Redaction can remove a word or an entire line of text with a black box or empty white space.

Of course, if you don't want to use software to redact your PDF, you can always take a black marker to cross out any information from a printed sheet. To make your life easier, use the following steps to redact sensitive information.

To redact an entire section of a document:

  1. Within PDFpen, click Tools and select the rectangle tool
  2. Select the area of the text you want to redact
  3. Click Format and Redact Text-Block

To redact selected text:

  1. Under Tools select Text Tools
  2. Select the text you want to redact
  3. Click Format and Redact Text – Block

Compress and share a PDF

If you don't have a strong or reliable internet connection, it can be hard to send large PDF files to friends or colleagues. In order to upload large PDF files onto the cloud, send via email, or add them into size-restricted forms, you'll need an app like PDF Squeezer to help you compress the PDF file while keeping the original quality. You can rest easy that this process won't convert your PDF into a ZIP file.

To shrink your PDF resumes, applications, or visa-related documents for the web, use the following steps:

  1. Open PDF Squeezer
  2. Drag the PDF file you want to compress into the 'Drop Your Files Here' section
  3. At the drop-down menu, select your preferred dpi and image quality
  4. Click Save

With a built-in feature to send your PDF files to friends, clients, or colleagues, it makes sharing your compressed documents super easy. Click Share to send your file via text, email, or other options.

Get a collection of PDF instruments

In a single package, download a bunch of useful PDF tools, each of which complements the other's functionality. Give it a try!

So with the use of a few apps, you'll easily be able to create, search, and share PDFs all while saving time and frustration by being able to directly make changes to your documents, add notes, or remove personal information with redaction. Best of all, Setapp can help you do all of the above and features every app you can use to increase your PDF productivity. You can try the apps mentioned here at no cost along with over 150 other high-quality macOS apps.

Setapp uses cookies to personalize your experience on our website. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our cookie policy.

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
Free Download

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.

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.

  1. Some free PDF editors for Mac are not powerful enough, so you have no ways to open the PDF files in big size.
  2. When you try to handle the PDF files in some free tools, you may find the handwriting is blur and bewildering.
  3. Some free Mac PDF editors are not fluid, thus the screen might get stuck.
  4. 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

Edit Pdf Mac Freeware

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;

Free Download​

Choose Your Best PDF Editor for Mac

Edit Pdfs Mac Free Download

RankingPDF EditorFeatures
1Cisdem PDFMasterView, edit, convert, create, sign, annotate, highlight, merge, split, compress, encrypt, decrypt, extract image;
2Foxit Reader for MacView, highlight, add bookmarks & comments,search and protect PDFs
3PreviewRead, split, merge, highlights,annotate, encrypt, compress and export to several editable formats
4SkimRead, highlight, edit note
5PDFFillerView, highlight, sign, add images/note/date, search PDF
6PDFescapeRead, edit, encrypte, fill out forms
7PDFBuddyEdit,add text, annotate, sign, split, merge

Final Words

Edit Pdf File Mac Free

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.