Editing your PDF files should not be an issue because of the many online tools available. These tools offer you an opportunity to edit the PDF to suit your specific document requirements. However, they have different features, so the quality of the results also differs. You need to pick the right tool to get the desired results. You can edit PDF in Preview, an inbuilt app on Mac by adding texts or making other changes to your documents. This article guides you on how to edit a PDF on Mac Preview and UPDF editor which is its best alternative.
The Best Alternative to Preview Mac
The best alternative to Preview App when editing PDFs is the UPDF editor. This is an all-in-one editor to use to add texts and perform other edits on your document. With the tool, you can perform all the edits by adding and deleting texts on your PDF file. Besides, you can also do all the modifications to make your PDF document suit your preferences. With images on your PDF, no need to worry, you can crop, add, replace, extract and remove images on your PDF document. UPDF editor allows you to edit all documents, unlike Preview app where you cannot edit preexisting text.

To annotate your PDF files, the UPDF editor has features that allow you to underline, highlight, create notes, and do other annotations to your document. You also have the chance to organize your PDF pages if you have files with several pages. The tool allows you to replace, insert, extract, delete and rotate pages. The tool also allows you to read and view your PDF files more clearly.

UPDF editor features an advanced OCR feature that makes it possible for you to convert scanned PDF files into easy-to-edit texts. This is a great feature you don’t get in Preview Mac, thus making it impossible to edit scanned PDFs with Preview. To ensure that your files are not accessed by unauthorized parties, the UPDF editor allows you to create permissions and passwords making it a better tool than the Preview app on Mac.
Unlike in the Preview App whereby you have to create a signature in another document and then use the Mac Camera to place it on your PDF file, the UPDF editor allows you to create a signature directly. You can create a handwritten signature on your PDF files fast. The tool also allows you to convert your PDF to all other editable formats and also revert the files back to PDF.
Compare UPDF with Preview
UPDF | Preview | |
Add Signature | UPDF editor allows you to create a signature directly | you have to create a signature in another document and then use the Mac Camera to place it on your PDF file. |
OCR | Yes | No |
Easy to Use | 4.9 | 4.2 |
How to Use Preview App Alternative to Edit PDF
Here are steps to edit PDF with UPDF editor the best Preview alternative.
Step 1. Enter into the Editing Mode
After you download and install the app, click on the "Edit" button on the left toolbar to start editing your file.

Step 2. Edit PDF Document
Click the text button on the blue border that appears after clicking the text button in the first step. You can now edit the images and texts on your file fast and easily. Edit by deleting, modifying, and adding paragraphs and texts to your file. The tool allows you to change font size, type, color, italic, and bold just like the way you do on Word.

Step 3. Add Text Box (Optional)
Click the "Add Text" icon to add text to your PDF file. Now move your mouse to the part where you want to add text to your PDF file. By doing this, you add a text box to create your text.

Step 4. Edit PDF Image (Optional)
Your PDF document might have images you want to edit. Do so by choosing the specific image and then extracting, rotating, cropping, or even replacing it.

How to Edit PDF with Preview
Below are steps on how to edit on Preview Mac.
Step 1: Load your PDF file
Locate the Preview, through the Finder or docking station. Tap the icon to add your PDF file by dragging and dropping it. Open the document using the app. After opening the file, you can complete the edits. To copy text, tap within your document and choose the text. Apply the "CTRL + Click" to copy and move the copied text to the clipboard. Another way is to copy the text and paste into another file.

Step 2: Edit your PDF
Preview has the "T" button that allows you drag the pointer to the right location on your PDF file and create a text box. Choose the "A" button to enable the font options.

If you have images on your PDF you want to rotate, click "Rotate right or left" under "Tools" menu.

Step 3: Annotate PDF
To create annotations, you add notes by clicking the "Notes" button. Tap the part you want the notes to appear. Another way is to drag your mouse for creating the required annotation.

Tap the annotations to maximize them. To view the annotations you can click "View" within the Preview window.
Step 4: Choose images and objects
Under the tools menu, the text selection option makes it possible for you to choose images and objects in your PDF document.

Step 5: Edit forms
If your PDF file is in PDF format, double click the specific form field, and then enter the required data.

Step 6: Create Signature
On the toolbar, tap on the "Signature" button and then choose "Create Signature". Create a signature on clear paper and place it in front of your Camera. Shift, until the signature, is at the right location on your screen, and then tap "Accept". Now you have created and saved the signature.

Step 7: Save
After the edits, choose "Export" to save your document in the desired format to your desired location.

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