Get started on editing PDF files on your Mac. Learn the basics of how one can use free offline software, online sites and Preview to edit and update a PDF file.
PDF is one of the most widely used file formats. Most often, you will have the need to edit a PDF file, like updating text or images in a PDF file, filling out PDF forms, combining the PDF files, making annotations, etc.
But how to edit a PDF on Mac? Many people thought that we have to buy expensive PDF editors like Adobe Acrobat to edit a PDF, but this is not true.
In fact, we can annotate or add text to PDF files even with Mac’s built-in Preview. Or, if you expect a piece of software that can carry on more advanced PDF activities, this article will also cover your needs.
Cisdem PDFMaster
Free Download macOS 11 or later 
Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
If you don’t want Adobe Acrobat but still require a PDF editor that can edit the current content in PDF efficiently or convert a PDF to an editable document on Mac directly, Cisdem PDFMaster is exactly what you should have a try.
For both beginners and advanced PDF users, they won’t have any issue using Cisdem PDFMaster. It is designed to be simple and user-friendly, users can find and use the one-click editing tools by navigating through each module on the main interface.
Cisdem PDFMaster is designed to handle PDF files like a master. It offers a generous 7-day free trial period and costs an affordable price after expiration. You can use this tool to do basic and advanced PDF editing like:
Here we will give you several tutorials to edit a PDF on Mac with PDFMaster. Also, you can refer to its user guide and edit your PDFs to its full potential.
Free Download macOS 11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
Cisdem PDFMaster is easy to use and has an intuitive interface, just choose a module and all the tools will be ready for you to use with ease.
Preview is the default app that opens PDF on Mac. Though you can’t edit existing text and images of a PDF in Preview, you can use it to add text, annotations and markups to PDF file. The PDF editing function of preview is ideal for sharing and collaborating in a PDF file.
In the case you want to edit PDF by replacing existing texts with newly added ones, you can white out the text first, then add a text box to edit a PDF on Mac with Preview. Choose the “Border Color” as none, and then click the “Sketch” icon, you will be able to white out the texts you want to replace. Once finish editing a PDF on Mac with Preview, click File>Save.
If your PDF is scanned or you have text in images, you can use the Live Text feature to take copied text from PDF files. Please hover the cursor over the text, then drag it to select the text. Control-click your selection and choose “copy”.
Besides Preview and some paid offline software on Mac, there are still dozens of PDF programs that can solve your problems in editing and don’t cost a penny. Perhaps in the past, we have not seen so many free and useful PDF online tools on the market. But now, many PDF applications have begun providing free online services for everyone.
There are software tools that help one edit PDF directly, but there are also free solutions that can turn PDF into an editable Word or other formats first.
One of the most recommended solution is to use Google Docs to turn PDF into editable Word. This method only requires you to have a Google account. It’s safer than online sites, you have no worry to handle and edit your PDF file with Google Drive.
If you feel safe to upload and edit PDF files on third-party platform, then you can use online PDF editor to edit and make changes to PDF files.
There are many free online sites on the market, most of which have the similar functions. Here we pick PDFfiller, this site allows doing PDF edits like add text to PDF, annotate, sign, comment, blackout, etc. It supports most input sources, you can add files from PC, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, Email, URL, etc.
In addition to limited PDF editing features, there is a severe problem of editing PDF on Mac with these 2 free solutions - the formatting of the document is changed and may be messed up in the end, especially in Google Docs. You will notice unaligned images, out-of-place table data, incorrect font style, broken lines, missing paragraphs, etc. These are inevitable issues we will run into when using online free PDF editors, which are not born perfect nor full-fledged.
Microsoft Word is part of Microsoft Office suit, which is meant for editing word documents. Since its 2013 version, it has added a new feature that can open a PDF file in the program directly. The secret lies in that it packs with an OCR functionality to convert PDF to Word format automatically, similar to Google Docs. This approach is more suitable for text-based PDF file than complex files.
You may notice “Adobe Hate” anywhere online, though Adobe is the tech giant, nothing can stop users from looking for Adobe alternatives. Why are more and more people not choosing Adobe Acrobat to edit PDF on Mac? You can find the possible reasons as follows:
It requires training or experience to use the app and edit your files.
Adobe Acrobat boasts itself in offering a lot of and advanced features to users, which makes it more difficult to navigate and manipulate a document. You have to get familiar with its interface, workflow and spend a lot of time picking an appropriate tool or option for your PDF.
It requires a powerful computer to install and run it.
Though much better than Photoshop, Acrobat is still a resource-heavy program that can slow down your computer, especially when you have downloaded Adobe Creative Cloud that integrates all Adobe apps in one place. If you don’t have a fast and powerful computer, you need to be patient to run and use this tool, or just go crazy when it doesn’t initiate at all.
It requires a high subscription fee.
For Acrobat Pro that has all the advanced features to edit a PDF file, its best value is $19.99/month, while $239.88/year, which is so expensive, no one is expecting such a high expense on a digital utility that can bring them to nowhere in the end.
We showed several solutions in this article regarding how to edit a PDF on Mac. If you have no need to edit existing text in a PDF file, then Preview is what you need, you don’t have to install any app and can use it to add text, make annotations, markups and redaction, etc. If you need to edit a long PDF or have complex editing needs like updating existing text, links or images in a PDF file, you will need a dedicated program such as Cisdem PDFMaster. It offers its all functions for free in 7 days. Just download it and see how it makes you edit a PDF just like the way you edit a word file.
Free Download macOS 11 or later Free Download Windows 11/10/8/7
Earlier than macOS 11, click here
Bianca is a senior tech editor and strategist at Cisdem with Over 10 years of experience on PDF related solutions which covers all document editing, annotating, converting and managing etc.
Michael
Adobe is so expensive for us common users that I don’t think it’s necessary. Several other methods mentioned in the article are acceptable, and there are many free methods that I like.
tamara
I don't know why guys still use the GOD expensive Adobe, there are more.
antonia
What PDFManagerUltimate convinced me of the purchase was its ability to save PDF as many other editable formats.
Kian
I get used to adding interactive notes on the PDF for team members sharing their ideas, this just proves to be productive with such a tool.
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