Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
While Apple Preview is n’t designed to replace your ikon or PDF editor program , it still tender some power - substance abuser feature article including picture exportation . We marvel why Apple has n’t brought it to the iPad yet .
When you buy a Mac , you ’re not only investing in its premium hardware and longsighted lifespan , but also the slew of exclusive apps it bunch for free . The Apple Preview app is the default document and prototype viewer on macOS , and its full potential often goes unnoticed . While Apple Preview may seem as a basic file viewer , it actually packs a ton of useful features — beyond just viewing photograph and PDFs .
First impressions
Much like some other Apple apps ( such as the iWork suite ) , launch Preview opens the Finder . Through it , you could browse through your pamphlet to locate the file you would wish to take in . It ’s a pretty straightforward approach .
instead , you could just spread a compatible file directly from Finder and avoid launching the Preview app altogether . Considering that it ’s the nonremittal ikon and PDF viewer on macOS , supported files should automatically dwell in it whenever you double - tick on them .
Foundry
Regardless of how you choose to import your files , Apple Preview will recognize you with a toolbar once your content lading .
Apple Preview features
While Apple Preview ’s interface is generally uniform , there are some active UI elements that will alter depending on the single file type you ’ve loaded .
Whether you ’re view an image or a PDF document , you will incur a toolbar towards the screen ’s top . Through it , you may view the file ’s item , rapid climb in or out , share the Indian file , fill an included form , or label up the file .
Clicking the Markup push button reveals yet another toolbar with a panoptic range of relevant feature . These include tools for selection , doodle , tuck build or sticky note , sign language , and typewrite text .
Expectedly , the Markup shaft are easily customizable , earmark you to control the color and size of a embodiment or text box seat . Similarly , you get to pick between multiple font when type . There is an autofill helper too , read about that here : How to take advantage of Preview ’s form - fill helper .
So , Apple Preview is n’t just a vanilla extract file cabinet viewer . It enables users to well annotate images and documents , make it an excellent college comrade . Perhaps the biggest drawback here is the lack of an advanced editor in chief that can tweak the content ’s fundamentals .
With the Preview app , you ’re mostly circumscribe to adding unexampled component on top of the existing ones . accordingly , you ca n’t delete the text of a PDF file ( see our round - up of thebest PDF editors ) . The software does n’t offer a full - fledged pic editor , either ( we have thebest exposure editorshere ) .
While Apple Preview is n’t design to exchange your image or PDF editor in chief , it still offer some king - user features . So , for lesson , through the menubar ’s Tools button , you could discover some more advanced image control , such as granular resizing , color adjustments , robotlike desktop remotion , and more . Meanwhile , the File menu includes a useful Export button that enables you to prefer the output signal ’s quality and data file format . This allows you to commute the epitome to HEIC , JPEG , PDF , PNG , TIFF , and more .
Similarly , when catch a PDF file in Apple Preview , you’re able to easily re - ordination or blue-pencil its Page using the sidebar . Through this feature film , those receiving declamatory papers can easily get free of irrelevant fluff and fix the Indian file to the important bits they actually need . And if you choose to export the PDF using Preview , then you may optionally add a password , a quartz filter , or file confinement .
Find out more here : How to save a Thomas Nelson Page from a PDF as a separate file , How to easily redact text in a PDF on your Mac . We also coverHow to redact a PDF on Mac .
Preview’s annoyances
While my experience using Apple Preview has been positively charged for the most part , there are certain botheration that I hope the company would patch down the road .
For starters , the Preview app is exclusive to macOS . Despite Apple pop the question some of its functionality through the Files app on iOS and iPadOS , most of the innovative feature of speech are missing . These include PDF passwords and restrictions , granular resizing and gloss adjustments for images , and more .
Considering theiPad Pro M4packs a processor that has n’t even debut on the Mac yet , there ’s nothing stopping Apple from bring the Preview app to iPadOS . The iPhone 15 Pro ’s A17 Pro micro chip should also be able to manage these tasks just fine .
Beyond its limited accessibility , I find the basic PDF editor too restrictive at fourth dimension . Sure , I can insert pattern and text on top of the text file . However , I ca n’t really mix these into it and move the PDF ’s content to admit the new additions . Similarly , there ’s seemingly no way to selectively remove subject from a PDF , and I ’m bound to delete entire page .
Lastly , when viewing an image in Preview , you likely wo n’t find the Crop button in the Markup toolbar by default . To pull it to coat , you have to locate the image in Finder , right - press it , and hit the Markup button under the Quick Actions computer menu . This will launch a Preview instance with a toolbar that actually boast a Crop push button . Regularly open up an image in Finder simply wo n’t do it . It ’s a basic feature that no introductory exploiter will ever find on their own .
The bottom line
As its name suggests , Apple Preview is design for view certain file types on macOS . As a viewer , it ’s an excellent software that load up fleetly and offer a sleek user user interface . While the editing functionality is limited , one could contend that the app is n’t an editor program in the first blank space . So the basic editing features are only there to complement a file viewing app .
Since the Preview app is preinstalled on all of the latest Macs ( with no easy elbow room to delete it ) , I ca n’t find oneself a ground why you may need to deflect it . It is right there , cost nothing , and crop reliably — what ’s not to like ?
If you ’re seeking a proper look-alike or PDF editor , then Apple Preview is n’t the app to opt for . Beyond annotation , form - sate , sign language , and the other alike feature we ’ve mentioned above , the app is plan to exhibit images and documents . As a result , it does n’t cater to those who need ripe editing software program .
get hold out how Apple Preview compares to Adobe Acrobat : Apple Preview vs Adobe Acrobat DC .
Just need to change by reversal something into a PDF ? Read : How to make a PDF on Mac
