Annotate PDFs with Apple’s Preview
Mac Tip #399, 26 August 2009

Preview, installed on all new Macs, allows you to add annotations to a PDF. This Tip shows you how to add ovals and rectangles of different colours, links and notes. It shows how to highlight text, add underlines and strikethroughs.

I suggest you start with the movie (about 7.5 minutes) where I demonstrate these techniques:

Use the Text Tool

In order to mark up a PDF with Apple’s Preview you need to have the Text Tool selected. Find it either on Preview’s toolbar or under the Tools menu.

Make sure to select the Text Tool before following any steps below.

Draw an Oval or Rectangle

To draw an oval or rectangle:

1. Go to the Tools menu.
2. Choose Annotate > Add Oval or Add Rectangle. The cursor becomes a crosshair.
3. Click on the page and drag to draw an oval or rectangle.

Change line colour, thickness and style

You may change the colour, thickness and style of lines on the shape you draw:

1. If necessary, double click on a shape to select it. When it is selected a grey box is displayed around the shape, with a ‘handle’ in the bottom right corner.
2. Call up the Inspector from the Tools menu. Make sure the Annotation Inspector tab is displayed.
3. To change the line color click in the color patch. The Colors palette is displayed. Choose a new color and close the palette. The shape you’ve drawn changes colour.
4. To change line thickness enter a new value (in pixels) in the Thickness box, then press Tab or Enter or Return. The shape’s line thickness changes to the new size.
5. To change the style of the line check or uncheck the Dashed checkbox. The line is displayed as solid or dashed, according to your choice.

Add a link

Items such as words and images can link to an URL on the web, or to another page in the same PDF.

To add a link:

1. Choose Tools > Annotate > Add Link. The cursor changes to a crosshair.
2. Drag around a word or image. A grey shaded link selection box appears.
3. If necessary, call up the Inspector from the Tools menu. Make sure the Annotation Inspector tab is displayed.
4. In the Inspector window make a choice from the Action drop-down menu: Link within PDF or URL.
5. To link to a URL (web page): enter the URL in the text area that appears after choosing URL from the drop-down menu. Then click the Set URL button. The link will be saved with the document.
6. To link to another page of the same document: after choosing the Link within PDF action, navigate to the destination page within your PDF, then click the Set Destination button in the Inspector window. The link will be saved with the document.

Add a note

You can save Notes within your PDF. These might be reminders to check something or messages to other users of the PDF.

Notes can have specific colours. They are represented by an icon within the PDF and are displayed in an area to the left of the page. Under the View menu choose to Show or Hide Notes.

To add a Note:

1. Choose Tools > Annotate > Add Note. The page of your PDF shrinks to create a grey ‘sidebar’ on the left.
2. Click in your document at the point where the Note should appear. An icon is displayed on the PDF page and a Note appears in the left ‘sidebar’.
3. Type your notes into the Note in the left sidebar. It will be saved with your document.
4. To move the icon drag it to a different location on the page.
5. To change the colour or style of the icon: If necessary, call up the Inspector from the Tools menu. Make sure the Annotation Inspector tab is displayed.
6. To change the color of the Note and icon click in the color patch. The Colors palette is displayed. Choose a new color and close the palette. The icon and note change colour.
7. To change the icon for the Note choose an option from the Icon drop-down menu.

Highlight, strikethrough or underline text

To highlight, strikethrough or underline text:

1. Select some text with the Text Tool.
2. Make a choice from the Tools > Mark Up menu: Highlight Text, Strike Through Text, or Underline Text. The text is marked up according to your choice.

Remember to Save the document if you want to keep any Annotations you’ve made.

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