PDF on a Mac, properly.
The free way first, with Preview, Finder and Terminal. Then where it falls short, and the one click way.
- compress
How to compress a PDF on a Mac without making it blurry
Preview's Reduce File Size treats every picture the same way, so scans turn to mush. What it really does, a better free setting, and the one click way.
Read the guide → - merge
How to merge PDFs on a Mac: Finder, Preview and Terminal
Combine PDFs on a Mac with Finder, Preview's sidebar or one Terminal command, and what to do when the merged pages come out in different sizes.
Read the guide → - sign
How to sign a PDF on a Mac so the signature does not disappear
Sign with Preview's Markup tools, why the signature can vanish after saving, the workaround people use, and how to check the file before sending.
Read the guide → - redact
How to redact a PDF on a Mac, and prove the text is gone
A black box drawn over text is not redaction. How to use Preview's Redact tool, how to check the text is really gone, and what else in a PDF can give you away.
Read the guide → - ocr
How to make a scanned PDF searchable on a Mac
A scan is a picture of a page, so you cannot search or copy its words. How to tell, the free command line way, and how to fix it without uploading.
Read the guide → - sending
PDF too large to email: four ways to send it from a Mac
Your PDF bounces or will not attach. Send it with Mail Drop, share a link, shrink it without wrecking the text, or split it into parts. All from your Mac.
Read the guide →