How to duplicate a page in a PDF on a Mac
Make a copy of a page inside the same PDF on a Mac, for a form you need twice or a template page, with Preview's copy and paste, and the catch with form fields.
The problem
You need a second copy of a timesheet page, or the same form twice for two people, inside one PDF.
How do I copy a page within the same PDF on a Mac?
- Open the PDF in Preview and choose View > Thumbnails.
- Click the page you want to copy and press Command C.
- Click the page the copy should follow, and press Command V. The copy appears after it.
- Drag it elsewhere in the sidebar if needed, then save.
If pasting does nothing, drag the page's thumbnail to the desktop to make a one page PDF, then drag that file back into the sidebar where you want the copy.
Why does typing in a duplicated page change the original too?
Copied form fields can keep the same name, and a PDF treats fields with the same name as one field. Fill the first copy, choose File > Export as PDF, then add the second blank page from the original file. See fill in a PDF form.
Our take
For forms, keep one blank master and copy from it each time. Duplicating a page you have already filled in carries the answers with it, and clearing them by hand is where mistakes get sent.
In Simply PDF
Simply PDF's Organise Pages has a Duplicate button for any selected page, and shows the result before you save. It needs a key. Reordering instead: rearrange PDF pages.
Questions
How do I copy a page within the same PDF on a Mac?
In Preview's thumbnail sidebar, select the page, press Command C, select where it should go and press Command V.
Why does typing in a duplicated page change the original page too?
Copied form fields can keep the same name, and a PDF treats fields with the same name as one. Fill and export one copy first, then add the second.