How to edit the existing text in a PDF on a Mac
Preview can add text to a PDF but cannot change what is already there. What it can do, the workarounds people use, and how to edit text in place.
A wrong date, a misspelt name, last year's price. You want to change a few words in a PDF, and Preview will not let you click into the text. That is expected: Preview can add things on top of a page but cannot change the text that is already there.
What Preview can do
- Add new text with the Text tool in the Markup toolbar.
- Cover old text with a white box from the Shapes menu, then type the new text over it.
The cover up looks fine on screen, but the old words are still underneath. They can be selected, searched and copied out, so never use this to hide anything that matters. For that, see redaction.
If you have the original document
Editing the Word or Pages file the PDF was made from, then exporting a new PDF, is always the cleanest fix. Ask the sender for it if you can.
Convert, edit, convert back
Turning the PDF into a Word document, editing, and saving a new PDF works for simple documents. Layouts with columns, tables or images often shift. See PDF to Word on a Mac.
The one click way
Simply PDF's Edit text tool lets you click into a line and type, in the page's own fonts, with bold words kept. The old text is replaced, not covered, and a Time Machine panel shows every change so you can take one back.
Questions
Can I edit the text in a PDF with Preview?
No. Preview can add text, shapes and signatures on top of a page, but it cannot change text that is already in the PDF.
Is covering text with a white box safe?
Not for anything private. The original text is still in the file and can be copied out. Use a real redaction tool.
How do I change a word in a PDF on a Mac?
Edit the original document and export again, convert to Word and back for simple layouts, or use an editor that changes text in place.