How to fill in a PDF that is not fillable, on a Mac
Clicking on the form does nothing? How to fill in a flat or scanned PDF form on a Mac for free with Preview, line answers up neatly, and make sure they are seen.
The problem
You open a form someone sent you, click into the first box, and nothing happens. No cursor, nothing to type into. The form looks normal, but it was scanned or saved as a flat page, so the boxes are only lines drawn on paper.
How do I fill in a PDF that is not fillable on a Mac?
Put a text box on each line with Preview's Text tool and type your answer in it. It is free, built into every Mac, and works on any PDF, scanned or not.
- Open the PDF in Preview and choose View > Show Markup Toolbar.
- Click the Text tool. A box with the word Text appears.
- Drag it to the first line of the form, double click the word Text and type your answer.
- Use the A button in the toolbar to set a font and size that fits the line.
- Select the finished box, press Command C and Command V to make a copy in the same style for the next answer.
- Choose File > Export as PDF to save a filled copy.
How do I know if a PDF form is fillable?
Click into a box. In a fillable form a cursor appears and you can type straight away, and Tab moves to the next box. If nothing happens, it has no fields and needs text boxes. For a form that does have fields, see fill in a PDF form on a Mac.
How do I line the answers up neatly?
- Zoom in so you can place each box exactly on its line.
- Use the arrow keys to nudge a selected box.
- Keep one font and size for every answer, so the page looks filled in, not patched.
- For tick boxes, type an X in a small text box.
How do I make sure the answers show for the person I send it to?
Fix them onto the page before you send it: choose File > Print, then PDF > Save as PDF. Preview's text boxes sit on top of the page, and some apps hide them; a printed copy has the answers as part of the page. Then open that copy in another app, such as a web browser, to check.
Can I sign it too?
Yes, in the same window: the Sign button in the Markup toolbar adds your signature. How to sign a PDF on a Mac covers it, and the same printing step keeps the signature on the page.
Our take
Flat forms are not your mistake, and you do not need special software to beat them. Text boxes in Preview do the job well. The one step people skip is the last one: print to PDF before sending, or your answers may simply not be there on the other side.
The one click way
Simply PDF's editor adds text you can format like a note, then writes it into the page when you save, so it shows in every app, and adds your saved signature in the same step. Fill and Sign needs a key; opening and reading are free. More on typing onto any PDF: add text to a PDF on a Mac.
Questions
How do I type on a PDF that is not fillable on a Mac?
In Preview, show the Markup toolbar, click the Text tool and drag a text box onto each line of the form.
Why can I not click into the boxes on my PDF form?
The form has no fields, usually because it was scanned or exported as a flat page. Add text boxes on top instead.
Will the person I send it to see my answers?
To be sure, choose File > Print, then Save as PDF, before sending. That makes the answers part of the page.