How to fix a typo in a PDF on a Mac
Spotted a spelling mistake after making the PDF? Fix one wrong word on a Mac, from a fresh export to a real change in the same font, and the cover up to avoid.
The problem
The PDF is made and sent for approval, and there is a spelling mistake on page 3.
Can I correct a spelling mistake in a PDF?
Yes, three ways, from best to quickest.
1. How do I fix it in the original?
If you made the PDF from Pages, Word or Keynote, fix it there and export a new PDF: File > Export To > PDF in Pages, File > Save As, PDF in Word. It is the cleanest result.
2. How do I cover a typo in Preview?
- Click Show Markup Toolbar and add a white rectangle from Shapes over the wrong word. Set its border to none.
- Add a Text box on top with the right word, in a font and size as close as you can match.
This looks right on screen, but the typo is still underneath and shows if someone copies or searches the text. See white out in a PDF.
3. How do I change the word itself?
Use an editor that changes existing text, so copying, searching and printing all show the right word. See edit PDF text on a Mac.
Why does my fixed word look different from the rest?
The text box uses a different font from the page. Match the font and size, or use an editor that edits in the page's own font.
Our take
Fix the original whenever you have it, even if it takes longer. A patched PDF fixes this copy; the original fixes every copy you will export later, and a typo that survives in the source comes back in the next version.
In Simply PDF
Simply PDF's Edit text tool, with a key: click the word, retype it, save. It uses the page's own font, so the fix does not show.
Questions
Can I correct a spelling mistake in a PDF?
Yes. The best way is to fix the original document and export again. Otherwise use an editor that changes the text in place.
Why does my fixed word look different from the rest?
The text box uses a different font from the page. Match the font and size, or use an editor that edits in the page's own font.