Mac ’s Preview app is like a swiss army knife . On the airfoil , it may expect like a regular image viewer . But , only when you comprehend in small bass , you ’ll see how utile it can get .
Every once in a while , I discover something young in the prevue . For instance — you could encrypt a PDF file , make batch change to images , or you could even practice it as a mini photoshop . So let ’s see some steer and tricks to get more out of Mac ’s preview app .
Preview Tips & Tricks
#1 Password protect a PDF with Preview
Say you want to air a confidential document to your fellow . Now , if this was on Windows , then you might have to purchase expensive software like Adobe Acrobat ; but gratefully on Mac , you’re able to password protect a PDF with the built - in preview app .
Simply launch the PDF file with Mac ’s preview . Next , go to File > Export as PDF . A raw window will open up , press Show Details . Now retard scar Encrypt choice > assign password > hold open changes . And well that ’s it .
#2 Batch resize photos with preview
In other group O , you have to download a third - party software to resize bulk photos . But fortunately , this feature is inbuilt the preview app .
Select all the simulacrum you need to resize and open them inside preview . Next , again select all those photos from the leftover side thumbnail draftsman , then go to Tools > Adjust Size > Enter the new height and width . Then go to File > Save all . If you want to save a new copy of resized image then choose the Export alternative under the Indian file menu .
#3 Batch change file extension with preview
I habituate this feature all the sentence when I take screenshots on my Mac . So , by nonpayment Mac uses .png data formatting for screenshots since it ’s good for text and transparency . But , jpg is considerably become for the web , due to its small size . Now , instead of singly changing each image ’s elongation , why not automate this with preview .
To do this , take all the image and spread them with preview . Now penetrate on the thumbnail of one image and do CMD + A , to pick out all image . Next , go to file > export choose image > alteration formatting to whatever you wish .
#4 Create a new file from the clipboard
Say you find an image on the web , that you ’ll care to pull through on your computer , then you do n’t necessary have to download it . Like photoshop , Preview can also paste icon from clipboard . Simply copy the image to your clipboard . Open trailer > File > Copy from clipboard .
#5 Edit Images and PDF with preview
Believe or not , but the preview app is also a decorous range / PDF editor . you may add text edition , put arrow and boxes around in the image or PDF , or even play with the color and saturation of an image .
Overall , it ’s not as various as photoshop ( manifestly ) but sometimes , I do utilize it for abstemious image editing and the results are quite acceptable .
#6 Split or Combine pages with preview
Say you have a multi - page PDF file and you want to add or absent few pages from between . Well , it ’s quite dewy-eyed to do this on the trailer app . All you have to do is just drag and drop PDF from the prevue ’s thumbnail drawer and it ’ll as if by magic become the part of the document .
#7 Remove background from the images
Preview has a quick selection ( instant alpha and smart riata ) tool like photoshop , this lets you extract the part of the image . And if the part is of the same color ( like a profile characterization with uniform background ) then you’re able to easily murder the background .
To start with , get to the figure of speech in the preview . Next , tap the briefcase icon to wreak up the markup tool . select the instant alpha icon , now holding down the left-hand detent , drag it on the part of the image with the consistent background . Once satisfy , compact the delete clit to remove the pick out part .
8 Digital signature
Sometimes you have to send a ego - take the stand transcript of the document for effectual issues . Now the traditional manner to do it is — first publish the document , sign it physically and then rescan it . Right ?
But thankfully , preview has this life - saving feature called digital key signature . With this , you could simply sign on the written document on your cover with the trackpad , or you could sign with a blackened playpen on white newspaper and then hold up that signature in front of a webcam . It ’ll mechanically import that signature to the PDF file . save time .
Closing words
Preview is good for handling batch images and small double editing employment . Although it can not interchange photoshop , but for wanton workplace , you should consider it before you grease one’s palms expensive software package .