Filling forms using pen and paper is quickly decreasing in popularity as nowadays, you can digitally sign and edit your documents using pre-installed apps on your Mac. You do not need any special software to do this; the Preview app is more than capable of filling PDF documents and digitally signing them.
However, not everyone is aware of the ways you can fill out a PDF form on Mac using the pre-installed tool. So, we made a guide with all the steps that will help you out with everything.
Similar to filling out a form, you might also need to digitally sign it to submit it anywhere you wish to, you can do the same from the pre-installed app on the Mac.
Let us look at the steps and learn more about how to fill out a pdf form on mac.
How to Fill Out a PDF Form on Mac?
Read the instructions provided below to learn how you can fill out and edit a PDF form on Mac.
- Sign in to your Mac.
- Use the dock to open a Finder window or use Spotlight search to do the same.
- Look for the PDF file and use Preview to open it. If it opens in some other app like Adobe, right-click on the file to draw out the contextual menu, click Open, and choose Preview from the list.
- Once the PDF file has been opened in Preview, click on the field where you want to enter the text and fill it out.
- Not all PDF files can be filled out. If you cannot fill out a specific field on the form, click on the Show markup toolbar button on top of the Preview window. It will be a circular marker-shaped icon beside the search box.
- Click on the Text button from the toolbar and drag the selection area to where you want to enter the text.
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Digitally Signing a PDF File on Mac
Did you know you could digitally sign documents using the Preview app on Mac? If not, keep reading to find out how you can do that.
- Sign in to your Mac.
- Use the dock to open a Finder window or use Spotlight search to do the same.
- Look for the PDF file and use Preview to open it. If it opens in some other app like Adobe, right-click on the file to draw out the contextual menu, click Open, and choose Preview from the list.
- Click on the Show markup toolbar button at the Preview window. It will be a circular marker-shaped icon beside the search box.
- Choose the icon that depicts a signature from the markup toolbar.
- You can choose if you want to use the trackpad or the webcam to sign the document digitally.
- If you have a Mac that has a Force Touch Trackpad, you can press down on the trackpad to form thicker lines and release it to make thinner ones.
- If you want to use the webcam, put your signature on a piece of white paper and hold it close to the webcam. There will be a blue line guiding how to place the paper in front of the webcam; once satisfied, click on Done.
- Suppose you have multiple signatures on your Mac; it can get confusing to distinguish between them just by looking at them. You can use VoiceOver to add a description to a signature when you create one.
- After creating your signature, click on Description and select Custom from the list, and craft a unique description for the given signature.
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Deleting a Digital Signature From a Document on Mac
Removing your signature from a previously signed document on your Mac is very easy. Read the instructions provided below to learn how to do that.
- Sign in to your Mac.
- Use the dock to open a Finder window or use Spotlight search to do the same.
- Look for the PDF file and use Preview to open it. If it opens in some other app like Adobe, right-click on the file to draw out the contextual menu, click Open, and choose Preview from the list.
- Once the file has been opened in the Preview app, click on the Show markup toolbar button at the Preview window. It will be a circular marker-shaped icon beside the search box.
- From the toolbar, click on the icon that depicts a signature.
- Now hover the cursor over the signature on the document and click the “X” button.
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Third-Party Application to Fill Out a PDF Form on Mac
Apart from the pre-installed app already available on Mac to fill out the form, you can check out other apps as well with multiple features.
- PDFelement Pro – This is one of the best tools that allows you to fill any PDF form on Mac. Not only this, you can even edit them, add notes, texts, links and so much more. Furthermore, you can even choose to extract data from other PDF files with a single click.
- PDF Form Filler – Another one we have is PDF Form Filler. The interface is super easy to use. Moreover, you can even share the file directly via email and print it for further purposes.
- PDF Buddy – Instead of installing an app, you can use the web tool online and it is super easy. It is free of cost and anyone can use it whether or not you are using a Mac.
These three are the best ones we have got currently other than the one available on your system. You can use them for additional features and make changes to your PDF files.
Conclusion
That’s it, folks. As you saw, you can use the Preview app to fill out PDF forms and also digitally sign your documents. Using the trackpad with Force Touch is the best way to sign your documents digitally, as it mimics the pressure you put on the trackpad over to the marker.
Furthermore, there are multiple tools available on the web that will help out to fill out PDF forms and even make changes to them. Hence, choose your tool wisely.
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I am Carissa Gudinoa, a technology buff, and Office online and Apple expert with over 9 years of experience. I am passionate about helping others get the most out of their Apple devices. I have written extensively about Apple products and technologies. I am committed to providing my clients with the best possible service and am always up-to-date on the latest Apple products and features. I also write extensively on other software available for use at minimal cost or free. This includes Word Online, Outlook Online, Excel Online, and other Office online programs… Check out more.