If you’re a long-time Mac user, you’re probably used to saving documents as PDFs by clicking File > Print and selecting Save as PDF from the Print dialogue. This is a quick and reliable method, but did you know there is an even more powerful option built into your Mac?
Today, we at Tech Patrol will show you why “Open in Preview” is a smarter and more flexible way to handle PDFs – whether you’re printing, saving, annotating, or sharing documents efficiently.
The Usual Way: Save as PDF
In most apps on your Mac, creating a PDF is a straightforward process. As long as you can print the document, you can:
- Go to File > Print.
- Click the PDF button at the bottom of the Print dialogue.
- Select Save as PDF, choose your destination folder, and save it.
This works reliably, even in apps that lack a native PDF export feature. However, while this method is convenient, it limits your ability to preview, edit, or adjust the document before saving. That’s where Open in Preview comes in.
What is “Open in Preview”?
Instead of clicking “Save as PDF,” try selecting “Open in Preview” from the same PDF dropdown menu. This option instantly generates a temporary PDF version of your document and opens it in the Preview app without saving it to your drive just yet.
Here’s why this feature is worth using:
1. Preview Before You Commit
Opening your document in Preview allows you to check everything before saving:
- Zoom in to inspect text and images for clarity.
- View all pages via the thumbnail sidebar to ensure page order and layout are correct.
- Avoid the hassle of saving, finding the file, opening it, realising there’s an error, deleting it, and repeating the process.
If you notice something is off, simply close Preview, make the necessary changes in your original document, and then open it in Preview again for a fresh check.
2. Better Printing Workflow
If your end goal is to print the document, Open in Preview still offers advantages:
- Preview gives you more detailed print settings than some apps.
- You can check layout, margins, and print quality before sending it to the printer.
- To print, go to File > Print within Preview, and ensure a final check before using ink and paper.
3. Check File Size Without Saving
When dealing with presentations, reports, or image-heavy PDFs, file size can be an issue – especially when emailing or uploading to systems with size restrictions.
Using Open in Preview, you can:
- Click the Info button (i) in Preview to see the current file size.
- Adjust images or compress elements in your document if the file is too large.
- Repeat quickly until you meet the size requirement – all without saving multiple versions to your drive.
4. Annotate, Sign, and Redact Before Saving
Preview is a powerful tool for document editing. While your PDF is open (but not yet saved), you can:
- Highlight text for reading or review.
- Add annotations or arrows to guide readers.
- Sign documents directly using your saved signature in Preview.
- Redact sensitive information with the Redaction tool to black out confidential details.
These edits remain in the temporary document until you choose to save them, allowing a clean, edited version for your final file.
5. Save Specific Pages Only
Sometimes, you don’t need the entire document as a PDF – only certain pages. In Preview, you can:
- Delete pages you don’t need by selecting them in the thumbnail sidebar and pressing Delete.
- Select specific pages, copy them (Command-C), then choose File > New From Clipboard to create a PDF containing only those pages.
- Rearrange pages easily before saving the final version.
This saves storage space and time when sharing only the relevant sections of your document.
6. Export to Other Formats
Preview is not just for PDFs. After opening your document via Open in Preview, you can:
- Export single-page documents as JPEG images for websites or social media.
- Adjust resolution settings for higher-quality images when needed.
- Share files quickly without saving them to your local drive first, by clicking File > Share and choosing Mail, Messages, Notes, or Freeform.
7. Reduce PDF File Size with Quartz Filter
If your PDF contains large images, compressing it before saving is easy:
- In Preview, go to File > Export.
- Choose PDF as the format.
- Under Quartz Filter, select Reduce File Size.
This compresses images within the PDF, resulting in a smaller file that is ideal for email attachments or online uploads.
Speeding Up “Open in Preview”
Opening in Preview is already efficient, but you can make it even faster by creating a keyboard shortcut:
- Go to System Settings > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts > App Shortcuts.
- Click the + button to add a new shortcut for All Applications.
- Enter Open in Preview as the Menu Title (case-sensitive).
- Assign it a convenient shortcut, such as Command-P Command-P (pressing P twice quickly).
Now, whenever you print, you can use this shortcut to open the PDF directly in Preview without clicking through menus.
Final Thoughts
The next time you’re about to save a document as a PDF, try using Open in Preview. This method enhances your workflow by:
✔️ Allowing immediate previews before saving
✔️ Giving you editing and markup capabilities
✔️ Enabling selective page saving and quick exporting
✔️ Helping you manage file sizes efficiently
✔️ Improving your printing process
For Mac users who handle PDFs daily – from contracts to presentations – mastering Open in Preview can significantly streamline your productivity.
