Preview is one of the most underrated applications in the Apple ecosystem. While many users initially encounter it only when opening image or PDF files, the app hides significantly more power under its hood. It serves as an excellent, cost-free PDF editor for Mac, and if you operate an iPhone or iPad, the mobile version offers many of these same capabilities. To help you get the most out of your experience, here are 10 essential hacks every Apple user should know.
Use this shortcut to view files without opening them in Preview
It might seem paradoxical, but one of the best ways to use Preview is by avoiding it when it is unnecessary. If you are launching a full application every time you need a quick look at a file, you are likely wasting time. Instead, simply locate your file, select it, and press the spacebar. This activates Quick Look, which leverages Preview to display the file contents instantly. Pressing the spacebar again closes the view. I use this constantly for images, PDFs, or even checking the volume of files within a directory. If you find the lack of folder previews frustrating, third-party utilities like Folder Preview can bridge that gap.
Change this setting to use Preview's hidden PDF dark mode
By default, Preview renders PDFs with a bright white background, which persists even if your device is in dark mode. If, like me, you prefer a more comfortable reading experience, you can enable a dark background. Open your PDF, navigate to View in the top menu bar, and select Use Dark Appearance for PDF. The app will remember this preference for future documents. On iPhone and iPad, simply open the file, tap the three-dot menu in the upper corner, and select Dark Background.
Use "Open Image from Clipboard" to edit without saving
Most of us habitually save images to our local storage before opening them in Preview, but you can skip the middleman. Simply copy any image to your clipboard from a browser or messaging app, open Preview, and press Command + N. Alternatively, head to File > New from Clipboard to initiate an editing session immediately.
Use this hidden Preview setting to remove image backgrounds
Removing a background is a relatively common task, and you do not need dedicated professional software to do it. Open your image in Preview and press Command + Shift + K to instantly strip the background. You can also access this via Tools > Remove Background in the menu bar or by clicking the camera icon button with diagonal lines in the toolbar.
Copy text from PDFs and images directly
Preview simplifies text extraction from images and PDFs. While standard digital documents allow for easy selection, scanned documents often lock text within image layers. Preview handles this seamlessly. Open your screenshot or PDF, hover your cursor over the text, and drag to select it just like you would in a text editor. This functionality works consistently across Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Turn your iPhone into a dedicated document scanner
You can use your iPhone as a high-quality scanner directly through the Mac app. Navigate to File > Import from iPhone > Scan Documents. As long as your devices share the same iCloud account, your iPhone will trigger its camera and automatically detect document borders. It continues scanning pages until you tap the checkmark. Once finished, the document appears directly in your Mac's Preview interface. A similar scanning mode exists within the Preview app on iOS by simply tapping Scan Documents.
Reveal your image's metadata before uploading to the internet
Metadata, specifically EXIF data, contains sensitive details like capture time, lens information, and geolocation. You can inspect this easily by opening the image and clicking the i button. On iPhone and iPad, this presents a comprehensive list, while Mac organizes it into two tabs. Before sharing images publicly, I recommend reviewing this data. To strip it on a Mac, right-click the image in Finder, select Quick Actions > Convert Image, and ensure Preserve Metadata is unchecked.
Combine multiple PDF pages into one document
Preview is a highly capable free PDF editor. To merge pages, open a PDF and click the sidebar button to select Thumbnails. Click the + button in the lower-left corner and choose Insert Page from File to append new documents. To remove a page, select the specific thumbnail and hit the delete key. On mobile, swipe from the left edge to view thumbnails, tap the three-dot menu on a page, and use Insert from File or Delete Page as needed.
Use Preview's signature feature to avoid printing
Digital signatures are a major time-saver for document management. Instead of printing and re-scanning, open your document in Preview and select the Form Filling Toolbar (the rectangle with an integrated pencil). Select Add Signature to create your digital autograph. Once added, you can place it anywhere on the document. This is available in the bottom bar on iPhone and iPad, and the top toolbar on Mac.
Edit a PDF's permissions to password-protect your documents
If you need to secure a PDF, Preview on Mac handles encryption natively. Open your document and go to File > Export. Click Permissions to define an owner password. This allows you to restrict editing, printing, or copying text without proper authorization. To remove a password, open the file, provide the owner password, and use the Edit menu to clear security settings before saving a fresh copy.
