Many Mac users work with PDF files every day. Students review notes, office staff check documents, and freelancers mark client files. In all these cases, you need a clear way to add notes, highlight text, or draw marks. Many people think Adobe is the only option, but that is not true. This guide explains how to annotate a PDF on Mac using free and paid tools. You will learn how to annotate a PDF on Mac free, how to use Preview, and how to annotate a PDF without Adobe using a better solution.
PDF annotation helps you add comments or marks without changing the original content. You may need annotation in many situations.
Students annotate PDFs when they:
Office users annotate PDFs when they:
Freelancers and designers annotate PDFs when they:
In simple cases, users want to know how to annotate a PDF on Mac free using built-in tools. In professional cases, users prefer advanced tools that handle large files, scanned PDFs, and clean formatting. That is where how to annotate a PDF without Adobe becomes important.
Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor makes PDF annotation easy on macOS. The Mac version keeps the same tools as Windows but adjusts the layout for smoother navigation. You can highlight text, add comments, and mark changes without changing the original file structure. This method works well for both simple reviews and detailed document checks.
Download Tenorshare PDNob PDF Editor from the official website. Install the software by following the on-screen steps on your Mac.
Launch the program and click Open File. Choose the PDF you want to annotate from your Mac’s storage.
Click the Comment tab at the top of the screen. You will see tools like Highlight, Underline, Sticker, and text comments, similar to the Windows version.
Select any annotation tool and click directly on the PDF to add highlights, notes, or marks where needed.
Click File > Save As, rename your file, and choose a location on your Mac to store the annotated PDF.
This process clearly shows how to annotate a PDF on Mac using Tenorshare PDNob with a smooth macOS-friendly interface.
Tenorshare PDNob gives Mac users full control when they want to annotate PDFs. After opening the Comment tab, you can choose different tools to mark, explain, or review content clearly. This makes it easier to understand how to annotate a PDF on Mac without Adobe or complex steps.
Click the Highlight tool from the toolbar. Drag your mouse over the text you want to mark. You can change the highlight color and add notes to explain why the text matters. This method works well when learning how to annotate a PDF on Mac free for study or review.
Select the Underline tool and drag it under key lines. Underlining helps you point out facts, names, or instructions without hiding the text. Many users prefer this method when learning how to annotate a PDF on Mac Preview, but PDNob gives better control.
Use the Strikethrough tool to draw a line through outdated or incorrect text. This tool helps during document reviews and editing. It clearly shows removed content, which is useful when practicing how to annotate a PDF without Adobe.
Choose the Squiggly Line tool to mark text that needs more focus or correction. Teachers and editors often use this to flag issues quickly inside a PDF file.
Click the Sticker tool and pick icons like warning signs, check marks, or notes. Drag the sticker to any place in the PDF. Stickers add visual feedback and work well for shared reviews on Mac.
Use the Stamp tool to add labels like Approved, Reviewed, or Confidential. You can also create custom stamps. This feature helps users who need professional PDF reviews while learning how to annotate a PDF on Mac.
Select the Shapes tool to draw arrows, boxes, or circles. Shapes help point to specific sections or explain changes clearly. This works better than Preview for complex feedback.
All these features help users who want to know how to annotate a PDF without Adobe but still need full control.
Mac Preview gives you a free and quick way to add notes to PDF files. Since Preview comes built into macOS, you do not need to install extra software. This method works best for basic tasks and helps users understand how to annotate a PDF on Mac Preview and how to annotate a PDF on Mac free.
Open the PDF File in Preview
Double-click the PDF file you want to annotate. Preview opens it by default on most Macs. Make sure you do not open the file in a third-party app.
Show the Markup Toolbar
Click the Show Markup Toolbar icon in the top-right corner of the Preview window. This action displays the tools needed to annotate the PDF.
Add Text Annotations
Click the Text icon and place a text box anywhere on the PDF. You can type notes, adjust the font size, and change text color. This feature explains how to annotate a PDF on Mac free for simple comments.
Add Shapes or Markups
Click the Shapes icon to draw circles, squares, or lines. Use these shapes to point out errors or highlight sections. You can change the shape color and border thickness if needed.
Mac Preview works well for light annotation tasks. If you need advanced features like OCR or clean formatting, learning how to annotate a PDF without Adobe using dedicated tools becomes a better choice.
Both Tenorshare PDNob and Mac Preview help users annotate PDFs on Mac, but they serve different needs. The comparison below shows clear differences in tools, features, and overall control for PDF annotation tasks.
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This table clearly shows the difference for users comparing how to annotate a PDF on Mac Preview versus advanced tools.
Mac Preview works well for basic notes and highlights, but it stops short when tasks become complex. It cannot handle scanned PDFs, large files, or full text editing properly. Tenorshare PDNob fills these gaps by giving Mac users better control over PDF annotation and editing. It lets you add comments, edit text, and mark files without damaging the layout. The software works smoothly on macOS and supports both simple and advanced PDF tasks. If you often review documents, study PDFs, or share feedback, Tenorshare PDNob saves time and keeps your work clean and readable.
Key Features of Tenorshare PDNob on Mac
Advanced Annotation Tools : Add highlights, underlines, strikeouts, text boxes, and shapes with precise control while keeping the original PDF layout intact.
Edit PDF Content Directly : Modify existing text and images inside the PDF without converting the file or causing spacing and format issues.
OCR for Scanned PDFs : Convert scanned or image-based PDFs into searchable and editable text, which Mac Preview does not support.
Smooth Performance with Large Files : Open and annotate large or complex PDF files without lag, crashes, or slow loading on Mac.
Multiple PDF Functions in One Tool : Annotate, edit, convert, and manage PDFs in one place instead of switching between different apps.
Annotating PDFs on Mac does not require Adobe. You can use Preview for quick notes and highlights. It works well if you only need basic features. However, if you want clean formatting, OCR, and full editing tools, Tenorshare PDNob offers a better option. This guide explained how to annotate a PDF on Mac, how to annotate a PDF on Mac free, how to annotate a PDF on Mac Preview, and how to annotate a PDF without Adobe. Choose the tool that fits your daily tasks and file type.
You can edit PDFs on Mac using Preview for simple changes. For full editing, OCR, and layout control, Tenorshare PDNob works better and keeps the document format stable.
Open the PDF in Preview or Tenorshare PDNob. Use the text box tool to add text. Preview suits small notes, while PDNob supports clean and adjustable text.
Yes, you can annotate PDFs for free using Mac Preview. For advanced tasks like OCR or clean formatting, Tenorshare PDNob gives better results even for complex files.
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The Ultimate All-in-One PDF Editor
Edit, OCR, and Work Smarter.
The Ultimate All-in-One PDF Editor
Edit, OCR, and Work Smarter.
By Jenefey Aaron
2026-02-03 / PDF Editor