5 macOS Features That Simplify Filling Out Forms
PDF application forms are common across academic institutions and workplaces, but they’re not easy to edit. Most people opt for third-party software or even print out PDF forms to fill them. Instead of getting into messy workarounds, you may simply leverage macOS features to fill out professional application forms.
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1. Fill Out a PDF Form in Preview
Preview comes pre-installed on all Mac computers. Make sure to download the PDF form you want to fill out.
Go to the Launchpad on your system and search for Preview. The file selection window will pop up, and you can choose the PDF form to edit.
Once your form is open in the Preview app, click the icon to the left of the Search bar. This is theShow Form Filling Toolbarbutton, which will open another ribbon with form-filling options. Select the first tool represented by the alphabet “A” with a cursor, calledText Selectionbutton.
Now, you can click on any field and start filling in the form.
When done, click onFile > Exportto save the changes into a new PDF. You can rename the edited form, save it in a different location, and also change its format to JPEG, PNG, TIFF, etc. In theFilemenu, you also get the option toSharethis edited form directly through Mail, Messages, or AirDrop.
Alternatively, when you download a PDF, you can click on it and press the space bar for a quick look. Click theMarkupbutton (indicated by a pen) in the title bar to start filling in your details immediately.
Note that all the changes you make in Preview automatically save to your document. If you want to save the original file, create a copy of the PDF form before editing. When you download the PDF form, Control-click (or right-click) on it to get theCopyoption and thenPasteit by Control-clicking at the desired location.
2. Create a Signature in Preview
This has to be one of the most helpful built-in macOS features. To sign a PDF file or add your signature on any document, simply open the file in the Preview app and go to theShow Form Filling Toolbarbutton. Now, you’ll see theSignaturebutton in the toolbar below, denoted by a scribbled text icon.
Click on it and go toCreate Signature. There are three ways of creating and storing your signature on your Mac:
Using the Trackpad
Follow the on-screen commands and start signing your name on the trackpad using any finger. Press any key and then click onDone. You canClearand retry if the signature is not accurate.
Using the Camera
This method produces the most accurate digital signatures. Simply sign on a white sheet of paper and hold it in front of your Mac’s camera. ClickDoneonce you’ve got the right digital impression.
Using an iPhone or iPad
If signing from the trackpad feels tricky, you can sign on your iPhone’s screen using your finger. You can also choose your iPad and use the Apple Pencil to sign.
Once you create the signature, add it to PDF forms in seconds. Drag it to change the placement and use handles to adjust the size.
3. Use Continuity Camera to Scan Documents
Many application forms require you to attach supporting documents. You can easily use your iPhone or iPad to scan documents and directly save them on your Mac.
To use this feature, check that both your devices have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on.Continuity Camera workson devices running iOS 16, macOS Ventura, or later, so ensure you meet the requirements first.
Now, on your Mac, Control-click on the screen where you want to save the scanned documents (be it on your desktop or any specific folder).
From the context menu, chooseImport from iPhone>Scan Documents. This will automatically open the scanner on your iPhone. The camera can detect the edges of the document for a smooth finish. you may drag the frame to make changes and opt toRetakeorKeep Scanas required.
Once you have your documents scanned, tapSave. The scanned document will appear on your Mac as a PDF; it’s possible to find it in the exact location where you initiated the process. You can now open this scanned PDF form in Preview and put your digital signature on it if required.
4. Combine PDFs
What if you need to combine the documents you just scanned with your application form? Or perhaps you have multiple scanned documents that you need in one PDF? Preview can help you out here too.
Open the Preview app and choose the PDF you need to keep first in the sequence. Click onViewfrom the menu bar and select theThumbnailsoption from the dropdown.
Drag the PDF(s) you want to combine to the left pane, called the thumbnail sidebar. Now, all your pages are combined with the first PDF. You can also rearrange these pages by dragging and dropping the thumbnails to the desired locations.
5. Resize and Reorder PDF Pages
The macOS offers diverse options toedit a PDF file, including resizing and reordering your PDF pages.
Open your PDF in the Preview app and click theShow Form Filling Toolbarbutton next to the Search bar. Now, choose theRectangular Selectionbutton in the toolbar right below and select the part of the page you want to keep.
Upon selection, theCropbutton will automatically appear. Click on it to resize the PDF page. You can also undo the crop by clicking onEdit > Undo Cropfrom the menu bar.
If some of your scanned pages are haphazardly oriented, you’re able to also rotate them through Preview.
Click on theRotateicon in the title bar (denoted by a rectangle with an arrow next to theMarkupbutton) to rotate the page until you get the desired orientation. You can also rotate multiple pages at once by selecting their thumbnails from the left pane while holding the Shift key and then rotating them together.
Finally, if your application form has certain size restrictions, it’s possible to alsocompress PDFs on your Macwithout losing quality.
Fill Out Application Forms Quicker With Your Mac
macOS is preloaded with features to boost your productivity while performing any task. All you have to do is learn how to use your Mac more effectively.
The tips here will help you fill all types of PDF forms using Preview and reduce the time you spend switching between apps. The Markup tools in Preview that make it convenient to fill out forms can also be used to annotate screenshots and photos.
Markup is a useful built-in macOS feature that makes it easy to quickly annotate documents, images, and PDFs.
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