Want to attach quick observations to a PDF document without altering the its pages? Notes created with Preview stay with the document, let you jump to key sections and can be searched. Find out here how to add a note to a PDF file in macOS Preview on a Mac ⤓.
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How to Add a Note to a PDF File in Preview on a Mac
Time needed: 1 minute
To annotate a PDF document using macOS Preview on a Mac:
- Go to the page of the PDF file where you want the note to appear in Preview.
Here’s why: While you can move the note on the current page, you cannot move notes between pages.
- Open the Preview markup toolbar.
Here’s how: You can click the Show Markup Toolbar button in the main Preview toolbar or select View | Show Markup Toolbar from the menu.
Preview keyboard shortcut: Press Command Shift A to toggle the markup toolbar in Preview. - Click Note in the markup toolbar to add a new note to the current page.
Keyboard shortcut: Press Command Control N to add a note.
- Type the text of your note.
Close the note: To close the note, click outside it on the PDF file’s contents.
Move: Click and grab — or three-finger drag — a closed note to move it on the current page; you cannot move a note open for editing.
Their word: Apple include information on adding notes in the Preview User Guide.
Duly noted?
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Browse and Find Existing Notes
To see all notes you have added to a PDF document with Preview:
- Make the Highlights and Notes sidebar visible.
Here’s how: Select View | Highlights and Notes from the menu in Preview.
Keyboard shortcut: You can also press Command Option 4 to make notes visible in the sidebar. - Click any note to jump to it in the document.
To find notes that contain specific text:
- Make visible the Highlights and Notes sidebar; see above.
- Click Search in the main toolbar.
Menu: You can also select Edit | Find | Find in the menu.
Preview keyboards shortcut: Press Command F to jump to the Search field. - Type the text you are looking for.
Exact or any: You can use the magnifying glass icon’s menu to choose between Any Match and Exact Phrase. - See matching notes in the sidebar.
Also for going places and marking text in PDF files:
How to Bookmark Pages in PDF Files with Mac Preview
How to Highlight Text in PDFs with Preview on a Mac
Edit a Note in Preview for Mac
To edit the text of a note you have added to a PDF file in Preview:
- Click the note’s rectangle in the the main document display.
Not the sidebar: You can use the sidebar to locate notes (see above), but only edit notes in the content’s display. - Edit the text of the note as desired.
Delete a Note in Preview for Mac
To remove a note from a document using Preview on macOS:
- Locate the note you want to delete in the Highlights and Notes sidebar; see above.
- Highlight the note in the sidebar.
Only the sidebar: For deletion, select the note in the sidebar; you cannot select or delete a note in the reading area. - Press Backspace.
How to Add a Note to a PDF File in Preview on a Mac: Keyboard Shortcuts
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Command Control N | New note on the current page |
| Command Option 4 | Toggle notes sidebar |
| Command F | Search document including notes |
| Backspace | Delete note selected in the sidebar |
How to Add a Note to a PDF File in Preview on a Mac: FAQ
Can I change the front and formatting of a note’s text?
No.
While you can apply text formatting while you compose a note, only the plain text will be saved.
Can I change the color of a note in Preview?
Yes.
To pick from a number of preset background colors for the post-it-like notes in Preview:
- Close the note if it is currently open.
Here’s how: Click anywhere outside the note in the PDF document.
Here’s how to tell: The note is open when you see its text; the note is closed if you see only a small square. - Click on the note with the right mouse button.
- Select from the available colors at the top of the context menu that has appeared.
Can I filter notes by color?
No.
Both the PDF display and the Highlights and Notes sidebar show all notes; you can filter notes in the sidebar by searching within text.
Can I add notes to password-protected PDF files?
Yes.
If the permissions allow for annotating the document, you can add and save notes in Preview.
Can the notes I add in Preview be opened in Chrome, Acrobat, etc.?
Yes.
Preview adds notes as standard PDF annotations. You can open and edit them in other PDF viewers and editors, including Google Chrome, MS Edge, Adobe Acrobat and Gnome Document Viewer. Firefox shows the presence of notes but will not open them.
Will notes synchronize with Preview on iPhone and iPad?
No.
Text in notes is saved only locally on the Mac. It does not synchronize across iCloud, and if you share a PDF file containing a note with Preview on iPhone or iPad, you cannot access the note’s text on the mobile device.
You can share the PDF document, of course, and the notes will display fine for the recipient in Preview.
(Tested with Preview 11 on macOS Tahoe 26; first published June 2026)