With the PDF finally done, you realize page three should actually be page one? Merged a handful of files into a PDF — and they’re all out of order? With a Mac, you don’t need an expensive app or a web service to fix this. Find out here how to rearrange pages in a PDF document using Preview on a Mac ⤓.
First, Lightning Never Thinks Twice
The air feels different over there — crisper, charged with oxygen and possibility.
Like any electric discharge, a bolt of lightning predominately takes the easiest route, the path of least resistance. Since the air is not uniform, the current keeps changing course, darting here, then there and back again, branching haphazardly until it reaches the ground.
Do your documents ever look like lightning has struck them, pages scattered every which way? Let’s see how we can move one over here, three over there to bring back some calm again:
How to Rearrange Pages in a PDF Document Using Preview on a Mac
Time needed: 3 minutes
To edit a PDF document and rearrange its pages on a Mac using macOS Preview:
- Open the PDF file in Preview.
More than one: You can open more than one file simultaneously, of course, and even use Preview to merge PDF documents.
- Optional: Make a copy of the document to save it as a new file.
Here’s how: Select File | Duplicate from the the menu.
Preview keyboard shortcut: You can also press Command Shift S.
Here’s why: If you make a copy right away, all changes will only apply to that copy; otherwise, you might have to undo everything in the original document to restore its state before rearranging pages. - Switch to Contact Sheet view.
Here’s how: Select View | Contact Sheet from the menu or the menu that appears when you click the Choose sidebar display button in the toolbar.
Preview keyboard shortcut: You can also press Command Option 6 to show page thumbnails.
Thumbnail view: You can also select View | Thumbnails from the menu or click the Choose sidebar display button and pick Thumbnails to have thumbnails display alongside regular PDF view. - Drag and drop individual pages in the contact sheet view or sidebar to put them in the desired order.
More than one: You can also select any number of pages for dragging and dropping, hold Command to toggle a page’s inclusion in the selection and click while holding Shift to select a range.
How to Rearrange Pages in a PDF Document Using Preview on a Mac: FAQ
Can I undo rearranging pages in Preview?
Yes.
To undo moving pages in a different location:
- Press Command Z.
Using the menu: You can also select Edit | Undo from the menu.
More than once: Press the keys again to undo successively.
Why can’t I rearrange the pages in a particular PDF document?
When a PDF file’s integrity is protected, you cannot change the order of pages: This is true for
- encrypted PDF documents and
- documents where editing has been locked by the author.
Will rearranging pages change my annotations or bookmarks?
No.
All annotations, highlights, bookmarks and edits you have made will move with their pages to the new location in the document.
Can I delete a page while rearranging?
Yes.
To delete any number of pages in a PDF document using the Preview sidebar:
- Highlight the pages you want to remove.
- Press Backspace.
(Tested with Preview 11 on macOS Tahoe 26.0–26.5; first published October 2025, last updated May 2026)