How to screenshot a PDF page and mark it up on a Mac
Sometimes you don't want to send the whole PDF, just one table or paragraph with an arrow pointing at it. Capture that part as an image, mark it up and paste it where people will see it. To edit the PDF itself, Preview is the better tool.
Steps
- Open the PDF and zoom inOpen it in Preview or your browser and zoom in until the text is sharp. The capture is as sharp as what's on screen.
- Capture the part you needPress Option-Shift-Command-4 and drag over the page, the table or the paragraph. Click the thumbnail to open the editor.
- Mark it upPress R to box a line, N to number the steps, A for an arrow, or B to blur a name, an address or a signature.
- Share the imagePress Shift-Command-C and paste it into a chat, an email or a document, or press Command-S to save it.
When Preview is the better tool
EasyShoot opens images, not PDF files, and what it exports is a picture. To add notes, highlights or a signature to the PDF itself, or to redact text and keep a PDF, use the Markup toolbar in Preview.
Hide private details first
Invoices, contracts and statements carry names, addresses and account numbers. Press B and drag over them before you share; the exported image keeps only the hidden version. More in how to blur part of a screenshot.
Point at one thing
A PDF page holds a lot. Box the line that matters, number the fields to fill in, and crop the rest away with C so people see only what you mean.
Questions
Can EasyShoot open a PDF file?
No. It opens image files and images you've copied. Capture the PDF from the screen instead.
How do I keep the text sharp?
Zoom in on the PDF before you capture it. A screenshot keeps what's on your screen, so larger text on screen means sharper text in the image.
Can I blur part of a PDF?
On a capture, yes: press B and drag over it. To remove text from the PDF file itself, use the redaction tool in Preview.