Pasting Graphics Into PDFs in Preview

If you need to paste a graphic image, like a logo or watermark, over a PDF, it may seem like you can't do it in Preview on your Mac. But you can if you know the proper way to copy the image from another file and bring it over to the PDF.

Comments: 16 Responses to “Pasting Graphics Into PDFs in Preview”

    Bern Shanfield
    9 months ago

    Interesting, clear, useful, thank you.
    Question: What, more specifically, is the "Object" created that you are pasting into the PDFs? Is "object" a class unto itself?

    9 months ago

    Bern: I'm using the term descriptively. There is nothing official called an "object" here. I could have said "paste the image" or "paste the thing" or "paste the item."

    Gene Martin
    9 months ago

    Neat trick! Speaking of PDF manipulations, is it possible to merge two PDFs using a Shortcut?

    9 months ago

    Gene: Maybe. There is a "Make PDF from" action. I suppose if you feed that action a list of two PDF files, maybe it would work? You'll need to experiment.

    jun
    9 months ago

    awesome video! possibly, to create a blank new pdf with desired image, can we simply try to print/export as pdf? But, it seems not so good, as the whole image becomes one page in pdf without opportunity to play around with image size, orientation etc. So, your trick to create new pdf with image seems much better! Thanks again!

    Louise Kienast
    9 months ago

    Interesting - I tried it and while it works, at first the pasted object began to shake uncontrollably. It eventually stopped and I could resize and place where I wanted. I have a question about the difference between object and image. Why is one called an image and the other an object?

    9 months ago

    Louise: Shake? That's odd. I can't think of why that would happen. I'm just using the word "object" to describe what is going on. The object, in this case, is an image.

    Gerry Pelletier
    9 months ago

    All these years, I've been doing this the hard way – copying the PDF page to Pages, then adding the graphic on top, then print as PDF, then insert the page back into the PFD doc. Now I know the secret to better productivity. Thanks Gary. This Patreon subscription is really paying off.

    Jared Rifkin
    9 months ago

    The way I've been doing it for years is to open the file.pdf in Acrobat, export it as an Image whether jpg or whatever (automatically will open in Preview). Embellish the file.jpg by doing ⌘c (the add-in), then ⌘v that onto the file.jpg and ⌘s. Then export from Preview back as file.pdf. Works for me.

    9 months ago

    Jared: Note that you are then converting the PDF to an image. If that works for your use-case then OK. But for most people they would want to keep the PDF as a PDF with the smaller file size, high resolution for text and lines, and real text in the document.

    Seth Rosenblum
    9 months ago

    Perfect! Couldn't have had more perfect timing! I was just trying to do this exact thing yesterday and finally gave up. Works like a charm, Thanks Gary!

    John Robinson
    9 months ago

    Excellent tip. Thank you. Wish there was a way to fully crop a pdf without buying Acrobat!

    9 months ago
    Michael de Podesta
    9 months ago

    Thank you. That's a really helpful trick for "signing" pdf documents which saves printing, signing, and then scanning. Wonderful!

    Jim Goddard
    9 months ago

    This is extremely helpful. I was working on a PDF document last week and never could figure out how to add the appropriate graphics.
    Thanks so much.

    TimA
    8 months ago

    Requires Preview v 11. Doesn't work with v 10

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