Fix: Cant Edit PDF Files in Preview macOS Ventura

macOS Ventura users have reported that they can’t Edit PDF Files in the Preview app. The PDF document is not displaying the content. Users have reported multiple error codes and prompt in the discussions. The document seems to be working on cross-platforms and third-party PDF viewers. We will investigate the matter and solve them by applying the official solutions.

Does Apple Preview Have PDF Document Editing Tools?

The Apple Preview app displays various documents and photos on the Mac computer. However, the application doesn’t have editing tools, and the developers never designed it for editing purposes. There are a few reasons why the PDf comment is not showing in the Preview app.

macOS Bugs:

The Ventura is a new edition and requires many software updates to fix new bugs or glitches in the operating system. Apple developers need time to identify the issues and figure out how to solve them. I laid down a few rules you should follow before updating the macOS.

PDF Document Restrictions:

PDF is an industry-standard document for companies and corporate employees. Many professionals use PDF documents to contain confidential information. The author must have added restrictions to the file to prevent unauthorized access. You can remove them in the macOS Ventura, as I have shown below.

Preview Bugs:

Apple developers have optimized the Preview application for performance and stability. The Preview has minor bugs or glitches. You can solve them temporarily until the developers release an update.

Corrupted PDF Document:

We have seen multiple corrupted documents over the years. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend readers fix the corrupted files because they are a challenge. Ask the sender to resend a new copy through the email service or storage drive. You can view the corrupted PDF document on an Android device. You can confirm the Preview app performance in this way.

Fix: Can’t Edit PDF Files in Preview macOS Ventura?

You can install a third-party PDF document viewer on Mac. The dedicated program will load the PDF document and view the contents. I have recommended an open-source document viewer for the macOS Ventura. You can try the freeware program and view the PDF without solving the Preview app issue.

Reboot Mac

Most software-related problems, such as bugs, go away after you restart the Mac computer. We keep the MacBook or Mac in sleep mode for days. The operating system ends the session and restarts the drivers, background process, etc. Save the work and reboot the computer.

1. Click the Apple logo from the top menu.

2. Click the “Restart” option.

3. Click the “Restart” button.

4. Place the MacBook aside.

Give the computer a minute to reboot the operating system. Open Finder and view the document on the Preview application.

Locked PDF Document

Mac users lock the PDF document to prevent unauthorized access. The Preview app won’t view the contents because the document owner locked the file. Let me show you how you can find out and unlock the document.

1. Open the Finder and locate the document.

2. Select the PDf file.

3. Right-click the mouse and select the “Get Info” option.

4. Look for “Locked” in the Get Info tab.

5. Uncheck the “Locked” option.

Close the window and open the file in the Preview app. The PDF document will display the contents without any restrictions.

Encypted PDF Document

Users encrypt the PDF document to protect the file from unknown users. The file won’t open the Preview app because it doesn’t have bypass tools. You don’t have many options and rely on the sender.

a. Contact the sender and ask them to provide the password.

b. Use a decrypter and remove the protective layer.

c. Bypass the document through a tool.

I won’t show you how to bypass the password or decrypt the file. Kindly contact the sender for the password.

Quit Preview App

The Preview supports multiple file formats. You can view photos and documents using the built-in app. Force quit the application from the background and launch it a minute later.

1. Find the Preview in the dock.

2. Hover your mouse over the app.

3. Right-click the mouse and select the “Quit” option.

4. Open the document a minute later.

The Preview bugs or glitches go away when you open the app. Wait for the Apple developers to release a software update.

Alternative PDF Document Viewer

Install a third-party program on the Mac and view the PDF documents. You cannot put the load on the Preview app and get advanced features from the dedicated PDF viewer program. Meanwhile, you can use Firefox or Chrome browser to view the documents

Try Foxit Reader for Mac. The developer is not paying us to promote the program for the readers. I trust the Foxit Reader, so I recommend it.

You can achieve the same results from Firefox and Chrome browsers. I have viewed the PDF documents on a browser numerous times.

Update macOS Ventura

The macOS Monterey received eleven software updates in twelve months. Yes, I counted the number of software updates manually. The 12.6.2 operating system is stable and improved the battery life. The Apple developers take time to learn about the problems and fix them.

You should update the software when it’s available.

But.

I want you to follow a few rules before taking the next step to update the software.

a. Read the release notes.

b. The world will install the latest macOS Ventura version.

c. Wait for the video and written reviews.

Install the latest Ventura updates when you read or video reviews. The community will tell you when there is a problem in the macOS Ventura.

Bottom Line

You cant edit PDF Files in Preview on the macOS Ventura. The Preview app doesn’t have editing tools. You can find hundreds of PDF editing tools, but they charge for the license key. Most Portable Document Format tools have free viewers, but you pay for the editor. I have suggested Foxit Reader because it has a premium plan to access the editing tools. Let us know how you solved the problem in the comment section.