Unlocking the secrets of seamless PDF editing, this article unravels the vexing issue of being unable to delete pages in Mac Preview. With six simple yet effective methods, bid farewell to unwanted pages and embrace a hassle-free PDF experience on your Mac.

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Check for compatibility: Ensure that the PDF file is not password-protected or restricted from editing. Preview may not allow deleting pages in such cases.

How to Remove Pages from PDF in Mac Preview

To remove pages from a PDF in Mac Preview, follow these easy steps:

1. Open the PDF file in Preview on your Mac.

2. Click on the “Thumbnails” button in the toolbar to display the page thumbnails on the sidebar.

3. Select the page or pages you want to remove by holding down the Command key and clicking on each page thumbnail.

4. Once the desired pages are selected, right-click on any of the selected thumbnails and choose “Delete” from the context menu.

5. Confirm the deletion by clicking the “Delete” button in the confirmation dialogue box.

6. Save the changes to the PDF file by clicking on “File” in the menu bar and selecting “Save”.

If you encounter any issues with removing pages in Mac Preview, make sure the PDF file doesn’t have any editing restrictions or a permission password set by the owner. If that’s the case, you may need to use a third-party tool like SysTools PDF Unlocker or Adobe Acrobat Pro to bypass these restrictions.

In Preview, deleting specific pages from a PDF document may not be possible due to its inherent file structure.
Updated: December 2024

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Best Tools for Deleting Pages from PDF on Mac

  • Open the PDF file in Mac Preview.
  • Click on the “View” tab in the menu bar.
    Open the PDF file in Mac Preview. Click on the "View" tab in the menu bar.
  • Select “Thumbnails” to display the list of pages.
  • Right-click on the page you want to delete.
  • Choose “Delete” from the drop-down menu.
  • Save the changes made to the PDF file.
    Choose "Delete" from the drop-down menu. Save the changes made to the PDF file.

Method 2: Using Adobe Acrobat

  • Launch Adobe Acrobat on your Mac.
  • Click on “File” in the menu bar and select “Open”.
  • Choose the PDF file you want to edit.
  • Click on the “Organize Pages” tool in the right pane.
    Choose the PDF file you want to edit. Click on the "Organize Pages" tool in the right pane.
  • Select the page you wish to delete.
  • Press the “Delete” key on your keyboard or click on the “Delete” button.
    Select the page you wish to delete. Press the "Delete" key on your keyboard or click on the "Delete" button.
  • Save the changes made to the PDF file.

Method 3: Using PDFelement

  • Install and open PDFelement on your Mac.
  • Click on “Open File” to import the PDF document.
    Install and open PDFelement on your Mac. Click on "Open File" to import the PDF document.
  • Choose the “Page” tab in the top toolbar.
  • Select the page you want to delete.
  • Click on the “Delete” button in the toolbar.
  • Save the changes made to the PDF file.
    Click on the "Delete" button in the toolbar. Save the changes made to the PDF file.

Method 4: Using Preview and Automator

  • Open the PDF file in Mac Preview.
  • Launch Automator from the Applications folder.
    Open the PDF file in Mac Preview. Launch Automator from the Applications folder.
  • Select “New Document” and choose “Workflow”.
  • Search for and add the “Render PDF Pages as Images” action to the workflow.
  • Select the page you wish to delete from the workflow.
  • Click on “File” and choose “Move Finder Items” to delete the selected page.
  • Save the workflow as an application.
  • Drag and drop the PDF file onto the created application.
    Save the workflow as an application. Drag and drop the PDF file onto the created application.
  • Save the changes made to the PDF file.

Method 5: Using Smallpdf Online Tool

  • Visit the Smallpdf website on your Mac.
  • Click on “Choose File” to upload the PDF document.
    Visit the Smallpdf website on your Mac. Click on "Choose File" to upload the PDF document.
  • Select the page you want to delete from the thumbnail list.
  • Click on the “Trash Can” icon to delete the selected page.
  • Download the modified PDF file.

Method 6: Using PDF Expert

  • Download and install PDF Expert from the Mac App Store.
  • Open the PDF file in PDF Expert.
  • Click on the “Edit” tab in the top toolbar.
  • Select the page you wish to delete.
    Click on the "Edit" tab in the top toolbar. Select the page you wish to delete.
  • Press the “Backspace” key on your keyboard or click on the “Delete” button.
  • Save the changes made to the PDF file.
    Press the "Backspace" key on your keyboard or click on the "Delete" button. Save the changes made to the PDF file.

Pros and Cons of Different Methods to Delete PDF Pages on Mac




Pros and Cons of Different Methods to Delete PDF Pages on Mac

Method Pros Cons
Method 1: Mac Preview
  • Simple and easy to use
  • No need for additional software
    Simple and easy to use No need for additional software
  • Can only delete one page at a time
  • Can be time-consuming for deleting multiple pages
    Can only delete one page at a time Can be time-consuming for deleting multiple pages
Method 2: Adobe Acrobat
  • Allows batch deletion of multiple pages
  • More advanced editing options
  • Requires purchasing Adobe Acrobat
  • Additional software installation
    Requires purchasing Adobe Acrobat Additional software installation
Method 3: Online PDF Editors
  • No need to install any software
  • Accessible from any device with internet connection
  • Privacy concerns when uploading sensitive files
  • Relies on internet connection
    Privacy concerns when uploading sensitive files Relies on internet connection
Method 4: Third-Party Mac Apps
  • Wide range of features for PDF editing
  • Can handle large PDF files efficiently
    Wide range of features for PDF editing Can handle large PDF files efficiently
  • May require purchasing the app
  • Additional software installation
    May require purchasing the app Additional software installation
Method 5: Automator
  • Allows for automation of repetitive tasks
  • Can create custom workflows
    Allows for automation of repetitive tasks Can create custom workflows
  • Requires intermediate knowledge of Automator
  • May take time to set up the workflow initially
    Requires intermediate knowledge of Automator May take time to set up the workflow initially
Method 6: Terminal Commands
  • Can be used for advanced PDF manipulation
  • Allows for bulk operations
    Can be used for advanced PDF manipulation Allows for bulk operations
  • Requires knowledge of Terminal commands
  • Potential risk of accidentally deleting important files
    Requires knowledge of Terminal commands Potential risk of accidentally deleting important files


python
import PyPDF2

def delete_pdf_pages(input_file, output_file, pages_to_delete):
with open(input_file, 'rb') as file:
reader = PyPDF2.PdfFileReader(file)
writer = PyPDF2.PdfFileWriter()

for page_num in range(reader.numPages):
if page_num not in pages_to_delete:
writer.addPage(reader.getPage(page_num))

with open(output_file, 'wb') as output:
writer.write(output)

# Usage example
input_pdf = 'input.pdf'
output_pdf = 'output.pdf'
pages = [0, 2, 4] # Pages to delete, e.g., 0, 2, 4

delete_pdf_pages(input_pdf, output_pdf, pages)

In the above code, we define the `delete_pdf_pages` function that takes the input PDF file path, output PDF file path, and a list of page numbers to delete. The function reads the input PDF using PyPDF2, skips the pages specified in the `pages_to_delete` list, and writes the modified PDF to the output file.

Please note that this code uses PyPDF2, a third-party library, to manipulate PDFs in Python.

Tips for Successfully Deleting Pages from PDF on Mac

Here are 6 easy methods to successfully delete pages from a PDF on Mac using Preview:

1. Method 1: Open the PDF in Preview and select the page you want to delete. Then, go to the “Edit” menu and choose “Delete” or use the shortcut Command + Delete.

2. Method 2: Right-click on the page thumbnail in the sidebar, select “Delete” from the options, or use the shortcut Control + Click and choose “Delete” from the context menu.

3. Method 3: If you want to delete multiple pages at once, hold down the Command key and click on the thumbnails of the pages you want to delete. Then, right-click and choose “Delete” or use the shortcut Control + Click.

4. Method 4: Use the View menu to switch to the Contact Sheet view, where you can select and delete multiple pages at once.

5. Method 5: If you encounter any issues with deleting pages in Preview, consider using third-party software like SysTools PDF Unlocker or Acrobat Pro to remove any editing restrictions or protection.

6. Method 6: If none of the above methods work, you can try converting the PDF to another format, such as Word or Pages, and then delete the pages using software like Adobe Acrobat DC or Microsoft Edge.

Remember to save a backup of your PDF before deleting any pages, as the changes cannot be undone.

Example Message
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If you are unable to delete pages in Preview, it is likely because the software does not have the capability to delete pages from a PDF file. Download this tool to run a scan

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