ilovepdfmac vs macOS Preview
Preview comes free with every Mac and handles basic PDF jobs well. ilovepdfmac picks up where Preview stops — for the jobs Preview can't do, or does poorly.
ilovepdfmacWhere macOS Preview is better
- Free and already on your Mac
- Fast for viewing, quick notes and signatures
- Good page organizing by dragging thumbnails
Where ilovepdfmac is better
- Converts Word, Excel and PowerPoint to PDF
- Compression that keeps text sharp, with three levels
- Page numbers, watermarks, crop and batch image to PDF
- Every job is one clear button — no hidden menus
Keep Preview for viewing and quick signatures. Add ilovepdfmac when you need conversions, real compression, page numbers, watermarks and batch jobs.
Questions
Details about macOS Preview checked November 2026 from public information. Plans and features change — see Preview User Guide (Apple) for the latest. macOS Preview is a trademark of its owner; this page isn't affiliated with them.
How do I compress a PDF in Preview?+
File → Export, then choose the “Reduce File Size” Quartz filter. It works, but often makes text and images blurry because it has no quality settings.
Can Preview convert Word to PDF?+
Not directly — you'd open the file in Word or Pages and export it. ilovepdfmac converts Word and Excel files directly, many at a time.
Do more than Preview — $9.99, once.
ilovepdfmac — merge, compress, convert, edit and sign. Works offline, $9.99 once.