By Nathan E. Malpass, Last updated: July 22, 2020
How to crop photos with Preview App on Mac Apart from using the Photo App for Mac to crop photos, you can also use the underrated Preview App to crop your photos. This tool is available for any mac users so even the earliest versions of Mac owners can use it.
Part 1. Introduction
Supposed that you are logging on your Facebook or Instagram on your Mac, and you want to post some of your photos on the website. However, there is a problem turning up. You have no idea of how to beautify your photos on Mac or even how to crop an image on Mac. When you are viewing your photos on the Photos app on an iPhone device, you can press the Edit button on the top-right corner and crop it quickly at the same time.
Likewise, on a Mac, you can also make this function come true to edit your pictures. Simple as the function is, it seems to trouble quite a few Mac users because most of those users are not sure of the path and method to get the function. Are you one among them? Read this article to solve this issue and learn about how to crop an image on Mac now or just to master this skill of Mac device.
Part 2. Crop A Picture on Mac Using Preview
Mac has its built-in tool Preview for users to view and edit images. That is to say that you are no need to download other third-party tools to help you directly crop your pictures and photos on Mac. Of course, if you want to add other effects like adding a filter on photos, you can also download PhotoShop and other photo editors or photos app. It is simple and easy of Preview to help users to quickly finish viewing and editing pictures and PDFs, just as the other photos app does. Let us see how to crop an image on Mac with Preview.
1. View photos in Preview on Mac
Step 1. Choose A Picture on Mac
Right-click the photos or picture you want to view on your Mac.
Step 2. Select Open with....
Step 3. Choose Preview.
Choose Preview as the tool to view your photos on your Mac.
Now you can view the pictures in Preview.
Tips: Via the steps above, you can also view PDF files on your Mac.
2. Crop Pictures in Preview on Mac
Step 1. Open and View A Picture
Open and view the photos you want to crop in Preview through the steps above.
Step 2. Hit the Show Markup Toolbar
You can see the Show Markup Toolbar is on the top-right side. Hit this icon.
Step 3. Adjust and Crop Pictures
Then, tools including Selection, Sketch, Color Adjust, and Text are expanded. Now you can start to crop your pictures. You can adjust the size to crop your pictures.
Step 4. Crop The Picture
Press Command + K, one crop button,to crop the image.
Part 3. BONUS: Other Functions of Preview
Preview is virtually a powerful built-in tool for images on Mac. Except for cropping pictures, it can also highlight PDFs, annotating a document, adding your signatures to a document and sharing documents. Here is a brief guide for you on how to implement such functions in the following introductions.
#1. How to highlight PDFs in Preview on Mac
Meanwhile, Preview is not only a tool for images but also a tool provided for users to view and print PDF files. Therefore, you can have access to highlighting PDFs in Preview on your Mac device.
Step 1. Choose A PDF
Choose a PDF and view it in Preview.
Step 2. Tap Highlight
Tap the Highlight icon on the top side.
Step 3. Begin to Highlight
Now, you can highlight the text shown on the screen.
#2. How to annotate a document in Preview on Mac
Annotating allows you to mark on your documents in different ways however and whatever you want.
Step 1. Open The File
Open the documents you want to mark a note on in Preview.
Step 2. Choose Tools.
Step 3. Select Annotate.
Step 4. Choose your preferred way to annotate in the menu bar.
- Highlight
- Strike Through text
- Rectangle
- Oval
- Line
- Arrow
- Polygon
- Star
- Text
- Speech bubble
- Mask
- Loupe
- Note
#3. How to add your signature to a document in Preview on Mac
Adding your signature to a document is one of the greatest function in Preview. In this way, you can add your signature to any other documents in Preview.
Step 1. Open A Document
Open the file you want to add your signature to in Preview.
Step 2. Sign Your Name
Sign your name on a blank sheet.
Step 3. Press the Show Markup Toolbar button.
Step 4. Choose Sign.
Step 5. Choose Camera.
Step 6. Add Your Signature
Take a photo of your signature.
Step 7. Press the Done button.
Step 8. Choose your signature
Click your signature added in Preview just now.
Step 9. Adjust Your Signature
Add and place your signature on the document. Also, you can resize the signature as you like.
#4. How to share documents from Preview on Mac
After cropping your pictures or adding your signature to the documents, you can directly share the pictures or documents to others though Preview.
Step 1. Choose The File
Choose the file you want to share with others or after you edit the pictures or documents, stay in the view page.
Step 2. Select Share
Then, select the Share button.
Step 3. Click The Way
Later, you are supposed to click the path or way you share with others by. Four options are listed: Mail, Messages, AirDrop, and Notes.
Part 4. Conclusion
As what has been introduced to you above, without downloading and installing other third-party software on your Mac, you can also realize to crop your picture or even beautify your photos. Plus, you can view and edit your PDFs as well. Preview is a helper on Mac indeed.
Since you have mastered the method of how to crop pictures on Mac, you can edit or beautify your photos no matter what and how you want. It is a great skill to help you have a more satisfying experience on your Mac device.
If any questions about how to crop pictures on Mac or other Mac skills, please feel at ease to comment below or email to contact us.
Preview App Mac Cropper
We have all grown “photo crazy” these days thanks to growth of social media sites and technology around the globe. Talk about the likes of Instagram and those memes on Facebook and Twitter that we all love. No wonder, photo editing apps are now a norm around as everyone wants to be part of the “photo revolution”. That said, you may want to crop or edit your photos on your mac and you are perhaps wondering which apps you can use. Well, this article is just for you as we will be teaching you how to crop photos on mac for free using a number of cool options built into your mac. Start taking some notes!
How to crop photos with Photos App on Mac
For starters, you can crop and edit your photos on Mac using a Photos App for Mac. You will simply need to update your mac to any Mac OS X from Yosemite and later to use this amazing native app.
This is an app that can help you keep your photos organized while you can also edit your photos in a non-destructive fashion. As for the former, photos app for mac organizes your photos, videos, memories, favorites, people, and more in a library.
You can also do more with the photos app for mac including playing slideshows, sharing photos (via iCloud, mail and social media) and editing your photos.
Talking of editing, let’s look at some of the crop maneuvers you can do with this free photo editing app for mac.
How to Crop a Photo As a Rectangle on Your Mac
Cropping your photos using the Photos App for Mac is quite easy. Just double click on the photo you want to edit and click on Edit on the upper right corner of the app’s window. If you want to edit a photo in another folder, then you will simply need to import the photo by clicking on File>Import to open the photo. Once you have clicked on Edit, you will get a range of editing options. Make sure the crop Icon located at the left part of the editing panel is set to square or a rectangle. If it is not a rectangle or a square just click on the arrow on the arrow next to the box to toggle.
Then click on any part of your photo and you will get a rectangular or square outline-drag into expand depending on the area you want to be covered in your new photo. You can resize using the blue dots that appear at the corners and sides of your cropping outline and once you have got your area, click on the Crop button at the top of the menu and you are good to go.
How to Crop a Photo into a Circle on Your Mac
Cropping your photos into a circular shape is pretty much the same as doing in a rectangular way. The only tweak, in this case, is to select Elliptical Selection in the Crop Icon. Again, after selecting this, click on your photo drag your cursor around the photo. A crop outline will appear in a circular shape having blue dots that you can use to resize the crop area any way you want to.
How to crop photos with Preview App on Mac
Apart from using the Photo App for Mac to crop photos, you can also use the underrated Preview App to crop your photos. This tool is available for any mac users so even the earliest versions of Mac owners can use it. Let’s look at how you can crop your photos using the preview app for Mac:
Step 1: Open Your Image
The first thing you would want to do is open the image you want to edit on the preview app
Step 2: Crop Your Image
- Start editing your image by clicking on the Editor Toolbar found on the right side of the toolbar as shown:
- Pick the type of selection type you want, be it Rectangular Selection, Elliptical Selection, Lasso Selection or Smart Lasso.
- Draw your desired shape on the photo then scale to fit in with the part you want to crop
- Once you are happy with the selection, click on command+ K or simply go to Tools>Crop
Step 3: Save Your Photo
The last step is to save your photo to your desired location. Click on the File menu and choose Save or Save As. It’s that simple!
If you are editing lots of photos then you would want to use shortcuts to speed up the process. Check out how the steps get simpler with shortcuts:
Steps to Crop Images on Preview Using Keyboard Shortcuts
- Select the image you want to edit in finder then hit Command+O. (NB: This will work of Preview is the default image app)
- Your section tool will automatically be active so just draw the rectangle and resize to cover the area you want to crop
- Again, just click on Command+K
- Lastly, Save using Command+S
Steps to Crop Images Using Photos For Mac Keyboard Shortcuts
You can also simplify the process of editing photos on Photos app for Mac
- Press on Return to open your photo in editing mode
- Adjust the photo using cropping
- Press on C or Command-3 to crop the photo
Mac Preview Crop Pdf
Wrapping Up
Mac Preview Application
You do not necessarily need to go for the third party apps to crop and even apply some edits to those coveted photos on your Mac or phone. Mac already has some inbuilt photo editing apps you can take advantage of. It’s just a matter of knowing how to use them and you can start enjoying them for free!