Skip to main content

How to print to PDF in MacOS

It doesn’t get any easier than printing to PDF in MacOS. Fortunately, you won’t have to go find, download, and then install software, such as Adobe Acrobat or Reader. Instead, getting access to printing and converting your Mac files to a PDF is done with native features. With this step-by-step guide, you’ll be printing files to PDF lickety-split.

You’ll find plenty of benefits from printing files to PDF on your CPU. You can help cut back on deforestation, share documents with ease, and even ensure that you have cross-compatibility with platforms like Windows or Linux.

For other PDFcontent, check out our guides on how to edit a PDF file, how to convert a PDF to a Word file, and how to convert a PDF file to a JPG.

Step 1: Open the File menu

Note: Almost every Mac application can save a document as a PDF, but to make it easy, we’re going to show you how to print a document to PDF in Numbers.

First, open the document you wish to print to PDF in any Mac application. Once your document is open and you’re ready to save it as a PDF, open the File menu at the top of the page and click Print.

How to print to PDF in MacOS
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Choose the output file type

Now, you’ll notice the appearance of a Print Options dialog box. In the lower left-hand corner, you’ll notice the PDF drop-down menu. If you click on it, you’ll be able to select multiple choices, including emailing your PDF. Be aware that some applications, such as Numbers, might not include this drop-down. In that case, click Print and select the output or delivery method from the new dialog box.

How to print to PDF in MacOS
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Save as PDF

Now it’s time to click Save as PDF. You’ll notice another dialog box letting you give your file a name, designate its destination, and click Save. Afterward, the conversion process will keep going. It might take more time if you have a larger file—you can keep an eye on it in the progress bar.

How to print to PDF in MacOS
Image used with permission by copyright holder

You’re now all set with your PDF. It’s not too difficult of a process. PDFs are very convenient because they are readable on multiple platforms. Now that you know how to make PDFs on your Mac, you can start sending files more easily than ever before.

Jeff Weisbein
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jeff is the founder & CEO of BestTechie. He has over 10 years of experience working with technology and building…
Apple Intelligence: Here’s everything we know so far
Apple Intelligence features.

Apple Intelligence is Apple's take on AI, and it looks to fundamentally change the way we interact with technology, blending advanced machine learning and AI capabilities into everyday devices.
Promising more conversational prose from Siri, automated proofreading and text summarization across apps, and lightning-fast image generation, Apple's AI ecosystem is designed to enhance user experiences and streamline operations across its product lineup. Here's everything you need to know about Apple's transformational new AI.

Apple Intelligence release date and compatibility
Apple Intelligence was originally slated for formal release in September, coinciding with the roll out of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. However, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported, Apple subsequently decided to slightly delay the release of Intelligence. It is currently available to developers as part of the iOS 18.1 beta release on September 19, though it's looking unlikely that Apple Intelligence will be released publicly before the official 18.1 roll out scheduled for October, per Gurman.
https://twitter.com/markgurman/status/1817632719175901531
The company has specified that, at least initially, the AI features will be available on the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, as well as iPads and Macs with M1 or newer chips (and presumably the iPhone 16 handsets as well, since they'll all be running iOS 18). What's more, the features are only available at launch when the user language is set to English.
Why the cutoff? Well, Apple has insisted that the processes are too intensive for older hardware, as they utilize the more advanced neural engines, GPUs, and CPUs of these newer chips.
Users who run an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max part of Apple's Developer program gained access to an early version of Intelligence in July with the release of iOS 18.1 beta.

Read more
Apple may have stealthily confirmed the new Mac mini
The Mac mini on a wooden table.

With the Apple iPhone event now behind us, we are still waiting for official news about new Macs. We recently reported on the slew of Macs that are most likely on the way, but Apple's been silent on the matter -- until now. A stealthy line of code in the new macOS Sequoia update reveals that a new Mac mini might be in the works, and the confirmation fits right in with previous reports.

Let's start with some context. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is readying a new Mac mini with the M4 and the M4 Pro chip. Aside from the chip upgrade, the 2024 Mac mini is said to be redesigned to be smaller than ever before, marking the first major change in the design of the mini PC in many years. It's said to be around the same size as an Apple TV set-top box. To that end, we've heard that Apple might remove all of the USB-A ports on the Mac mini in an effort to make the PC even thinner.

Read more
The macOS Sequoia update just launched. Here’s why you should install it
The iPhone Mirroring feature from macOS Sequoia being demonstrated at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024.

The macOS Sequoia update is finally here, bringing iPhone Mirroring, Safari updates, window tiling, and the new Passwords app to Mac. As promised, there are no Apple Intelligence features in this update, but they will start rolling out from next month.

iPhone Mirroring is the most exciting thing coming with this update, allowing you to check your messages, notifications, and apps without switching devices. The feature makes a lot of sense as the one time we truly don't need our phones is when we're already using a computer. Instead of taking your hands off the keyboard to pick up your iPhone, you can simply access it on your Mac like a phone-shaped app.

Read more