Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. Evergreens

How to print to PDF in MacOS

Add as a preferred source on Google

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.

Recommended Videos

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…
Satechis’s color-matched MacBook Neo accessories are just too pretty to ignore
If you wish Apple made peppy accessories for its budget laptop, Satechi heard your prayers without charging you a bomb for it.
Satechi MacBook Neo accessories

Satechi, which makes some fantastic charging and PC peripherals, has just launched a whole bunch of accessories targeted at the MacBook Neo. But instead of making them boring and drab, the company has actually color-matched them to the exact shade that you get on Apple's budget-centric laptop. The offerings on the table include a multi-port adapter, a USB-C snap hub, and a wireless mouse, and all of them are now available to buy starting at $29.99 from Satechi's website and Amazon. Color options that are up for grabs include Citrus, Blush, Indigo, and Silver

Satechi OntheGo 5-in-1 Multiport Adapter ($44.99)

Read more
ChatGPT’s hiking advice left two hikers stranded on a mountain in Poland
The chatbot directed the pair onto a climbing route neither had the skills to finish, and it's not the first time AI has sent travelers somewhere they shouldn't have gone.
Bag, Clothing, Coat

A shortcut recommended by ChatGPT left two hikers stuck on a mountain face in Poland this month, and they needed a helicopter to get back down. It's the latest case of an AI chatbot steering travelers toward routes it has no real way to evaluate.

ChatGPT's shortcut led straight to a dead end

Read more
Firefox is doubling its update pace, and that’s good news for your security
Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla is about to speed up one of the most important parts of using Firefox: security updates. If you're used to seeing a new Firefox update land about once a month, that's about to change. Beginning in September, Mozilla plans to switch to a two-week release schedule for Firefox on desktop and Android, meaning users should start getting updates twice as often. That might sound like more frequent downloads, but it's really about closing security gaps sooner.

Why waiting a month for security fixes no longer cuts it

Read more