One massive I'd add to this list that got added recently - being able to copy and paste text out of images. I'm so often sent a screenshot with a url in the url bar, I can now copy and paste that screenshot of a url. It's been massively the past month since I noticed it. Not sure how long it's been there, I assume not long, maybe last OS update.
Preview, the Mac app people forget about
31–40 of 337 posts
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#32It's mentioned heavily in the article but I want to emphasize... Preview is the easiest way to slice up and merge PDF files.
This feature is one of the few things I miss dearly since moving to Linux as my daily-driver OS. There are command-line tools but nothing compares to Preview from what I've found.
I never realized how much I used it and relied on it until I moved to Windows over the winter break so I could game with friends. One of the many reasons my next computer is going to be another MacBook most likely. I really miss that thing.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#33Preview is very much part of my daily tools: signing/splitting/editing PDFs and images (even animated GIFs!) etc.
The only thing that bothers me slightly is the weird “File” menu: along with some other macOS apps (Textedit for example) they renounced the old “Save as” in favour of “Duplicate”, “Move”, etc. I never exactly know what happens with those commands.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#34People also forget that you can use Preview to scan documents from your scanner rather than using whatever shitty software came with yours. Also, Preview > File > Import from iPhone > Scan Documents gives you a virtual scanner instead of having to install one of those "scanner" apps on your phone. Its built into your iPhone already! I also use it frequently to change image file types. You can also make a digital vers…
If you want to scan a document and have an iphone handy, you can also right click in Finder and "Scan document... from iPhone". It opens a UI on your phone that I've never seen before, and "scans" (photographs) pages of a document. When you're done the results end up in a new PDF wherever you clicked.
Preview has other interactions with iOS and iPadOS, too. If you enter markup mode you can draw all over a PDF with your phone or tablet.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#35Still don't know how to preview all photos in for example "downloads" Osx UX is a messsssss
Select them in finder and press space bar.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#36Signatures stamps are great, but the signature-creation method is absurd.
Ok, there is something cryptographically special about a signature image, which means we can't just import a file, it has to be created while in the program, and it gets stored on the keychain. Fine. But then why not also give us the ability to add an arbitrary stamp from an image? Why have the only method for adding a stamp to a PDF be through the signatures?
I have a fine signature as an image, which didn't survive the switch to a new Mac because it's not a plain image and you have to jump through hoops to bring it across keychains. I also have a stamp that I use. I can't import either of these into Preview, and my only option for the former is a terrible scrawl on the touchpad, or holding up an image in front of the camera and hoping it's not too distorted. Why?
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#37It's mentioned heavily in the article but I want to emphasize... Preview is the easiest way to slice up and merge PDF files.
This feature is one of the few things I miss dearly since moving to Linux as my daily-driver OS. There are command-line tools but nothing compares to Preview from what I've found.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#38People also forget that you can use Preview to scan documents from your scanner rather than using whatever shitty software came with yours. Also, Preview > File > Import from iPhone > Scan Documents gives you a virtual scanner instead of having to install one of those "scanner" apps on your phone. Its built into your iPhone already! I also use it frequently to change image file types. You can also make a digital vers…
Holy hell, I'm glad I clicked on this story. Had no idea this feature existed, I've been using much clunkier solutions to get a photo or document over from my phone. Thanks!
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#39Preview is one of those essential things that sets macOS apart from the other operating systems, and contributes to that “Mac has good UX” vibe. Last time I opened the Windows equivalent, it tried to sell me on Microsoft’s PDF-alike format… and asked me to connect Office365. Another tiny macOS feature I love is that you can drop a file icon on any Open or Save dialog to select the file in the dialog. On other OSs, th…
My passport application photo kept getting rejected as my eyes were ‘too dark’.
I tried various things without luck, then in a rage, I copied my ‘light’ eye and stuck it over my shaded eye.
I thought the passport photo submission tool would let me review before accepting an upload. Nope, off it went.
The passport has worked in several countries, USA, UK and others.
Thanks Preview.
Re: Preview, the Mac app people forget about
#40I love preview -- I've done every one of these things in it. I also use it to crop images all the time. Not only can you select a rectangle, but it also has a magic wand selector where you can draw an outline of what you want to select and it will find the borders for you.