How to add an image to a PDF on Mac
A photo in a report, a logo on a letter, a screenshot in a set of instructions. From a file, or straight from the clipboard.
Adding a picture to a finished document used to mean going back to whatever produced it. It does not have to.
Inserting images is part of Premium, so it carries a small lock in the document actions panel and in the menu bar. The lock is a label rather than a barrier — you can open the feature and see what it does before deciding to unlock it. Reading and every page operation stay free.
Two ways in
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From a file
Choose Insert Image from the document actions panel and pick the picture. It lands on the page ready to be positioned.
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From the clipboard
Copy a picture anywhere on your Mac — including a screenshot taken with ⌘+⇧+4 — and choose Insert Image from Clipboard. This is the fast route for screenshots, and it skips saving a file first.
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Position and size it
Drag to move, drag a corner to resize. Hold ⇧ while resizing to keep the proportions, which you almost always want for a photo or a logo.
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Adjust or remove it
The image is an object like any other annotation, so it can be moved, resized or deleted at any point, and undo works throughout.
What this is good for
- Evidence in a report. A photograph of the thing being described, next to the description.
- A logo on a letter. When the letterhead was lost somewhere between the template and the export.
- Screenshots in instructions. Written instructions with pictures are followed; written instructions without them are ignored.
- A signature image. Possible, though the signing feature is better for anything you will place more than once.
A photograph straight from a phone is several megabytes. Half a dozen of them turn a small document into one that will not go through email. If the finished file has to be sent, compress it afterwards — you can choose how hard to squeeze, and see the result before you keep it.
Images and flattening
An inserted image sits on the page as an object, which means whoever receives the document can move or delete it. For a final copy where that would be a problem, flatten the document to fix everything permanently into the page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insert an image into a PDF on a Mac?
Choose Insert Image from the document actions panel and pick the file, or copy a picture and use Insert Image from Clipboard. Then drag to position and resize it.
Can I paste a screenshot straight into a PDF?
Yes. Take the screenshot, then use Insert Image from Clipboard. There is no need to save a file first.
How do I keep an image's proportions while resizing?
Hold ⇧ while dragging a corner.
Will adding images make my PDF too big to email?
It can. Photographs from a phone are large. Compress the document afterwards and choose how hard to squeeze.
Can I remove an image after adding it?
Yes, at any point before the document is flattened. It behaves like any other annotation.