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Preview Tutorial - Reading PDF Files

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Brief Introduction

Somehow I feel it's quite difficult to read through many pages of PDF using my small display of MacBook. Fortunately, I come out with several ideas to improve the readability of reading PDF files with Preview which is our Mac default application to view PDF files.

Setting Default Application

Perhaps you haven't set up your default opening application for PDF file to Preview, you can do the following steps :

  1. Highlight one of your collection of PDF Files
  2. Right click on it to show up the contextual menu
  3. Mouse over on Open With with modifier keys Option pressed. You should notice that the name is now changed to Always Open With
  4. Choose and Click on Preview
  5. Now, you've done setting up Preview as your default opening PDF Files as well as opening that highlighted file with Preview

Adjusting Display Size

For big monitor's owner, the view area wouldn't be much of trouble for you that you can easily right-click on the display area and choose Automatically Resize. This will make your previewed page automatically zoomed to fit the entire view pane with its height and width proportional to the initial size.

Because the entire page is displayed on the view pane, you can easily jump to next page using your mouse-scroll or pressing Down-Arrow key.

Problem arises when you need to view your long PDF File using small display of your MacBook. Suitable view will result it your Preview to have scroll bar on the right side of its view pane which causes the mouse-scroll and down-arrow key cannot be used to change to next page.

Luckily, you can use Right-Arrow key instead. This can be used to switch to next page successfully. Note that using mouse-scroll or Down-Arrow can also change page but you're required to hit the end of page first.

Hopefully, now you can get the convenient display and navigate easily. You can use Command [+] / Command [-] to zoom in/out followed by pressing the Zoom button (green button at top left corner of the pane) to adjust your view.

Jump to Specific Page

When you have hundreds pages of file, it will be really tedious to scroll down page by page to let say you want to reach page 145. You can use Go to Page.. (keystrokes: Command-Option-G) which is located under Apple ▸ Go ▸ Go to Page... Putting in the page number you want to look for and you'll be taken to the specified page.

Categories: Applications, Utilities
Tags: Preview

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6 Comments

Giel 

Where did you get that wallpaper? I love it

Ian 

A very good tutorial, as every one I've read from you. Thank you very much for yourvery useful tips. 

PS: I like your Wallpaper too. Where can I get it?.

Wendy 

Woops.. I forgot to keep track where did I get that wallpaper from. But I found this site is pretty interesting in term of good wallpapers' collection www.fantom-xp.com (right-click to save image).

dziewuliz 

Just FYI - you should check out Skim pdf reader, some of the best freeware software there is.. Much snappier than Preview/Adobe and full of features..

Sebastian 

Here's the wallpaper, it's called "The right way", by Shilk:

http://shilk.deviantart.com/art/THE-RIGHT-WAY-66640637


Sebastian

Jorge Luis 

Hi:

The wallpapers is not longer available on the address that you provide, if anyone are intrested on the wallpaper, can be found on: http://www.vistaknowledge.com/vista-hd-wallpapers/the-right-way-hd-wallpaper/

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