Manage PDFs and scanned documents using Notes on Mac

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, do any of the following to find a PDF or scanned document:

   • Look in the note it was added to.

   • Search for the PDF or scanned document by name.

   • Choose View > Show Attachments Browser, then click Scans or Documents. To view an attachment inside the note that contains it, select the attachment, then choose View > Show in Note.

   Note: If you have macOS 10.14 or later, and iOS 12 or later or iPadOS 13 or later, you can also scan a document directly from your iPhone or iPad camera. In a note, click at the beginning of a line, choose File > Insert from iPhone or iPad, then choose Scan Documents to scan a document with your iPhone or iPad and insert it in your note. See Insert photos and scans with Continuity Camera.

2. Do any of the following:

   • Preview a PDF or scanned document: Click the down arrow next to the document title, then choose Quick Look Attachment.

     Tip: If you’re using a trackpad, you can pinch to zoom in or out in Quick Look.

   • Open a PDF or scanned document: Click the down arrow next to the document title, then choose Open Attachment. It opens in Preview (or your default PDF editor).

   • Add text, drawings, shapes, or signatures to a PDF or scanned document: Click the down arrow next to the document title, then choose Markup.

See Mark up attachments.

You can crop a PDF to focus in on a specific area or eliminate unwanted parts of the document.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click the down arrow next to the name of the PDF, then choose Markup.

   If you don’t see the down arrow, Control-click the PDF, click View As, then choose Medium or Large.

2. Control-click a thumbnail, then click Crop Page (or use the Touch Bar).

3. Click the Crop button , then drag the adjustment handles to enclose the area you want to keep in the PDF.

4. When you’re finished making changes, do one of the following:

   • Save your changes: Click Done.

   • Stop cropping without saving your changes: Press Escape (Esc) or click Cancel.

You can crop a scanned document to focus in on a specific area or eliminate unwanted parts of the document.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click Show Thumbnails next to the name of the scanned document.

   If you don’t see the Show Thumbnails button, Control-click the PDF or scanned document, click View As, then choose Medium or Large.

2. Control-click a thumbnail, then click Crop Page (or use the Touch Bar).

3. Drag the adjustment handles to enclose the area you want to keep in the PDF or scanned document.

4. When you’re finished making changes, do one of the following:

   • Save your changes: Click Done.

   • Stop cropping without saving your changes: Press Escape (Esc) or click Cancel.

You can give your scanned document a special look by using one of four filters.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click Show Thumbnails next to the name of the scanned document.

2. Control-click a thumbnail, then choose Filters.

3. Click the filter you want (or tap it in the Touch Bar).

You can manually rotate a PDF or scanned document so that it’s oriented the way you want.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, click Show Thumbnails next to the name of the PDF or scanned document.

2. Control-click a thumbnail, then choose Rotate Left or Rotate Right (or use the Touch Bar).

You can rotate the document multiple times to orient it the way you want.

By default, a scanned document is automatically named—for example, Scanned Documents—and a PDF has the same name as the original file. You can rename either type of attachment.

1. In the Notes app on your Mac, select the PDF or scanned document in your note, then choose Edit > Rename Attachment.

2. Type the new name, then click Save.