Why You Should Use Preview Instead of Adobe Acrobat: A Practical Guide for High School Faculty and Students
When it comes to opening, editing, and managing PDF files on a Mac, most people immediately think of Adobe Acrobat. While Acrobat is a powerful tool, it is often more complex and resource-heavy than many users need—especially in a high school environment where efficiency, simplicity, and accessibility matter. Fortunately, every Mac comes with a built-in application called Preview, and it offers more than enough capability for most academic tasks.
Below is a straightforward look at why Preview is an excellent alternative and how you can use it effectively.
Why Choose Preview?
1. It Is Free and Already Installed
Every Mac includes Preview by default. There is no cost, no subscription, and nothing extra to download. This alone makes it ideal for students and faculty who simply need to read or annotate PDF files.
2. It Uses Far Fewer System Resources
Preview launches quickly and runs smoothly, even on older school-issued devices. Adobe Acrobat, by comparison, often requires more memory and can slow down computers over time.
3. It Provides All the Core Tools You Actually Need
Despite being lightweight, Preview includes robust features:
- Highlighting and underlining
- Adding text comments
- Filling out forms
- Signing documents
- Rearranging, deleting, and adding pages
- Basic image editing
For most classroom assignments, these tools cover everything.
4. It Offers a Clean, Easy-to-Navigate Interface
Preview is designed with simplicity in mind. Faculty can use it without wrestling through unnecessary menus, and students can learn it quickly, even if they are new to Mac tools.
How to Use Basic Features in Preview
Opening a PDF
- Double-click the PDF file.
- If your Mac is set to open Preview by default, it will launch automatically.
- If not, right-click the file, choose “Open With,” and select “Preview.”
Highlighting and Annotating
- Click the Markup Toolbar button (the small pencil icon).
- Select the highlighter tool to highlight text.
- Use the note icon to leave comments or explanations in the margin.
This is especially helpful for close reading, peer review, or teacher feedback.
Filling Out Forms
Most PDF forms, such as school permission slips or digital worksheets, can be completed directly in Preview.
- Click on the form fields and type as needed.
- Save your work with Command + S.
Adding Your Signature
Preview makes signing documents simple.
- Open the Markup Toolbar.
- Click the signature icon.
- Create your signature using the trackpad, camera, or your iPhone.
- Place it where needed on the document.
This is particularly useful for faculty handling administrative paperwork or students submitting signed forms digitally.
Rearranging or Deleting Pages
- Open the sidebar by clicking the sidebar icon.
- Switch to “Thumbnails.”
- Drag pages to reorder them or press Delete to remove one.
- You can also add pages by dragging a file into the sidebar.
These features are ideal for organizing multi-page assignments or merging worksheets.
Exporting or Compressing PDFs
- Go to File > Export.
- Choose your file format or reduce file size if needed.
- This helps when students must submit assignments to platforms with upload size limits.
When You Might Still Need Adobe Acrobat
Although Preview is excellent for everyday use, Adobe Acrobat may be required for:
- Advanced form creation
- Complex PDF editing used in professional publishing
- Detailed prepress tools
For typical school tasks, however, these features are rarely necessary.
Final Thoughts
Preview is an accessible, fast, and powerful tool for both students and teachers. In classrooms where technology is often expected to “just work,” Preview offers a reliable alternative to Adobe Acrobat with no extra cost or learning curve. Whether you are annotating class readings, signing forms, or submitting digital assignments, Preview is more than capable of handling the job.
If you have not tried using Preview in place of Acrobat, now is a great time to explore what it can do. It may quickly become your default tool for managing PDFs throughout the school year.