Open the PDF in Preview and click inside a blank field. If you can type there, fill in the field directly. If the page only has printed blanks and the recipient accepts visible annotations, add a text box from the Markup toolbar.
01Test a field on a copy of the PDF
Section linkKeep the original PDF and work on a copy. Click inside a blank name or address field in Preview. If a cursor appears, enter a short sample, click away, and check that the text stays in the field. If you opened the PDF in a browser, download it and try the copy in Preview.
02Put visible text on a form with printed blanks
Section linkOpen the Markup toolbar and choose the text box tool. Replace the placeholder text, move the box over the blank, and adjust its size if needed. This puts visible text on the page. If the form must submit data from interactive fields, use the form and viewer specified by the organization that sent it.
03Check a form that is supposed to have editable fields
Section linkIf the sender expects interactive fields, try the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader or the viewer named by the sender. In Acrobat Reader on a Mac, open File → Document Properties → Security and check whether Filling of form fields is allowed. If filling is restricted, ask the sender for a fillable copy. Before sending the completed PDF, save it, close it, and reopen that saved copy to check that your entries are visible.
Sources & further reading
Put it into practice
Before you convert
A short checklist for choosing an image format and checking the result.
Download checklist (.txt)