How to Make a Fillable PDF on Mac Using 4 Methods

If you are a Mac user and you happen to need to create fillable PDFs for others to sign, proofread, check off, etc., then this article meets your needs. The following will provide you with four options to choose from.

How to Create Fillable PDF Files on Mac with Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat is well-known for its ability to modify PDF files. You may generate, manage, and edit PDFs using any device, regardless of your location and time,  after paying a one-time price for the permanent version.

Adobe Acrobat for Mac can surprise you when it comes to creating fillable PDF files. Here are the easy steps.

Step 1. Navigate to the Tools Tab

Open Adobe Acrobat > Select the “Prepare Form” in the toolbar.

Step 2. Add Form Fields

Click “Add a Text Field” > Locate it at the target point > Input text.

Step 3. Save the Fillable PDF

The right tool panel allows you to adjust the layout of the added text box or define the text properties. Finally, download your form from Adobe Acrobat to save as PDF.

You may be troubled by the high subscription fee of Adobe Acrobat. Well, you can get a solution from Preview, the built-in free software on Mac.

How to Create Fillable PDF Files on Mac with LibreOffice

LibreOffice is a free and open-source PDF editor that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux. With LibreOffice, you can easily insert fillable text fields into PDF using various given options.

To get started, download and install LibreOffice from the official website. Make sure to download the correct installation package for your system.

You should also first prepare your PDF form, which should have text that marks the fields for filling, just without the fillable text fields.

Step 1. Open LibreOffice on Mac, go to the File tab, and hit Open from the dropdown menu to open the PDF form document.

Step 2. Click on the View tab, select Toolbars from the dropdown, and click the Form Controls option to enable the Form Controls panel.

Step 3. Click the options from the Form Control panel to add the according form fields into your PDF document.

Step 4. As you can see, you can use a variety of form fields to create a personalized form: text box, checkbox, option button, list box, label, etc.

Step 4. Go to the File tab, select Export As from the dropdown, hit Export as PDF, choose an output file folder in the Export window, and hit Save. Make sure to check the Create PDF form option in the following window.

How to Create Fillable PDF Files on Mac with Template

pdfFiller, as its name suggests, is a powerful PDF editor that can be used for PDF form filling. It also provides a way to create fillable PDF files: through templates. With just a few simple clicks you can create a fillable PDF file on your Mac and share or export it.

Step 1. Create Fillable PDF in pdfFiller

Access the pdfFiller website > Navigate “Add new” > Click on “Create Document”.

Step 2. Choose a Template

There are eight categories to choose from: Popular Templates, HR, Insurance, Legal, Medical, Real Estate, Tax & Finance, and Resume. Select the template you need and click on it. pdfFiller will automatically generate a fillable form for you.

Step 3. Fill the PDF

Position your mouse anywhere to edit directly. For standard and template fields, pdfFiller gives some special tags and settings.

Step 4. Share Your File with Others

Click the Done button in the upper right corner, you will be automatically taken to the homepage. Select the file you created and you can share it with others by link, email, fax, Notarize, and many other ways.

OK. You may be limited by the unaffordable subscription fee of Adobe Acrobat while Preview and pdfFiller do not solve the problem of creating fillable PDFs effectively.

Then the emergence of PDFgear will be a great surprise. No hidden fees, even no download, registration, or bundle, while having a professional form creation tool like Adobe Acrobat.

How to Create Fillable PDF Files on Mac with PDFgear

PDFgear online tool is the most efficient PDF solution for streamlining your PDF process. It can convert, edit, fill, and sign PDF files in a browser at any time and from any location. For creating fillable PDF files, PDFgear provides one of the most effective solutions.

Step 1. Prepare Your Text

First, you need to use Microsoft Word to add text information for the new form. Open Microsoft Word, type the text and then click “File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document” to save the document as PDF.

Step 2. Upload PDF to PDFgear

Access the PDFgear online editor, and click “Choose files” to upload your PDF file.

Step 3. Insert Editable Form Fields

Next, add editable form fields through PDFgear. The “Add and Edit Form Fields” button offers you many advanced functions to create a fillable form: Add Textbox, Checkbox, Radio Button, Drop Down, List Box, Signature, and Password Box.

Textbox is a form editing box that will be used frequently. You can customize the size and position by dragging the mouse. Drop Down allows you to add multiple specific options for others to select. If you have a series of items, you can add a List Box to support a scrolling view. The Signature Box added to the form supports electronic, handwritten, and uploaded signatures.

Step 4. Download Created PDF Form

When you have edited all the boxes and text, click the “Add and Edit Form Fields” button in the upper right corner again to apply them. Finally, you can download and share the PDF with others to fill in the PDF form.

PDFgear is a completely free tool, you don’t need to spend any subscription fee and you don’t even need to log in to operate it. The PDFgear online tool supports you to edit in an environment with internet access.

If you go on a business trip, have limited internet access, or need to create a file over 20MB, then the desktop application is a better choice for you. Click the button below for PDFgear Desktop to experience smooth and unlimited fillable PDF creation.

If you find the text too boring above, then we have given a step-by-step video explanation below. You can get the answer from the video.

FAQs

Are There a Fillable PDF Files Creator for Mac?

For Mac users, PDFgear and Adobe Acrobat are user-friendly options for creating fillable PDFs quickly. They also excel in editing, signing, and sharing PDFs effectively.

What Is the Best Free Fillable PDF Files Creator for Mac?

PDFgear is the ideal free PDF creator for Mac, with effortless one-click installation. It’s completely free, offers easy fillable PDF creation, and provides a user-friendly experience that leaves a lasting impression.

What Is the Best PDF Tool for Mac?

PDFgear is our top recommendation for daily form-filling needs. It offers a wide range of professional features like custom checkboxes, multi-check boxes, list boxes, textboxes, password entry boxes, signature boxes, and radio buttons. It also allows you to hide added boxes as desired.

Conclusion

Through the entire article, you have learned four ways to help you create fillable PDFs. Currently, only PDFgear is a tool that costs nothing and helps you create and fill in forms most directly. If I were you, I would recommend giving PDFgear a try for its affordability and speedy performance.