How to Make Preview Default on Mac

Making Preview the default app for viewing PDFs and images on your Mac can significantly streamline your workflow and enhance your productivity. Here’s a simple, step-by-step guide to help you set Preview as your default application.

Why Use Preview as the Default App?

Preview is a powerful tool that comes with macOS, offering features such as annotating documents, combining PDFs, and editing images. It is user-friendly and integrates seamlessly with other macOS applications.

Method 1: Using Finder’s ‘Get Info’ Option

This is the most straightforward method to set Preview as the default app.

  • Right-click on the file you wish to open with Preview by default (e.g., a PDF or an image file).
  • Select ‘Get Info’ from the context menu (or select the file and press Command + I).
  • Under the ‘Open with:’ section, click the dropdown menu and select Preview from the list of applications.
  • Click the ‘Change All…’ button below the dropdown menu to set Preview as the default for all files of that type.
  • Confirm the change when prompted by clicking ‘Continue’.

Method 2: Adjusting Default Apps via the Open With Menu

This method is another easy way to set the default app.

  • Right-click on a file of the type you want to open with Preview.
  • Hover over the ‘Open With’ submenu.
  • Choose Preview from the list of available applications. If Preview is not listed, scroll down and select ‘Other…’, then navigate to Preview in the Applications folder.
  • While holding down the Option key, notice that the ‘Open’ button changes to ‘Always Open With’. Click it.
  • Confirm that future files of this type now open with Preview by double-clicking another file of the same type.
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Method 3: Managing Defaults with System Preferences

Although this method is more about web browser settings, it can sometimes affect how PDFs are handled.

  • Click on the Apple menu, and select ‘System Preferences’.
  • Open ‘General’ settings.
  • Look for the ‘Default web browser’ menu. Although this primarily changes the web browser, it can sometimes affect how PDFs, linked from web pages, are handled.
  • If Preview is available as an option in the dropdown, select it. Otherwise, use Method 1 for file types that aren’t web-related.

Method 5: Using Terminal Commands

This method is for advanced users who are comfortable with the command-line interface.

  • Open the Terminal application (found in Applications > Utilities folder).
  • Type duti -s com.apple.Preview .pdf all to set Preview as the default for PDFs, replacing ‘.pdf’ with the file extension of your choice.
  • Press the Return key to execute the command.
  • Note: The Duti tool may need to be installed first.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make Preview the Default Application for Viewing Images on My Mac?

To set Preview as your default image viewer, right-click on an image file, choose ‘Get Info’, expand the ‘Open with:’ section, select Preview, and click ‘Change All…’.

Is it Possible to Set Preview as the Default PDF Reader as Well?

Yes, follow the same steps as for images: right-click a PDF, select ‘Get Info’, choose Preview in the ‘Open with:’ section, and press the ‘Change All…’ button.

Will Setting Preview as Default Affect How Files Are Opened from the Internet?

Yes, files downloaded from the internet will open in Preview by default if they match the file types you’ve set to open with Preview.

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Are These Changes Permanent or Do I Need to Reset the Default After Updates or Reboots?

Changes are generally permanent, but system updates or other app installations can sometimes override your default settings.