Why are my PDF edits disappearing in my MacBook Air Preview?

You may want to view the tips in a Community Specialist's reply to a similar issue:

Discussion thread: Preview Mark Up impossible to use - Apple Community

Eg says:

"Note: To save a PDF and allow annotations to be edited later, choose one of the following: File > Save, File > Export, or File > Export to PDF. (PDFs are also saved with editable annotations when they’re saved automatically.)

To save a PDF and flatten annotations (so that they can’t be edited), choose File > Print, then select Save as PDF."

More details here: Annotate a PDF in Preview on Mac

We also suggest reviewing the following resource if you're using Markup:

Mark up files on Mac"

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On other tacks:

✽ When things are not working as expected on your Mac, third party (non-Apple) apps (especially un-necessary ad-blockers, cleaners, virus checkers, also VPN, and the like) are well-known causes of interference. Eg: Check that any necessary third-party apps are kept up-to-date. Use uninstallers (available from their developers) to remove old, unwanted, or un-necessary third-party apps)

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✽ If Preview is still not performing the tasks you require, over and over again:

See if you can copy / paste the PDF's contents into a Pages document, where you can easily edit it. Export the completed result to PDF if needed. Save the Pages document for quick reference, for more editing / exporting if needed, and as a back-up.

✽ Professional software (eg Adobe Acrobat at a cost) for PDF editing is available.

Preview is free with Mac: Am grateful to use it, within its limitations, at no cost.

inquisitve9 wrote:

the issue is some edits are saved, some aren't. you can try with a pdf using preview app.

add some text in it (atleast 5-6 text messages), then use command+C to save it, then close then reopen the pdf to see few of your changes are lost.

this become a real issue when you are a student & adding some complimentary texts in it & suddenly you realised, when you revise, these changes are not there. This is very awful situation for a student.

I had almost gone through 600 pages of pdf & wrote around 400 texts & found only some 100 to be present. complete injustice as I've had faith in apple.

Command + c is usually used to Copy

Command + s is usually used to Save, as in save changes

Hi inquisitve9,

welcome to the Apple (user-to-user) Community!

Re: "Preview Issue : It happens sometime, I edit a PDF (add text, shapes, etc.) using Preview,

I save the edits. When I come back a day later, all the edits are gone."

Some PDF files downloaded from websites may be protected against additions / edits / alterations.

This may be what happens if we think we have saved edits, but find they have "disappeared."

(You can check a .PDF via File > Edit Permissions to see the info. the author provided.)

Else:

Apple provides articles on the methods of editing PDF's using MacOS Monterey in the Preview App:

You may want to browse any of the articles (links below) to get familiar with what we can and can not do in Preview:

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Some PDFs are forms you can fill out and then print or send. (PDF forms that aren’t editable won’t allow you to select or enter text.) If a form requires a signature, you can add your signature to the PDF. Fill out and sign PDF forms

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You can select and copy text from a PDF opened in Preview, then paste it into another document, such as an email message or text document. Select and copy text in a PDF

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You can use the highlight, underline and strike through text tools to draw attention to text in a PDF.

Highlight, underline and strike out text

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You can use notes and speech bubbles to comment on text in a PDF.

Add notes and speech bubbles to a PDF

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Although you can’t edit the text of a PDF in Preview, you can use the markup tools to provide feedback or write down something you want to remember. Annotate a PDF

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Combine all or part of two or more PDFs into a single PDF. Combine PDFs

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You can open a PDF in Preview, then add, delete and rearrange pages, or move pages from one PDF to another: Add, delete or move PDF pages

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You can crop a page to hide content or rotate it to change its orientation. Crop or rotate a PDF

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You can modify a PDF opened in Preview using Quartz filters that add effects or change colours.

Add effects to a PDF

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Tip: It is also possible to create your own document in an app (eg: "Text Edit" or "Pages")

and then export a copy as a .PDF file, (eg: for ease in e-mailing etc).

Hope this helps :-)

If you have used or are using Time Machine Backup Utility  you maybe able to Restore the Deleted Files  or changed files to before the Notes in Preview were lost

For future purposes

To truly protect your non replaceable Data - have a 3-2-1 Rescue Plan in place and always current

3 Backups using 2 methods and 1 off site incase of natural disaster or un-natural disaster.

Each of the above should be done to a Dedicated Single Purposed External Drive 

https://bombich.com

inquisitve9 wrote:

sorry but this seems a lot of headache for a student. I can't do XYZ to protect written changes. However, they are important to me, but I need a simple solution.

I believe there is a bug in Preview app itself, even if I browse versions of the PDF, I did not find those changes done. So, Apple has to fix this. This is annoying.

macOS 12 Monterey released Oct 27, 2021 in August 2024

There have been many updates of Monterey since that time

The current Monterey is version 12.7.6 released 29 Jul 2024.

Most " Bugs" , to use your words, have since been a long time ago been fixed

Using Time Machine and setting it up on a Schedule takes a matter of minutes

Once done, it works to make Backups Automatically and without any User Interventions required

How much more " a simple solution " is that ?

If you believe there is a " Bug " that requires fixing

Use the  Product Feedback  form and report this as a Bug Report

Be aware, Apple would have to Test this on their equipment and product the same Result you are seeing on a Consistent and Repeatable Basis

Then and Only then, Apple possibly consider this and give it the Moniker of a " Bug "

It happens even to me 😎