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Everything you need to master PDF Micro Suite. Guides, shortcuts, tips, and answers.

๐Ÿ”
๐Ÿš€ Getting Started โŒจ๏ธ Keyboard Shortcuts ๐Ÿค– AI Features โ“ FAQ ๐Ÿ’ฌ Contact Us

Getting Started

Welcome to PDF Micro Suite! Here's everything you need to know to get up and running in minutes.

Installation

Download from the Mac App Store

Search for "PDF Micro Suite" or use the direct link from our website. Click "Get" to download.

Open the app

Find PDF Micro Suite in your Applications folder or Launchpad. Double-click to open.

Open a PDF

Drag and drop a PDF onto the window, or use File โ†’ Open (โŒ˜O) to select a file.

Start editing

Select pages by clicking thumbnails, then use toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts to perform operations.

๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip

You can also open PDFs by right-clicking any PDF file in Finder and selecting "Open With โ†’ PDF Micro Suite".

System Requirements

  • macOS 13 (Ventura) or later
  • Works on both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs
  • Approximately 50 MB disk space
  • Internet connection only required for cloud AI features (optional)

Interface Overview

PDF Micro Suite offers three view modes to match your workflow:

๐Ÿ“–

Reader Mode

Full-page view for reading and reviewing documents.

๐Ÿ”ฒ

Grid Mode

Thumbnail grid for page management and reordering.

๐Ÿ“š

Booklet Mode

Two-page spread view like an open book.

Main Window Components

  • Toolbar โ€” Quick access to common operations (merge, split, rotate, etc.)
  • Sidebar โ€” Document outline/bookmarks and annotations panel
  • Page View โ€” Main content area showing your PDF
  • Footer Bar โ€” Page navigation and document statistics
  • AI Chat Panel โ€” Accessible via โŒ˜โ‡งJ for document Q&A

Working with Pages

In Grid Mode, you can:

  • Click a thumbnail to select a single page
  • โŒ˜-Click to select multiple non-adjacent pages
  • โ‡ง-Click to select a range of pages
  • Drag thumbnails to reorder pages
  • โŒ˜A to select all pages

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts to work faster with PDF Micro Suite.

File Operations

Action Shortcut
New Document โŒ˜N
Open Document โŒ˜O
Save โŒ˜S
Print โŒ˜P
Document Info โŒ˜I
Import Images โŒ˜โ‡งI
Merge PDFs โŒ˜โ‡งM

Page Operations

Action Shortcut
Select All Pages โŒ˜A
Copy Pages โŒ˜C
Cut Pages โŒ˜X
Paste Pages โŒ˜V
Duplicate Pages โŒ˜D
Delete Pages โŒซ
Extract Pages โŒ˜E
Rotate Left โŒ˜L
Rotate Right โŒ˜R

View & Navigation

Action Shortcut
Toggle Outline Sidebar โŒ˜โŒฅB
Toggle Annotations โŒ˜โ‡งA
Open AI Chat โŒ˜โ‡งJ
Batch Processing โŒ˜โ‡งB
Undo โŒ˜Z
Redo โŒ˜โ‡งZ

Core PDF Operations

Complete reference for all page manipulation features.

Merge PDFs

Combine multiple PDF files into a single document.

Open Merge Panel

Press โŒ˜โ‡งM or go to File โ†’ Merge PDFs.

Add Files

Drag and drop PDF files into the merge panel, or click "Add Files" to browse.

Arrange Order

Drag files to rearrange them. The order here determines the final page order.

Merge

Click "Merge" and choose where to save the combined PDF.

Split PDFs

Divide a PDF into multiple separate files. Multiple split methods available:

  • Split by Page Ranges: Enter specific ranges like "1-5, 6-10, 11-15"
  • Split by Bookmarks: Automatically split at document bookmarks
  • Split into Individual Pages: Create one PDF per page
  • Split by File Size: Automatically split when files exceed a size threshold
  • Split by Markers: Add split markers while reviewing, then split all at once
๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip

Use Edit โ†’ Add Split Marker to mark pages while reviewing. Then use Edit โ†’ Split by Markers to split at all marked positions at once.

Extract Pages

Create a new PDF from selected pages without modifying the original.

  1. Select pages in Grid Mode (click thumbnails, use โŒ˜-Click for multiple, โ‡ง-Click for ranges)
  2. Press โŒ˜E or go to Edit โ†’ Extract Pages
  3. Choose destination to save the new PDF

Rotate Pages

Fix page orientation quickly:

  • Rotate Left (90ยฐ CCW): โŒ˜L
  • Rotate Right (90ยฐ CW): โŒ˜R
  • Rotate 180ยฐ: Edit โ†’ Rotate โ†’ 180ยฐ

Select multiple pages first to rotate them all at once.

Crop Pages

Remove unwanted margins or focus on specific content:

  1. Select pages to crop
  2. Go to Edit โ†’ Crop Pages
  3. Drag the crop handles to define the new page boundaries
  4. Click "Apply" to crop all selected pages

Auto-Crop: Edit โ†’ Auto-Crop Margins automatically removes white space from all pages.

Reorder Pages

Rearrange page order using drag and drop:

  1. Switch to Grid Mode to see all page thumbnails
  2. Click and drag any thumbnail to a new position
  3. Release to drop the page in its new location

Reverse Order: Edit โ†’ Reverse Page Order flips the entire document order.

Delete Pages

Remove unwanted pages:

  1. Select pages to delete (in Grid Mode)
  2. Press โŒซ (Delete/Backspace) or Edit โ†’ Delete Pages
  3. Confirm deletion
โš ๏ธ Note

Deletion can be undone with โŒ˜Z before saving. Once saved, deleted pages cannot be recovered.

Duplicate Pages

Create copies of pages within the same document:

  1. Select pages to duplicate
  2. Press โŒ˜D or Edit โ†’ Duplicate Pages
  3. Duplicates are inserted immediately after the selected pages

Additional Page Operations

๐Ÿ”€

Interleave PDFs

Alternate pages from two PDFs โ€” perfect for combining front/back scans of double-sided documents.

๐Ÿ“

Resize Pages

Change page dimensions using preset sizes (A4, Letter, etc.) or custom dimensions.

โž•

Add Margins

Add white space around pages for binding, notes, or printing purposes.

๐Ÿ“„

Normalize Sizes

Make all pages match the dimensions of the first page.

๐Ÿ“

Insert Blank Pages

Add blank pages at any position for notes or formatting.

๐Ÿ–ผ๏ธ

Import Images

Insert images as new pages from files or clipboard. Great for adding photos or scans.

Content & Overlay

Add watermarks, page numbers, headers, footers, and more to your documents.

Watermarks

Add text watermarks to protect or brand your documents:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Watermark
  2. Enter your watermark text (e.g., "CONFIDENTIAL", "DRAFT", your company name)
  3. Configure options:
    • Position: Center, diagonal, corners, or custom
    • Opacity: Adjust transparency (typically 30-50% works best)
    • Rotation: Angle of the watermark text
    • Font & Size: Customize appearance
  4. Choose which pages to apply (all, selected, or page range)
  5. Click "Apply"

Page Numbers

Add page numbering to your documents:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Page Numbers
  2. Configure:
    • Position: Top/bottom, left/center/right
    • Format: "1", "Page 1", "1 of N", or custom
    • Starting Number: Begin from any number
    • Skip Pages: Optionally skip first N pages
  3. Click "Apply"

Headers & Footers

Add custom text at the top or bottom of every page:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Header/Footer
  2. Enter text for left, center, and/or right positions
  3. Use variables like {page}, {date}, {title} for dynamic content
  4. Configure font, size, and margins
  5. Click "Apply"

Bates Numbering

Add sequential legal stamps for document identification and tracking:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Bates Numbers
  2. Configure:
    • Prefix: Text before the number (e.g., "ABC-")
    • Starting Number: First number in sequence
    • Number of Digits: Pad with zeros (e.g., 000001)
    • Suffix: Text after the number
    • Position: Where to place on page
  3. Click "Apply"
๐Ÿ’ก Legal Tip

Bates numbering is commonly used in legal discovery to uniquely identify each page of evidence. Numbers are typically placed in the footer.

Background Color

Add a background color to pages for better readability or visual distinction:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Background
  2. Choose a color
  3. Select pages to apply
  4. Click "Apply"

Annotations & Markup

Mark up your documents with highlights, notes, shapes, and signatures.

Enabling Annotation Tools

Press โŒ˜โ‡งA or go to View โ†’ Toggle Annotations to show the annotation toolbar.

Text Markup

๐ŸŸก

Highlight

Select text and click Highlight, or use the highlight tool. Choose from multiple colors.

ใ€ฐ๏ธ

Underline

Add underlines to selected text for emphasis.

ใ€ฐ๏ธ

Strikethrough

Strike through text to indicate deletion or changes.

Comments & Notes

๐Ÿ“Œ

Sticky Notes

Click anywhere to add a note icon. Click the icon to expand and add comments.

๐Ÿ”ค

Text Boxes

Add free-form text anywhere on the page. Great for adding comments or filling in blanks.

Shapes & Lines

โžก๏ธ

Lines & Arrows

Draw lines or arrows to point out specific elements or connect related content.

โฌœ

Rectangles

Draw rectangular shapes to highlight areas or create borders.

โญ•

Circles/Ellipses

Draw circular shapes to circle important content.

Digital Signatures

Add your signature to documents:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Signature, or click the signature tool
  2. Create your signature:
    • Draw: Use your mouse or trackpad to draw
    • Type: Type your name and choose a signature font
    • Image: Import an image of your signature
  3. Position and resize the signature on the page
  4. Signatures are saved for reuse

Managing Annotations

  • Select: Click on any annotation to select it
  • Move: Drag selected annotations to reposition
  • Resize: Drag handles on selected annotations
  • Delete: Select and press Delete, or right-click โ†’ Delete
  • Clear All: Edit โ†’ Clear All Annotations to remove all annotations from the document

Forms

Fill out, create, and flatten PDF forms.

Filling Out Forms

PDF Micro Suite automatically detects fillable form fields. Simply click on any field to start typing or selecting:

โœ๏ธ

Text Fields

Click and type. Press Tab to move to the next field.

โ˜‘๏ธ

Checkboxes

Click to check/uncheck. Multiple can be selected.

๐Ÿ”˜

Radio Buttons

Click to select. Only one option per group.

๐Ÿ“‹

Dropdowns

Click to open the menu, then select an option.

Form Fields Panel

View all form fields at a glance:

  1. Go to View โ†’ Show Form Fields Panel
  2. See a list of all fillable fields in the document
  3. Click any field in the list to jump to it
  4. See completion status at a glance

Creating Form Fields

Add new form fields to any PDF:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Form Field
  2. Choose field type:
    • Text Field: For text input
    • Checkbox: For yes/no selections
    • Radio Button: For single selection from options
    • Dropdown: For selection from a list
  3. Draw the field area on the page
  4. Configure field properties (name, default value, etc.)

Flatten Forms

Convert fillable form fields to static content:

  • Go to Edit โ†’ Flatten Forms
  • This permanently converts all form data to regular PDF content
  • The resulting PDF can no longer be edited as a form
  • Useful for distribution or archival purposes
๐Ÿ’ก When to Flatten

Flatten forms before sending completed documents to others. This prevents accidental changes and ensures the form looks the same on all devices.

Security & Protection

Protect sensitive documents and remove private information.

Password Protection

Add password encryption to restrict access:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Protect PDF
  2. Set an Open Password (required to view the document)
  3. Optionally set a Permissions Password (required to edit/print)
  4. Configure permissions:
    • Allow/prevent printing
    • Allow/prevent copying content
    • Allow/prevent modifications
  5. Click "Protect"
โš ๏ธ Important

Write down your password! If you forget it, there's no way to recover access to the document.

Unlock PDF

Remove password protection from a PDF:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Unlock PDF
  2. Enter the current password
  3. Click "Unlock"
  4. Save the document

Note: You must know the password to unlock. This feature cannot bypass password protection.

Remove Metadata

Strip identifying information from documents:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Remove Metadata
  2. This removes:
    • Author name
    • Creation/modification dates
    • Title, subject, keywords
    • Creator application info
    • Other document properties
  3. Confirm and save
๐Ÿ’ก Privacy Tip

Always remove metadata before sharing PDFs publicly. Metadata can reveal who created the document, when, and what software was used.

Redaction

Permanently remove sensitive content:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Redact Tool
  2. Select the content to redact:
    • Draw rectangles over text or images
    • Select text to redact specific passages
  3. Marked areas appear with a red overlay
  4. When ready, go to Edit โ†’ Apply Redactions
  5. Confirm to permanently remove the content
โš ๏ธ Warning

Redaction is permanent and irreversible. The underlying content is completely removed, not just hidden. Always work on a copy if you need to preserve the original.

Processing & Conversion

Compress, convert, optimize, and extract content from PDFs.

Compress PDF

Reduce file size for easier sharing:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Compress PDF
  2. Choose compression level:
    • Low: Minimal compression, best quality
    • Medium: Balanced compression (recommended)
    • High: Maximum compression, some quality loss
  3. Click "Compress"
  4. Save the compressed file

Convert to Grayscale

Convert color pages to black and white:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Convert to Grayscale
  2. Select pages to convert (or all)
  3. Click "Convert"

Useful for reducing file size and printing costs.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

Make scanned documents searchable:

  1. Open a scanned PDF (one that contains images of text)
  2. Go to Edit โ†’ Perform OCR
  3. Select language (affects accuracy)
  4. Click "Start OCR"
  5. Once complete, text becomes selectable and searchable
๐Ÿ’ก AI Requirement

OCR is required before AI features can work with scanned documents. Without OCR, the AI cannot read the text.

Optimize for Web

Linearize PDFs for fast web viewing:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Optimize for Web
  2. This restructures the PDF for "fast web view"
  3. Pages load progressively instead of waiting for full download

Export as Images

Convert PDF pages to image files:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Export Pages as Images
  2. Choose format:
    • PNG: Lossless, best for text/graphics
    • JPG: Smaller files, good for photos
  3. Set resolution (DPI)
  4. Select pages to export
  5. Choose destination folder
  6. Click "Export"

Export to Word

Convert PDF content to editable Word documents:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Export to Word
  2. Choose output format (.docx)
  3. Select pages to convert
  4. Click "Export"

Note: Conversion accuracy depends on PDF complexity. Simple text documents convert best.

Web Page to PDF

Convert web pages to PDF documents:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Web to PDF
  2. Enter the URL of the web page
  3. Configure options (page size, margins)
  4. Click "Convert"

Extract Text

Export all text content to a plain text file:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Extract Text
  2. Select pages to extract from
  3. Choose destination .txt file
  4. Click "Extract"

Extract Images

Save all embedded images from a PDF:

  1. Go to File โ†’ Extract Images
  2. Select pages to extract from
  3. Choose destination folder
  4. Images are saved in their original format

Rich Media

Embed video, audio, and file attachments in your PDFs.

Insert Video

Embed video files directly into your PDF:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Insert Video
  2. Select the video file to embed
  3. Position and resize the video player on the page
  4. Configure playback options

Supported formats include MP4, MOV, and other common video formats.

Insert Audio

Add sound clips to your documents:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Insert Audio
  2. Select the audio file
  3. Position the audio player icon on the page
  4. Configure playback settings

Attach Files

Embed any file as an attachment in the PDF:

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Attach File
  2. Select the file to attach
  3. The attachment is embedded in the PDF
  4. Recipients can extract the attachment from compatible PDF viewers

Use cases: Include source data files with reports, attach supplementary materials, bundle related documents together.

Document Structure

Work with bookmarks, outlines, and links for better document navigation.

Viewing Bookmarks

Access the document outline:

  1. Press โŒ˜โŒฅB or go to View โ†’ Toggle Outline Sidebar
  2. The sidebar shows all document bookmarks
  3. Click any bookmark to jump to that page
  4. Expand/collapse bookmark groups

Adding Bookmarks

Create navigation bookmarks:

  1. Navigate to the page you want to bookmark
  2. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Bookmark
  3. Enter a name for the bookmark
  4. The bookmark appears in the outline panel

Managing Bookmarks

  • Rename: Double-click a bookmark to edit its name
  • Delete: Select and press Delete, or right-click โ†’ Delete
  • Reorder: Drag bookmarks to rearrange
  • Nest: Drag bookmarks onto others to create hierarchy

Adding Links

Create clickable links within the PDF:

Internal Links (page-to-page)

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Link
  2. Draw a rectangle around the text or area to make clickable
  3. Choose "Go to Page"
  4. Enter the destination page number

External Links (URLs)

  1. Go to Edit โ†’ Add Link
  2. Draw a rectangle around the text or area
  3. Choose "Open URL"
  4. Enter the web address

Batch Processing

Process multiple PDF files at once with chained operations.

How to Use Batch Processing

Open Batch Processing

Press โŒ˜โ‡งB or go to File โ†’ Batch Processing.

Add Files

Drag and drop PDF files into the window, or click "Add Files" to select them.

Add Operations

Click "Add Operation" and choose what you want to do. You can chain multiple operations.

Configure Each Operation

Set parameters for each operation (e.g., watermark text, rotation angle, page numbers).

Process

Click "Start" to process all files. Progress is shown for each file.

Available Batch Operations

  • Page Operations: Split, Extract, Delete, Rotate, Resize, Crop, Add Margins, Reverse Order
  • Content: Watermark, Page Numbers, Header/Footer, Bates Numbering, Background Color
  • Processing: Compress, Grayscale, Flatten Forms, Optimize for Web
  • Security: Password Protect, Remove Password, Remove Metadata
  • Extract: Extract Images, Extract Text
  • Combine: Merge All Files
๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip

Chain operations for powerful workflows. Example: Compress โ†’ Add Watermark โ†’ Add Page Numbers โ†’ Password Protect โ€” all applied to every file automatically.

Shortcuts & Automation

Integrate PDF Micro Suite with macOS Shortcuts for powerful automation workflows.

Available Shortcuts Actions

PDF Micro Suite provides the following actions for use in macOS Shortcuts:

๐Ÿ”—

Merge PDFs

Combine multiple PDF files into one document automatically.

โœ‚๏ธ

Split PDF

Split a PDF at specified page numbers or ranges.

๐Ÿ”„

Rotate Pages

Rotate pages in a PDF by specified degrees.

๐Ÿ“ฆ

Compress PDF

Reduce PDF file size with specified compression level.

๐Ÿ’ง

Add Watermark

Add text watermarks to PDFs programmatically.

๐Ÿ“

Extract Text

Extract all text from a PDF and return as string.

Using Shortcuts

  1. Open the Shortcuts app on your Mac
  2. Create a new shortcut or edit an existing one
  3. Search for "PDF Micro Suite" in the actions panel
  4. Drag any PDF Micro Suite action into your workflow
  5. Configure the action parameters (input files, options, etc.)
  6. Chain with other actions for powerful workflows

Example Workflows

Daily Report Compiler

Automatically merge all PDFs in a folder each day:

  1. Get Contents of Folder (Daily Reports folder)
  2. Filter Files (PDFs only)
  3. PDF Micro Suite: Merge PDFs
  4. Rename File ("Daily Report - [Date]")
  5. Move File to destination

Document Prep for Email

Prepare documents for sharing:

  1. Get Selected Files in Finder
  2. PDF Micro Suite: Compress PDF (High)
  3. PDF Micro Suite: Add Watermark ("CONFIDENTIAL")
  4. Attach to New Mail Message

Quick Scan Processing

Process scanned documents automatically:

  1. Get Files from Scanner
  2. PDF Micro Suite: Rotate Pages (if needed)
  3. PDF Micro Suite: Compress PDF
  4. Save to iCloud Drive
๐Ÿ’ก Pro Tip

Combine PDF Micro Suite Shortcuts with Finder Quick Actions to process files with a right-click. Go to Shortcuts โ†’ File โ†’ Add to Quick Actions.

AI Features

Chat with your documents, ask questions, extract data, and execute commands using powerful AI models.

Supported AI Providers

Choose from four AI providers โ€” use cloud services for maximum capability, or run completely local for privacy.

๐ŸŸ 

Anthropic

Claude 3, Claude 4 models

๐ŸŸข

OpenAI

GPT-4o, GPT-4, GPT-3.5

๐Ÿ”ต

OpenRouter

200+ models from all providers

๐Ÿฆ™

Ollama

Local models, 100% private

Provider Comparison

Provider Best For Cost Privacy
Anthropic Long documents, nuanced analysis Pay-per-use (your API key) Cloud (text sent to API)
OpenAI General purpose, fast responses Pay-per-use (your API key) Cloud (text sent to API)
OpenRouter Model variety, comparing options Pay-per-use (your API key) Cloud (text sent to API)
Ollama Privacy-sensitive documents Free (runs on your Mac) 100% local, nothing sent

Setting Up AI

Open AI Settings

Go to AI โ†’ AI Settings in the menu bar, or press the gear icon in the AI Chat panel.

Choose a Provider

Select your preferred AI provider (Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, or Ollama).

Enter API Key

For cloud providers, enter your API key. Keys are stored securely in your Mac's Keychain. For Ollama, just make sure it's running locally.

Select a Model

Choose which model to use. Models are fetched automatically from your provider. Larger models are more capable but slower and more expensive.

Getting API Keys

Using AI Chat

Open the AI Chat panel with โŒ˜โ‡งJ or AI โ†’ Open AI Chat.

Page Scope

Control which pages AI analyzes:

  • All Pages: AI searches the entire document (default)
  • Selected Pages: Select pages in Grid Mode first, then AI only looks at those pages โ€” faster and more focused
  • Current Page: AI focuses only on the page you're viewing

What You Can Ask

Category Example Questions
Summarization "Summarize this document" ยท "What are the key points?" ยท "Give me a 3-sentence summary of page 5"
Questions "What is the contract term?" ยท "Who are the parties involved?" ยท "What's the deadline mentioned?"
Data Extraction "List all dates mentioned" ยท "Extract all email addresses" ยท "Find all dollar amounts" ยท "List the action items"
Search "Where does it mention liability?" ยท "Find the section about returns" ยท "Which page talks about pricing?"
Analysis "What are the risks in this contract?" ยท "Compare sections 3 and 7" ยท "Is there anything unusual?"
Commands "Delete pages 1-3" ยท "Rotate page 5 right" ยท "Extract pages 10-15" ยท "Go to page 20"

Page Citations

Every AI answer includes specific page references so you can verify the source:

  • Citations appear as clickable page numbers [p.5]
  • Click any citation to jump directly to that page
  • Multiple citations may be shown for answers spanning several pages
  • Use "Cite-Heavy" answer style for maximum citations in legal/academic work

AI Commands

Execute PDF operations using natural language โ€” no menus needed:

Command Type Examples
Delete "Delete pages 1-3" ยท "Remove the last page" ยท "Delete page 5"
Extract "Extract pages 10-15" ยท "Extract the first 5 pages" ยท "Pull out pages about contracts"
Rotate "Rotate page 5 right" ยท "Rotate all pages 180 degrees" ยท "Turn page 3 clockwise"
Navigate "Go to page 20" ยท "Jump to the last page" ยท "Show me page 15"
Select "Select all pages" ยท "Select pages 1-10" ยท "Select odd pages"

AI interprets your intent, so phrasing doesn't need to be exact. "Remove the first three pages", "Delete pages 1, 2, and 3", and "Get rid of pages one through three" all work.

Answer Styles

Choose how detailed you want AI responses:

  • Brief: 1-3 sentences with key citations. Best for quick answers and simple questions.
  • Detailed: Full context with multiple quotes and thorough explanation. Best for research and analysis.
  • Cite-Heavy: Maximum direct quotes and page references. Best for legal, academic, or verification purposes.

Setting Up Ollama (Local AI)

For 100% private, offline AI processing:

  1. Download Ollama from ollama.ai
  2. Install and launch Ollama (you'll see a llama icon in your menu bar)
  3. Open Terminal and download a model:
    • ollama pull llama3 โ€” Good balance of speed and quality
    • ollama pull mistral โ€” Fast and efficient
    • ollama pull llama3:70b โ€” Most capable (requires 48GB+ RAM)
  4. In PDF Micro Suite, go to AI โ†’ AI Settings
  5. Select "Ollama" as provider and choose your downloaded model
๐Ÿ’ก Ollama Performance

Local AI speed depends on your Mac's hardware. Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4) run local models much faster than Intel Macs. For best performance, use models sized appropriately for your RAM.

โš ๏ธ Scanned PDFs

AI cannot read text from scanned documents (images of text). Run OCR first (Edit โ†’ Perform OCR) to convert images to searchable text, then AI features will work normally.

Voice Commands

Control PDF Micro Suite with your voice. On-device transcription using Whisper ensures complete privacy โ€” your voice never leaves your Mac.

How Voice Input Works

๐ŸŽ™๏ธ

Speak Naturally

Talk like you would to a person. No special syntax or keywords required.

๐Ÿ”’

On-Device Processing

Voice is transcribed locally using Whisper. Audio never leaves your Mac.

โœจ

AI Cleanup

AI removes "um", "uh", hesitations, and false starts to understand your intent.

โšก

Instant Execution

Commands execute immediately. Questions get AI-powered answers.

Using Voice Input

Open AI Chat

Press โŒ˜โ‡งJ or go to AI โ†’ Open AI Chat.

Click the Microphone

Click and hold the microphone button (or press the voice shortcut key).

Speak Your Command

Talk naturally. Say what you want to do or ask a question about the document.

Release to Send

Release the button. Your speech is transcribed, cleaned up, and processed.

Voice Command Examples

Page Operations

You Say What Happens
"Delete the first three pages" Removes pages 1, 2, and 3
"Rotate page five to the right" Rotates page 5 by 90ยฐ clockwise
"Extract pages ten through fifteen" Creates new PDF with pages 10-15
"Duplicate the last page" Creates a copy of the final page
"Reverse the page order" Flips the order of all pages

Navigation

You Say What Happens
"Go to page twenty" Navigates to page 20
"Jump to the last page" Goes to the final page
"Select all pages" Selects every page in Grid Mode
"Select pages one through ten" Selects pages 1-10

Questions & Analysis

You Say What Happens
"What is this document about?" AI summarizes the document content
"Find all the dates mentioned" AI extracts and lists all dates
"Who signed this contract?" AI finds signatory information
"Summarize page five" AI provides summary of that page
"What's the total amount?" AI finds and reports dollar amounts

Content Operations

You Say What Happens
"Add a watermark that says confidential" Adds "CONFIDENTIAL" watermark
"Add page numbers at the bottom" Adds page numbering to footer
"Compress this PDF" Reduces file size
"Convert to grayscale" Makes document black and white

AI Cleanup in Action

Voice recognition isn't perfect, and neither is natural speech. AI cleans up your input:

What You Actually Said What AI Understands
"Um, can you, uh, delete the first... no wait, the first three pages" "Delete the first three pages"
"So I need to, like, extract pages ten through fifteen I think" "Extract pages 10-15"
"Rotate, um, page five, no six, to the right please" "Rotate page 6 to the right"

Microphone Permissions

The first time you use voice input, macOS will ask for microphone permission:

  1. Click "Allow" when prompted, or
  2. Go to System Settings โ†’ Privacy & Security โ†’ Microphone
  3. Enable PDF Micro Suite
๐Ÿ’ก Voice Tips
  • Speak at a normal pace โ€” no need to slow down
  • Numbers can be spoken as words ("twenty") or digits ("two zero")
  • Use natural phrasing โ€” "get rid of" works as well as "delete"
  • Works best in quiet environments with minimal background noise
๐Ÿ”’ Privacy Note

Voice transcription happens 100% on your Mac using on-device Whisper models. Your audio is never sent to any server, cloud service, or third party. This works even when completely offline.

Tips & Tricks

Power user techniques to get the most out of PDF Micro Suite.

Workflow Optimizations

  • Split Markers: Instead of manually splitting, add split markers while reviewing, then split all at once from Edit โ†’ Split by Markers.
  • Clipboard Power: Copy pages once (โŒ˜C), then paste multiple times in different positions or even different documents.
  • Multi-Window Editing: Open the same PDF in multiple windows to compare or copy pages between different sections.
  • Quick Rotation: Use โŒ˜L and โŒ˜R to rotate without touching the mouse.

AI Chat Tips

  • Scope Selection: Select specific pages before chatting to focus AI on just those pages for faster, more relevant answers.
  • Local AI: Use Ollama for 100% private processing โ€” no internet, no API keys, no data leaving your Mac.
  • Model Testing: Try different models via OpenRouter to find the best balance of cost, speed, and quality for your needs.

Batch Processing Power

  • Chained Operations: Stack multiple operations (compress โ†’ watermark โ†’ page numbers โ†’ encrypt) to process entire folders efficiently.
  • Templates: Note down your favorite operation chains for recurring workflows.
  • Bulk Metadata: Use batch processing to remove metadata from entire folders of documents at once.

Hidden Features

  • Interleave PDFs: Found in File menu โ€” alternates pages from two PDFs (great for front/back scans).
  • Normalize Page Sizes: Makes all pages the same size as the first page.
  • Auto-Crop Margins: Automatically removes white space from all pages.
  • Flatten Forms: Converts fillable form fields to static text for distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions

No! All core PDF operations work completely offline. Internet is only needed if you choose to use cloud AI providers (Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter). For fully offline AI, use Ollama with local models.

Never. All PDF processing happens locally on your Mac. When using cloud AI, only the text content of your document is sent (not the file itself), and only when you explicitly ask a question. For complete privacy, use Ollama for 100% local AI.

No subscriptions. PDF Micro Suite is a one-time purchase of $39.99. You own it forever, including all future updates. The only ongoing cost would be if you choose to use paid AI providers (your own API keys).

Scanned PDFs are images โ€” they don't contain extractable text. Run OCR first (Edit โ†’ Perform OCR) to convert the images to searchable text. After that, AI features will work normally.

Yes! PDF Micro Suite uses your own API keys for cloud AI providers. This means you pay only for what you use at standard API rates, and you're not locked into any subscription. Keys are stored securely in your Mac's Keychain.

Split divides the original PDF into multiple separate files at specified break points. Extract pulls out selected pages into a new PDF while leaving the original unchanged. Use Split when you want to break up a document; use Extract when you want to copy specific pages.

Yes! Full undo/redo support is available. Use โŒ˜Z to undo and โŒ˜โ‡งZ to redo. Changes aren't saved until you explicitly save the file, so you can always close without saving to discard all changes.

Yes, but you'll need to enter the password first. Go to Edit โ†’ Unlock PDF and enter the password. Once unlocked, all features work normally. You can also add password protection to any PDF via Edit โ†’ Protect PDF.

Yes! PDF Micro Suite automatically detects fillable form fields. Click on any text field, checkbox, radio button, or dropdown to interact with it. Use Tab to move between fields. You can also create new form fields and flatten filled forms for distribution.

Go to Edit โ†’ Add Signature. You can draw your signature using your mouse/trackpad, type your name with a signature font, or import an image of your signature. Once created, signatures are saved for reuse in future documents.

Yes! Go to File โ†’ Export to Word to convert PDF content to an editable .docx file. Note that conversion accuracy depends on the PDF complexity โ€” simple text documents convert best. For scanned PDFs, run OCR first.

Redaction permanently removes content from a PDF while leaving the page intact โ€” the redacted area is replaced with a black box. It's used for removing sensitive information from documents you need to share. Deletion removes entire pages from the document.

Yes! PDF Micro Suite supports rich media embedding. Go to Edit โ†’ Insert Video or Edit โ†’ Insert Audio. You can also attach any file to a PDF using Edit โ†’ Attach File. Note that recipients need a PDF viewer that supports rich media to play embedded content.

Use the Interleave feature! If you have two PDFs โ€” one with all front pages and one with all back pages โ€” go to File โ†’ Interleave PDFs. This alternates pages from both files to create a properly ordered document.

Yes! PDF Micro Suite provides Shortcuts actions for common operations like Merge, Split, Rotate, Compress, Add Watermark, and Extract Text. Open the Shortcuts app and search for "PDF Micro Suite" to see all available actions. You can also add these to Quick Actions for right-click access in Finder.

Yes! Install Ollama on your Mac and download a model (we recommend llama3 or mistral). In PDF Micro Suite, go to AI โ†’ AI Settings, select Ollama as your provider, and choose your downloaded model. All AI processing then happens locally โ€” no internet connection or API keys needed.

PDF Micro Suite supports: highlights (multiple colors), underline, strikethrough, sticky notes, text boxes, lines, arrows, rectangles, circles/ellipses, and digital signatures. Enable annotation tools with โŒ˜โ‡งA or View โ†’ Toggle Annotations.

There's no hard limit. You can add hundreds of files to batch processing. Processing time depends on file sizes and the operations you've selected. You can chain multiple operations (e.g., compress โ†’ watermark โ†’ add page numbers โ†’ encrypt) that all run automatically on every file.

Yes! PDF Micro Suite supports Apple Family Sharing. One purchase covers up to 6 family members. Just enable Family Sharing in your Apple ID settings, and family members can download the app from the Mac App Store for free.

Troubleshooting

Solutions for common issues.

Common Issues

"AI Credentials Required" error

You need to configure an AI provider. Go to AI โ†’ AI Settings and enter your API key for Anthropic, OpenAI, or OpenRouter. Alternatively, install Ollama for free local AI.

"No text found in document"

The PDF is likely a scanned document (images only). Use Edit โ†’ Perform OCR to extract text before using content-based features.

AI responses are slow

Try using a faster model (e.g., GPT-3.5 instead of GPT-4), or reduce the search scope to selected pages only. Local Ollama models depend on your Mac's processing power.

Can't open a PDF

The file may be corrupted or not a valid PDF. Try opening it in Preview first. If it opens there, try File โ†’ Print โ†’ Save as PDF to create a fresh copy.

Changes aren't being saved

Make sure to use File โ†’ Save (โŒ˜S) or File โ†’ Export. If you don't have write permission to the original location, use Export to save to a different folder.

Voice input not working

Check that microphone permissions are enabled for PDF Micro Suite in System Settings โ†’ Privacy & Security โ†’ Microphone. The first use may prompt for permission.

Form fields aren't clickable

The PDF may not have fillable form fields โ€” it might just be an image of a form. If that's the case, you can add form fields yourself using Edit โ†’ Add Form Field, or use text annotations to fill in the blanks.

Annotations aren't showing

Make sure the annotation toolbar is enabled. Press โŒ˜โ‡งA or go to View โ†’ Toggle Annotations. If annotations exist but are hidden, check View โ†’ Show Annotations.

Watermark is too dark/light

Adjust the opacity setting when adding watermarks. For visible watermarks, try 30-50% opacity. For subtle watermarks, try 10-20%. You can always undo and re-add with different settings.

Export to Word looks wrong

PDF to Word conversion works best on simple text documents. Complex layouts, multi-column documents, and heavily formatted PDFs may not convert perfectly. For scanned documents, make sure to run OCR first.

Embedded video won't play

Make sure the video format is supported (MP4 is most reliable). Also note that recipients need a PDF viewer that supports rich media to play embedded content โ€” not all viewers do.

Batch processing seems stuck

Large files or complex operations can take time. Check the progress indicators for each file. If a specific file is causing issues, try removing it from the batch and processing it separately.

Ollama connection failed

Make sure Ollama is running on your Mac (check for the llama icon in the menu bar). If you just installed it, you may need to download a model first using ollama pull llama3 in Terminal.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Still having issues?

Submit a support request and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

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๐Ÿ’ก Before submitting

Please check the FAQ and Troubleshooting sections โ€” your question might already be answered there!