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Do you miss using Microsoft Paint on your Mac? While there isn’t a direct equivalent to the classic Paint, you can access a similar hidden paint software within Preview, a pre-installed tool on your Mac. In this article, we’ll guide you on how to access and use Preview’s hidden paint software.
Accessing the Hidden Paint App on Mac: Open Preview
The hidden paint app is most useful for taking notes on existing pictures. Simply drag the picture to annotate onto the Preview icon in the Dock. If Preview is not in the Dock, right-click on the picture and select “Open With” and choose Preview. You may also access Preview by opening the Applications folder and double-clicking the Preview icon.
Accessing the Hidden Paint App on Mac: Open Markup Toolbar
Once you have opened the picture in Preview, click the icon next to the search field, which looks like a toolbox, to open the Markup Toolbar. The toolbar contains annotation tools that are simple yet useful.
Using the Hidden Paint App on Mac: Annotation Tools
The following are the main annotation tools you can use:
Selection
The shape selection tool allows you to extract a rectangular or elliptical shape from the image or manually select a shape. You can then delete, copy, and paste the selected shape.
Sketch and Draw
The sketch and draw tools look similar, but their functionality differs. Sketch interprets the shape created, while draw simply accepts your style and displays it as a separate layer. You may easily add speech bubbles by adding a small pointed piece to your defined ellipses, and Preview will give it a different colored interior where you can add text.
Text
Add text to the image by clicking on the text tool. Preview will place a pre-filled text box in the center of the image. You may move it anywhere you want and click to replace the text with your own.
Signature
The drawing tool guides you through the process of digitally entering your signature. You can do this on a trackpad or sign a piece of white paper and hold it to the camera. Once you create a digital signature, you can click the Sign tool icon again, and a movable copy of your signature will be placed on the image.
With these simple yet effective annotation tools, you can use and enjoy the hidden paint software in Preview on your Mac.
FAQs
Yes, it is a pre-installed and free feature of Preview on your Mac.
The hidden paint app is not meant to be a professional-grade illustration tool. It is a simple and fun tool for basic annotations on existing images.