PDF Viewer – Annotation Expert is an incredibly efficient and aesthetically pleasing program designed for Apple Vision Pro users. It is developed by PSPDFKit GmbH and is free to download, with some advanced features available through a subscription to PDF Viewer Pro. The program is engineered to facilitate the viewing, searching, and annotating of PDF documents seamlessly on your Mac, and it stands as a robust alternative to other major PDF editors and viewers in the market.
One of the features that immediately grabs attention is the ability to open PDF files directly from the Finder, supporting drag-and-drop functionality, which significantly simplifies the process of accessing documents. The app’s powerful search function enables users to locate specific text within documents rapidly, which is particularly useful for lengthy PDFs. Furthermore, users can annotate not just PDF files, but also images in JPEG and PNG formats, ensuring a non-destructive editing experience. The annotation tools are both comprehensive and user-friendly, allowing for text highlighting, markup, note writing, and even the addition of images or audio annotations. For those who require advanced collaboration, there is a feature to reply to notes, but this is only available in the Pro version.
The signing features are a notable highlight of PDF Viewer. Users have the flexibility to add, move, and resize their signatures within any document. Moreover, the app offers a flattening option for documents to ensure that signatures remain unchanged, which is particularly useful for legal or formal documents. The application also includes extensive PDF creation and editing abilities, such as rotating, deleting, adding pages, and combining multiple documents. Adding bookmarks to large documents is another useful feature that makes navigation much easier.
For users who need to fill out forms, PDF Viewer’s functionality is straightforward and efficient. It allows for quick text insertion into form fields, and once forms are filled out, they can be flattened and secured to prevent any further changes. Users can also add signatures to forms, making the process of completing and signing forms digitally simple and secure.
Sharing capabilities in PDF Viewer are equally impressive. Documents can be shared via printing, emailing, or saving with all edits intact. Security is also a consideration, with options to read document metadata and protect documents using user and owner passwords to limit permissions, a feature available in the Pro version.
Additional features make the user experience even more pleasant. Night mode is incredibly useful for those who work late into the night, providing a more comfortable viewing experience. The text-to-speech functionality can read out PDFs aloud, which can be beneficial for those who prefer auditory learning or need to multitask.
Priced freely but unlocking advanced features through a subscription, PDF Viewer Pro offers both 3-monthly and yearly subscription plans, along with a fully functional 7-day trial. This allows users to explore features such as document merging and password editing before making a commitment. The single purchase integrates the app across Mac, iPhone, and iPad, providing a seamless experience across all Apple devices.
What sets PDF Viewer apart is its integration with notable companies like Dropbox, Box, IBM, Atlassian, SAP, and Lufthansa, highlighting its reliability and efficiency. The app community is active and engaging, supported through platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
However, customer reviews indicate some mixed feelings. Many users have praised the program for its free features that match those of paid competitors, the intuitive annotating experience, and its ability to access and sync documents from the iCloud Drive. Some have found the subscription model off-putting, especially when they only require basic features. There have also been complaints about the limited customization options, such as the inability to pin multiple pens of different colors to the toolbar and occasional issues with large PDF files’ performance.
PDF Viewer – Annotation Expert offers a well-rounded and powerful set of tools for PDF management and editing, making it a strong contender among its peers. The positive responsiveness of the developers to feedback suggests that the app will continue to improve, addressing user concerns while enhancing its feature set. It’s highly recommended for anyone who needs a reliable, easy-to-use PDF viewer and editor on their Apple Vision Pro.
