Re: Preview: How to customize the background of a Text box ?

[JohnDohe]

Hello!

I am using a MacMini, Sonoma 14.5.

I need to put a (custom?) background into a text box that appears behind
the text I want to put into a pdf that I'm adding text to.

The pdf that I'm working on has this background:

I want to put a Text box into this pdf.

I need the background of the Text box to be the above image.

How to do this?

Thanks!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If I'm understanding you correctly...

• Open the free Pages app that came with your Mac.
• File (menu), Convert to Page Layout mode
• Format tab, Background, Image Fill (to insert that near white grain image background) to fill the page...

• Put a text box anywhere on the page and insert your text.

OPTION 2

• Same first 2 steps above.
• Instead of inserting a text box, insert a "shape" (rectangle) big enough to hold the text you want on that background.
• Insert the text in that box (any shape can have text added inside of it).
• Select the shape and, using the same format tools as shown above, insert the background image via "image fill" to only fill the shape instead of the whole page with that background grain image as described in the first option.

OPTION 3

If you actually need to insert the PDF itself onto the page, you can use option 1 to "Image fill" and choose the PDF to fill the page. Then add your text box onto the PDF itself.

OPTION 4

An alternative to Option 3, open the PDF in Preview (also included with your Mac), "show thumbnails, drag the PDF thumbnail onto a Pages (in Page Layout mode) page, size it up to fill the page and then put your text box on top of the PDF and fill in whatever text you want.

OPTION 5

In a Preview (app) opened PDF, you can lay a text box on top of a PDF and type text right on top of the PDF too. Tools (menu), Annotate, Text.


One of these should do the trick if I'm understanding the issue correctly. If not, please clarify with more detail.

 

[JohnDohe]

Hi!

Thank you so much for all these options.

I hate to appear "daft" but . . . before this step:
"File (menu), Convert to Page Layout mode"
what do I open first?

The pdf I want to modify?

The background I want to insert as the background of the Text box?

Again, I'm so sorry for being so thick!

Thank you for kindly explaining in further detail!
🙏

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

No problem. Sorry I wasn't clear enough.

• Open PAGES (the Apple app) first, as if you want to type a letter.
• It has the File menu, in which you will find Convert to Page Layout. To this point, the PDF has nothing to do with anything yet. You're just getting ready to potentially do something with it.
• Then carry on with the rest of the suggestion(s).

Within Pages, you can either insert that background for the entire page or inside of a "Shape" box, like a rectangle and then type whatever you want to type on top of the page or that rectangle.

Or down in option #5, you can right (or hold down the control button and) mouse click on the PDF, open with..., Preview (Apple app) and then do what is described there to write right on top of the PDF page.

 

[JohnDohe]

The Markup toolbar has a background color tool that also offers a transparent option so that the PDF background appears behind the text box content.