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After upgrading to Catalina, I can not save pdfs with Preview anymore. I download a credit card statement and I would like to "save as" and delete some pages from the pdf. When I attempt to save or save as or duplicate, it simply says the document could not be saved. Please help fix this bug.
MacBook Pro 13”, macOS 10.15
I have had this happen to me intermittently when trying to save downloaded PDFs. When the problem occurs, it doesn't seem to matter wether you are trying to save the PDF or use Duplicate and save. When it occurs what has worked for me is to use "Export..." or "Export as PDF...". Sounds crazy to export a PDF from a PDF but I was able to save the export that way. I think this is a bug.
I have had this happen to me intermittently when trying to save downloaded PDFs. When the problem occurs, it doesn't seem to matter wether you are trying to save the PDF or use Duplicate and save. When it occurs what has worked for me is to use "Export..." or "Export as PDF...". Sounds crazy to export a PDF from a PDF but I was able to save the export that way. I think this is a bug.
This solution does work for single PDFs. However it doesn't not work if you want to create a single PDF from multiple different files. For example, if you opened multiple JPGs or multiple PDFs, selected them all, and wanted to save them as a single PDF, this workaround doesn't work.
Save to pdf is not a solution but a workaround. This is a Catalina issue. Same document different systems, El Capitan and Catalina and I'm not able to save on Catalina unless I export is as a PDF first. Definitely something is wrong.
It's insanity that after 2 Catalina updates this glaring problem is still not solved. That being said, here is a workaround to restore functionality as expected in prior version of Mac OS:
1) Open System Preferences
2) Open Printers & Scanners
3) Under the list of printers on the left, click the + symbol to add a printer
4) Click the IP tab at the top left
5) Fill in the window with these value:
Address: 127.0.0.1
Protocol: Select "AirPrint" from the dropdown menu
Queue: Leave blank
Name: Choose a name of your choice. I recommend "PDF Printer"
Location: Leave blank
Use: Select "AirPrint" from the dropdown menu
6) You will get a pop up saying "Unable to verify printer on your network. Would you still like to create the printer?" Click Continue
7) Open the file(s) in Preview that you wish to save as a PDF.
8) Click File, Print, then select the printer you just added ("PDF Printer"), then select Save As PDF
TIP: I have made PDF Printer my default printer to save having to select it each time. I print to PDF much more frequently than I actually print.
Ridiculous that we have to go through all of this to maintain a basic function of Preview, but this works.
Thank you Fred Flinstone. This little problem has driven me crazy. It is an interim solution but works!
Can not save pdfs after Catalina upgrade
