Preview text box typing upside down

Same question as I asked to the OP: does the same problem occur when in Safe Mode?

If not, as I fully expect, then it will suggest some third party software problem.

Have you installed and run any "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus or VPN apps on your Mac?

This bug appears to be fixed in macOS Ventura 13.2.

Problem solved in Ventura 13.2

Would it be possible to share one such document where the problem manifests itself?

This way others can test on their macs to see if the issue is reproducible.

None of the pdf files I tried showed this problem.

Of course, do not share anything sensitive.

You could send a file to yourself using wetransfer or dropbox, and post a link here.

(the link will soon be deleted, but those following this thread will still get it)

Does it happen even when in Safe Mode?

Please run Etrecheck and post its full report here. Use the "additional text" button and paste the report into the text box.

Confirming that 13.2 has fixed it for us as well.

The first fix in this article worked for me. Quick and simple.

https://www.hawkdive.com/macos-ventura-preview-text-box-typing-upside-down-error-fixed/

Old Toad wrote:

I'm unable to replicate it either in the Text box or in the Note box. 'Tis a puzzlement.

As I said before, I cannot reproduce it either, with any PDF file that I create, but the file that the OP posted before DOES cause the problem on my mac.

There is definitely something peculiar to some PDF that make this happen.

Also, that very same document that shows the problem in Ventura did NOT cause it in High Sierra (the only other OS I had available, on an old mac, to compare); and it seems that it also does not cause it in Monterey.

Summarizing, it appears to be a combination of Ventura and some peculiarity in some PDF files.

Until a fix if found you might try using the free app Highlights from the App Store. It's designed to annotate research papers and Books. Another free app is Skim. Try them both as they have different strengths in annotating PDF files.

I just updated to 13.1, problem still there.

Good idea, printing to PDF as a workaround...

The PDFs I'm marking up are 11x17 format and I don't have a printer that prints at this size, so 11x17 was not on the list of paper sizes to choose from. I wanted to keep the size as 11x17 to send back to client, so I chose "Manage Custom Sizes..." and created a Custom Paper that is 11x17 with 0" margins. Yet another workaround!

(PS: As I mentioned in a previous post, not all PDFs have the problem):

Using Inspector in Preview, the files that I have with the problem indicate the following:

PDF Producer: GPL Ghostscript 9.52

Content creator: PDFCreator Free 4.2.0

These files are being sent to me by a client. I know they are using Windows, but I don't have any other details regarding the OS version or hardware they are using.

FWIW, this is what I experience. I often take screenshots and convert them from .png to .pdf before making notes with a text box.

If I don't rotate the PDF or I rotate the PDF 180 degrees, the text in the text box types perfectly.

If I rotate the PDF 90 or 270 degrees the text in the text box types backwards but subsequently saves correctly.

I also just double checked and the exact same thing occurs if I add a text box to the .png, so, for me at least, the issue applies to both .png and .pdf files rotated 90 or 270 degrees.

Etresoft, I don't know how to create a document and send you a link, sorry.

Did you try it with 13.1? I have only updated yesterday and do not have a file showing this problem to test.

Also, a workaround is to print to pdf. The resulting pdf does not suffer from the issue.

Are you in 13.2? It is supposed to have fixed it.

I can confirm I am also having this issue and am anxiously awaiting a solution.

I have a M2 MacBook Air with Ventura 13.0 that is affected, after update to 13.0.1 no change.

Using the exact same PDF files Preview on my M1 Mac mini with Monterey 12.4 functions normally, no upside down text while typing.