How to have PDFs open in one window with tabs -- mac

June 6, 2022 7:49 PM

I have a ton of PDF windows already open that I want to have only open in one window with tabs, in preview, on a mac, running Big Sur.

Yes I know there is a preference setting where you have every new pdf open in one window, but I have a ton of separate pdf windows already open that I want to view in one window, with tabs.

I do not want to merge/combine PDFs into one PDF, I just want separate tabs in one window, of multiple PDFs that are already opened separately on my desktop. Using preview, not adobe reader bc I have to get admin permission to download any new apps and that takes days at my company, which I do not have.

Thanks for your help!

posted by greta simone to Computers & Internet (4 answers total)

Totally off the cuff thought here, but could you use a web browser to open the pdfs in tabs? Such as chrome or Firefox?
posted by freethefeet at 7:54 PM on June 6, 2022

This looks like it might have the answer, though it’s not clear if you can switch to tabs for pdfs you already have open: https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/display-several-files-in-one-preview-window-prvw1085/11.0/mac/11.0
posted by DiscourseMarker at 8:06 PM on June 6, 2022

Best answer: Go to the 'Window' menu and choose 'Merge All Windows'. This will give you one window with tabs for each pdf document (even if they're multi-page).
posted by theory at 8:13 PM on June 6, 2022 [6 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you, saw that before and for some reason thought that would merge every single window on my desktop, but of course not bc it's choosing that from the preview menu. Thanks and apologies for the overworked brain fart.
posted by greta simone at 5:44 AM on June 7, 2022