Make & keep
Crop a strip scan in Preview and recover the earlier version
Make a copy before trimming borders, then use Undo or Browse All Versions if the crop removes content.
Preview’s crop discards the area outside the selection. That is useful for removing a scanner border from a share copy, but it can cut off frame edges or written notes. Keep the untrimmed scan before cropping; Preview can undo the immediate crop and can browse earlier versions later.
Duplicate the scan
Open the image in Preview and choose File > Duplicate before editing. In the copy, show the Markup toolbar, choose Rectangular Selection, and drag around the area to keep. Use Tools > Show Inspector and the Crop Inspector if you need to see the selected content dimensions in a specific unit.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Crop the working copy
Click Crop in the Markup toolbar. Inspect all four corners, especially handwritten notes or a white frame edge that may be part of the original object. If the selection is wrong immediately afterward, choose Edit > Undo Crop. Do not use a tight crop as the only saved scan if the border provides evidence about the print.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Undo or restore a prior version
If you saved the crop and notice the loss later, choose File > Revert To > Browse All Versions and restore an earlier version if it is available. The duplicate remains the safest comparison point because version history is not a separate archival backup. Keep the uncropped source in a clearly named folder.
Evidence: Apple user guide
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Apple Preview User Guide — Crop, resize or rotate imagesApple user guide