Source: https://mactoolbox.app/guides

# Mac guides

How to compress, convert, sign and clean up on a Mac. Each guide starts with what macOS already does for free, then shows the faster way in Toolbox.

## How-to guides

- [**Batch resize images on Mac**: Resize many photos at once on your Mac. Preview can adjust a selection, and Resize Images in Toolbox sets percentage, longest side or exact size.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-batch-resize-images-on-mac)
- [**Compress a PDF on Mac**: Make a PDF smaller on your Mac. Preview's Reduce File Size filter is quick but blunt; Compress PDF in Toolbox lets you pick a quality and keep text selectable.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-compress-a-pdf-on-mac)
- [**Compress a video on Mac**: Make a video file smaller on your Mac. Use QuickTime Player for one clip, or Toolbox to compress many files at once with H.264 or HEVC, offline.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-compress-a-video-on-mac)
- [**Convert a video to a GIF on Mac**: Make an animated GIF from a video on your Mac. macOS has no one-click option, so use Video to GIF in Toolbox with frame rate, width and trim controls.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-convert-a-video-to-gif-on-mac)
- [**Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac**: Convert iPhone HEIC photos to JPG on your Mac with Preview or a Finder Quick Action, or convert a whole folder at once with Toolbox, offline.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-convert-heic-to-jpg-on-mac)
- [**Copy text from an image on Mac**: Copy text from images, screenshots and scanned PDFs on your Mac with Live Text, or use Extract Text and Capture Text in Toolbox for batches.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-copy-text-from-an-image-on-mac)
- [**Download a video on Mac**: Save an online video to your Mac. macOS has no built-in way, so paste the link into Download Video in Toolbox and choose quality or audio only.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-download-a-video-on-mac)
- [**Free up storage on Mac**: Free up disk space on your Mac. Start with System Settings storage tips, then use Storage Explorer in Toolbox to find the largest files and space hogs.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-free-up-storage-on-mac)
- [**Merge PDFs on Mac**: Combine PDF files into one on your Mac using Preview's thumbnail sidebar, or use Merge PDFs in Toolbox to join PDFs and images in any order.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-merge-pdfs-on-mac)
- [**Open RAR and 7z files on Mac**: Finder opens ZIP files but not RAR or 7z. Extract them with Zip & Unzip in Toolbox, and learn what it cannot open, such as password-protected RAR.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-open-rar-and-7z-files-on-mac)
- [**Record the screen with audio on Mac**: Record your Mac screen with sound. Shift-Command-5 captures the microphone, but not system audio; Record Screen in Toolbox records both.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-record-your-screen-with-audio-on-mac)
- [**Remove an image background on Mac**: Remove a photo background on your Mac with Preview or Finder Quick Actions, or process many photos at once with Remove Background in Toolbox.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-remove-a-background-from-an-image-on-mac)
- [**Remove EXIF data from photos on Mac**: Strip GPS location, camera and date info from photos on your Mac. Check metadata in Preview, then remove it in bulk with Remove Metadata in Toolbox.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-remove-location-and-exif-data-from-photos-on-mac)
- [**Sign a PDF on Mac**: Sign a PDF on your Mac with Preview's Markup toolbar, or with Sign PDF in Toolbox. Draw or type your signature and place it anywhere, offline.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-sign-a-pdf-on-mac)
- [**System Data is huge on Mac**: Why System Data takes so much space on a Mac and how to reduce it. Check Storage in System Settings, then find caches and backups with Toolbox.](https://mactoolbox.app/mac-system-data-storage-huge)
- [**Transcribe audio on Mac**: Turn a recording or video into text on your Mac. Dictation does not transcribe files; Transcribe in Toolbox does, on device, with SRT export.](https://mactoolbox.app/how-to-transcribe-audio-on-mac)

## Best of

- [**Best background removers for Mac**: Compare Preview, Pixelmator Pro, remove.bg and Toolbox for removing an image background on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.](https://mactoolbox.app/best-background-remover-for-mac)
- [**Best image converters for Mac**: Compare Preview, Toolbox, Permute and XnConvert for converting HEIC, JPG, PNG and WebP on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.](https://mactoolbox.app/best-image-converter-for-mac)
- [**Best Mac storage cleaners**: Compare DaisyDisk, Disk Inventory X, CleanMyMac and Toolbox for finding what fills your Mac, with prices checked on each site.](https://mactoolbox.app/best-mac-storage-cleaner)
- [**Best screen recorders for Mac**: Compare macOS Screenshot, OBS Studio, CleanShot X, ScreenFlow and Toolbox for recording your Mac screen, with prices checked on each site.](https://mactoolbox.app/best-screen-recorder-for-mac)
- [**Best video compressors for Mac**: Compare Toolbox, HandBrake, QuickTime Player, Permute and Compressor for shrinking video on a Mac, with prices checked on each site.](https://mactoolbox.app/best-video-compressor-for-mac)

## Comparisons

- [**Toolbox vs CleanMyMac**: Toolbox and CleanMyMac overlap on finding duplicates, uninstalling apps and exploring storage. Compare what each does and what each costs.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-cleanmymac)
- [**Toolbox vs HandBrake**: HandBrake is a free open-source video transcoder. Toolbox has simple video tools for Mac. Compare ease, control and price.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-handbrake)
- [**Toolbox vs macOS Built-in Apps**: Preview, QuickTime Player, Finder and Quick Actions already do some jobs. See where Toolbox adds more, and where the built-in tools are enough.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-macos-built-in-apps)
- [**Toolbox vs PDF Expert**: Compare Toolbox's PDF tools with PDF Expert on signing, OCR, conversion and editing. See what each does well and how each is priced.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-pdf-expert)
- [**Toolbox vs Permute**: Permute converts video, audio, images and more. Toolbox has separate convert, compress and edit tools. Compare formats, price and scope.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-permute)
- [**Toolbox vs Pixelmator Pro**: Pixelmator Pro is a full image editor with layers. Toolbox has quick image tools like background removal, resize and compress. Compare them.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-pixelmator-pro)
- [**Toolbox vs Raycast**: Raycast is a keyboard launcher with extensions, snippets and window management. Toolbox is a set of tools for files. See where they differ.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-raycast)
- [**Toolbox vs Setapp**: Setapp is a monthly subscription to hundreds of Mac apps. Toolbox is one app with 96 tools for a one-time price. Compare cost and scope.](https://mactoolbox.app/vs/toolbox-vs-setapp)