Where Does Mac Preview Store Data and Signatures?
Mac Preview keeps prefs in its sandbox container with signatures split between plist legacy and Keychain. Stale root paths mislead.
Last updated
Preview sandboxes everything into its container with signatures straddling eras. Preferences, view state and legacy signature plists nest under container Library. Modern signatures live primarily in Keychain instead.
Root-level plist paths predate sandboxing and mislead current guides. Migration copies containers while signatures need official flows. State files describe older releases with currency caveats attached.
Where Preview stores this, by platform
~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Preview/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Preview.plist
Sandboxed prefs with legacy signatures plist and dated view-state files. Modern signatures favor Keychain over files. Copy containers while closed with era caveats.
Frequently asked questions
How do I move Preview signatures?
Copy the container Preferences tree with signatures plist while Preview is closed, noting modern signatures live primarily in Keychain. Legacy plist copies may restore nothing on current systems. Export signatures through official flows where offered.
Is the root Preview plist current?
It is stale for sandboxed builds. Root Preferences paths predate containment while the container tree holds current data. Quote container paths for modern installs.
Where is Preview last-page state?
Through dated observations with uncertain currency. View-state files describe older releases without modern confirmation. Quote with era caveats and verify timestamps locally.
Notice an outdated path? Let us know.