Preview App on macOS Ventura Drops Support for PostScript Files

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Starting with macOS Ventura, released this week, the built-in Preview app on Mac no longer supports PostScript (.ps) and Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) files, according to a new Apple support document. Preview can still be used to open these files on macOS Monterey and earlier. Apple did not provide a reason for the change.

Adobe PostScript PS File
Apple recommends using other third-party Mac apps that can view or convert PostScript files. It also remains possible to print .ps and .eps files by dragging them into a Mac's printer queue with these steps on macOS Ventura, according to Apple:

1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Printers & Scanners in the sidebar.
2. Click the the name of your printer on the right.
3. Click the Printer Queue button to open the printer queue window.
4. Drag the .ps or .eps file into the printer queue window.

Developed by Adobe in the 1980s, the .ps and .eps file formats were once widely used for desktop publishing/printing purposes. PostScript was the basis of rendering on the NeXT operating system, and was mostly replaced by the PDF format in Mac OS X.

Related Forum: macOS Ventura

Top Rated Comments

rpmurray Avatar
rpmurray
40 months ago
Looks like Apple is doubling down on dumbing down macOS.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nawk Avatar
nawk
40 months ago
Please - everyone - submit feedback on this.

https://www.apple.com/feedback/macos.html

Tell them to stop!
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wildkraut Avatar
Wildkraut
40 months ago
Instead of lifting iOS to the level of macOS, they continue to bring the macOS level down to iOS/iPadOS.
Yeah, also a way to compensate the inabilities of iOS/iPadOS.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cb3 Avatar
cb3
40 months ago
Boo. Lots of those files still in use.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4nNtt Avatar
4nNtt
40 months ago
I suspect this is security related. PostScript is basically a programming language and could make some software vulnerable. I recall a toy program implemented in postscript ages ago. There may have been the possibility of Unicode hacks that could result in arbitrary code execution, etc.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nawk Avatar
nawk
40 months ago
Ugh. As an old Unix guy I rely on Preview when using LaTex and other tools that generate postscript files. It was great to tap space in Finder and get instant previews. Please change your mind Apple.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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