Scribus for MAC
Free, open-source desktop publishing for Mac: lay out pages, manage color and export reliable print-ready PDF/X files for commercial printing.
Scribus Overview
Scribus is a free, open-source desktop publishing program for page layout and print production. You build documents with master pages, guides and bleed areas, place images and text in frames, and export the result as a PDF that a commercial printer can use. Reliable PDF creation has been central to the project from the start: Scribus was the first desktop publishing program to support the demanding PDF/X-3 specification, and it can also export PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-4, along with PDF presentations and forms for the screen. Color is the other strength, with RGB, CMYK, LAB/HLC, spectral and spot colors, color management that leaves you in control, and an emulator that shows how a design looks to people with color vision deficiencies.
Scribus is made by the Scribus Team and released under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later, and parts of the code use other licenses. Its file format is based on XML, so documents can be read in a text editor and a damaged file is easier to repair. Version 1.6.7 belongs to the stable 1.6 branch, the one the project recommends for production work, and it fixes seven security vulnerabilities in its image loaders, so all 1.6 users are strongly encouraged to upgrade. A separate development branch exists for testing. There are separate Mac downloads: the Apple Silicon build needs macOS 11 or later and the Intel build needs macOS 13 or later.
Key Features
Scribus covers the layout and prepress side of publishing.
- Page layout: work with text and image frames, master pages, guides, margins and bleed.
- Print-ready PDF: export PDF/X-3, PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-4 files for commercial printers.
- Screen PDF: create PDF presentations and forms as well as print files.
- Color models: use RGB, CMYK, LAB/HLC, spectral and spot colors with color management.
- Color palettes: almost 200 palettes are included, and almost 400 more can be downloaded.
- Color blindness preview: emulate several forms of color blindness to check your color choices.
- Open file format: documents are stored as XML that can be read and repaired in a text editor.
- File import: place PSD, TIFF and PICT images and import text from OpenDocument files.
What’s New in Version 1.6.7
Scribus 1.6.7 is a bugfix release focused on security and stability.
- Fixed seven memory-safety vulnerabilities in the loaders that read PSD, PICT, TIFF, DRW and SVM files.
- Fixed several crashes, including one caused by the font Helsinki, and a freeze when importing custom shapes.
- Character formatting such as bold or italic now carries over when you resume typing after formatted text.
- Drop shadows render considerably faster.
- Preview mode now hides guides, margins and the bleed area while editing a master page.
- On macOS, starting Scribus with --prefs no longer moves existing preference files out of the default location.
Scribus FAQ
Is Scribus free?
Yes. Scribus is free and open source under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later. Parts of the code use other licenses.
Which macOS versions does Scribus need?
The Apple Silicon build of Scribus 1.6.7 needs macOS 11 or later. The Intel build needs macOS 13 or later.
Does Scribus run on Apple Silicon?
Yes. There is a separate Apple Silicon download, scribus-1.6.7-arm64.dmg, next to the Intel download, scribus-1.6.7.dmg.
What is Scribus used for?
Scribus is used for desktop publishing: laying out pages with text and images and producing PDF files, both for commercial printing and for the screen.
Which PDF standards can Scribus export?
Scribus can export PDF/X-3, PDF/X-1a:2001 and PDF/X-4. It also offers non-print options such as PDF presentations and forms.
Which color models does Scribus support?
Scribus supports RGB, CMYK, LAB/HLC, spectral and spot colors, with color management. Almost 200 color palettes are included, and almost 400 more are available for download.
Can I open a Scribus file in a text editor?
Yes. The Scribus file format is based on XML, so it can be read in a simple text editor, which also makes a damaged file easier to repair.
Why should I update to Scribus 1.6.7?
It fixes seven vulnerabilities in the PSD, PICT, TIFF, DRW and SVM loaders. A specially crafted file placed or imported into Scribus could otherwise cause a crash or worse, so the team strongly encourages all 1.6 users to upgrade.
Should I use the stable or the development version of Scribus?
The project recommends the stable version, currently 1.6.7, for almost all production work. The development branch is for testing.
Where does the Scribus download on scribus.FULLMAC.app come from?
The download button leads to the official Scribus downloads page at https://www.scribus.net/downloads/. scribus.FULLMAC.app does not change or repackage the app.
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