Adobe Acrobat and calibre

Question

I have used Adobe acrobat to change pdf files to rtf, then I use calibre to convert the rtf files to a book form more usable on my e-reader. Now said pdf files are being converted to a large rtf file not useable by calibre. And yes they are legal files. So, what has changed?

AnandSri · Accepted Answer

Hello @corey_6791

Thanks for the detailed information.

Make sure the PDF has a real text layer and a sane structure

Run OCR (if text isn’t selectable)
In Acrobat: All tools> Scan & OCR> Recognize Text (pick language, pages). Re‑export to TXT/HTML afterwards. This prevents blank exports. See this article for more information: https://adobe.ly/48aQoMh
Auto‑tag for structure
In Acrobat: All tools>Accessibility> Autotag Document. Good tags help downstream converters (including Calibre) interpret reading order, headings, lists, and tables. See this article for more information: https://adobe.ly/4an7EPK
Use “Reflow” to verify reading order
Menu > View > Zoom> Reflow. If Reflow appears incorrect, correct the order via Accessibility> Reading Order before exporting.

Export Accessible HTML (single page) or simplified DOCX (flowing text, no fixed layout) >> Convert in Calibre with heuristics on.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

AnandSri · Answer

Hello @corey_6791

I hope you are doing well, and thank you for reaching out.

Could you please share more details? Are you using Acrobat or the freeware Acrobat Reader desktop app? Are you on a Mac or Windows machine?

Please ensure you have the latest version of Acrobat installed on the machine: 25.001.20937. Planned update, Nov 20, 2025. Check for any pending updates by navigating to Menu > Help> Check for Updates. Install the updates, restart the app and the machine, and try again.

Adjust Acrobat’s export settings before converting to RTF:

In Acrobat, go to All tools > Export a PDF > Other format > RTF.
Click the settings icon and choose:
- Retain Flowing Text (for simpler output, easier for Calibre)
- Exclude Images (if your e-reader doesn’t need them)
- Do not retain page layout (unless you need exact formatting)
Save and try converting the new RTF in Calibre.
For more information, see this article: Export images or selections from a PDF.

If the RTF is still too large or complex:

Try exporting the PDF to plain text (.txt) instead, then import it to Calibre. This produces a much simpler file, ideal for e-readers.
Or, export to Word (.docx), open in Word, and save as RTF. Sometimes, Word’s RTF export is simpler.
Use “Save as Optimized PDF” before exporting: Menu > Save as Other > Optimized PDF.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

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