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Participant
October 9, 2026
Question

creating conditional fields (displayed if conditions are met)

I’m trying to create a work order form and need to implement a check box and text that’s only displayed if one or multiple check boxes (a couple of pages later) are checked.

I have found some suggestions using third party software but that’s not an option (I’m not allowed to buy those) and something that’s called “Adobe Acrobat Sign” but that’s not available to me either.

I’d appreciate any tips and solutions.

    5 replies

    CORCTON34033231
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 9, 2026

    Hi! Good news — you can do this in Acrobat Pro itself, with no third-party tool and no Acrobat Sign needed.

     

    The simple version (one controlling check box):

    1. In Prepare a form, select the field/text that should appear conditionally, open its Properties > General, and set it to Hidden.

    2. Select the check box that will control it, open Properties > Actions, choose trigger Mouse Up and action Show/hide a field, then set it to Show that field.

    It doesn't matter that the check box is a couple of pages later — the action works across pages.

     

    For your case (shown if one OR several check boxes are ticked), use a tiny JavaScript instead, because separate Show/Hide actions would hide the field again when you untick just one box. Add this as a Mouse Up > Run a JavaScript action on each controlling check box (replace the names with your own field names):

     

    var show = this.getField("Check Box1").value !== "Off" || this.getField("Check Box2").value !== "Off";

    this.getField("ConditionalField").display = show ? display.visible : display.hidden;

     

    Acrobat documents both action types here: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/desktop/work-with-pdf-forms/customize-form-fields/field-settings.html

     

    Hope that helps!

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    Meenakshi Negi
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    October 9, 2026

    Hi Peter3584206867qk,


    Thank you for reaching out.


    If you are creating a PDF form in Acrobat, please try adding actions for the workflow you are trying to achieve. Please refer to the steps outlined in the following help document: "Add actions to PDF elements." 


    You may also refer to the information in the following community post on a similar question: "Button that checks required fields and then shows another button if that condition is met." They have used the JavaScript option. Check if that helps.


    Let us know if we can be of any help.


    Thanks,

    Meenakshi

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    Participant
    October 9, 2026

    Thank you, I did try it with the bookmarks but that’s not working.

    I’m using a document that’s been created using Word, the check boxes, text boxes and e-sign boxes were all added with Acrobat if that’s some sort of issue?

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