Skip to main content
S
Squid-
Participant
February 24, 2021
Question

How do I disable automatic full-word text selection?

  • February 24, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 2298 views

Acrobat has that annoying, trying-to-be-helpful-but-instead-being-annoying, automatic full-word text selection that Microsoft implemented a few years ago. Microsoft, though, was nice enough to include the ability to disable it and select text by characer for users whose use of text sleection must be precise. I didn't see this option in the otherwise extensive Preferences--does it exist?

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

T
Taylor23726180rquj
Participant
November 28, 2023

So I have noticed that the default behavior for Acrobat changed from selecting character by character to auto selecting the next word. The only thing that i've found to help is if you click somewhere on the page you can hold the Shift button and use the arrow keys to go character by character. The other thing is that if you have access to the Edit Pdf tool if you use that tool highlighting text becomes character by character as opposed to word by word.  Worked for me as of 11/28/2023

    Amal.
    Amal.
    Legend
    February 25, 2021

    Hi Squid,

     

    Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble. As described, you want to select the text by characters and unable to do so as it selects the whole word instead.

     

    - Would you mind sharing the steps you are doing to select the word?

    Please make sure you are using the selection tool and while holding the left mouse button just drag the mouse over the word and it will select the word by characters. 

     

    You may also look at the correct answer marked in a similar discussion: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/how-to-turn-off-entire-word-selection-in-reader-dc/m-p/9465289 and see if that helps.

     

    Regards

    Amal

    S
    Squid-Author
    Participant
    February 25, 2021

    Please make sure you are using the selection tool and while holding the left mouse button just drag the mouse over the word and it will select the word by characters. 

    Yes, it will select the first word by character, but continuing the selection selects by word instead of continuing to select by character.

     

    You may also look at the correct answer marked in a similar discussion: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/how-to-turn-off-entire-word-selection-in-reader-dc/m-p/9465289 and see if that helps.

    So the answer is no. Got it; thanks.

      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
      Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices