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cricket1001
cricket1001
Known Participant
May 8, 2019
Question

How to select text to copy with highlighted text?

  • May 8, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 3392 views

My problem is that I could copy and paste before I highlighted parts of the pdf.  But now I can't select part of text of highlighted text and other non-highlighted text.  Also, I wanted to select text of 2 highlighted text that is next to each other but I wasn't allowed to select the text.  Every time I try to select text of highlighted text the highlighted text box opens.  Then I can't select the text I want to copy.  I have to copy everything in the highlighted box.  Then I have to do the same thing to the other highlighted text box.  Then I have to delete the text I didn't want to copy.  I thought that after I highlighted text and got out of editing mode, the text would just be shown as highlighted and it wouldn't keep showing the highlighted boxes. 

Thanks

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2 replies

Amal.
Amal.
Legend
July 26, 2019

Hi There,

Apologies for the delay in response, I hope you would be able to fix it by now.

As you were experiencing difficulty while copying the highlighted text from a PDF, please follow the steps below:

  1. Choose Edit > Take a Snapshot
  2. Drag a rectangle around the area you want to copy, then release the mouse button.
  3. Press Esc. Key to exit from the Snapshot mode.
  4. Paste the selected portion as desired.

For more information, you may follow the link- Copy content from PDFs, Adobe Reader

Let us know if you need more help.

Regards,

Amal

Document Geek
Community Expert
Document GeekCommunity Expert
Community Expert
July 26, 2019

cricket1001​

The above answer is wrong. Please disregard it. The instructions the Adobe staff member has given you will do exactly what the command says: "Take a snapshot." What you'll get is an image, not actual live text.

What you need to do is to either hide the comments entirely, or delete the one that gets in your way. Copy the text, paste it wherever you need it, then go back to Acrobat and "Undo." That will restore the highlight that you just deleted.

    cricket1001
    cricket1001Author
    Known Participant
    May 8, 2019

    Sorry, but I just wanted to ask how I will know if someone answered my question?  I don't see anywhere that other forums have for me to check mark to email me when someone posts a response to my question.

    Amal.
    Amal.
    Legend
    July 26, 2019

    DocumentGeek Thank you for the correction.

    Hi There,

    I am sorry, I misunderstood the query. It seems like when you move the mouse to the highlighted text it activates the comment box.

    If that is correct, you may try the steps below to copy the highlighted text:

    • Try selecting the text using the keyboard, if you hover the mouse over the highlighted text it will activate the comment box.
    • Keep the cursor one word next to the highlighted text and then using the arrow keys from the keyboard move backward holding shift key (Windows), to select the text of the highlighted text.
    • Copy and paste as usual.

    Regards,

    Amal

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