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Participant
Sep 14, 2026 2:09 AM UTC
Answered

I'm creating a form with checkboxes. When a box is clicked and the checkmark appears, I cannot click the same box to uncheck . Same thing with radio buttons. What settings am I missing to make this a simple on/ off function?

When a checkbox is clicked and the checkmark appears, I cannot click the same box to uncheck. What settings am I missing to make this a simple on/ off function?

    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Sep 14, 2026 3:00 PM UTC

    Here is a sample PDF with the options for check and radio boxes. 

    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

    3 replies

    Participant
    Sep 15, 2026 12:25 AM UTC

    Yes! Thank you!

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    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    Sep 14, 2026 3:00 PM UTC

    Here is a sample PDF with the options for check and radio boxes. 

    Translate
    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    justlearn
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Sep 14, 2026 8:57 AM UTC

    ​@albumartist If you copied and pasted the checkbox or radio button fields, they all retained the same field name. As a result, when you select one, all of them become selected as well. 

    Notice in the right-hand panel that the fields are listed as:

    Check Box 1 #0
    Check Box 1 #1
    Check Box 1 #2
    Check Box 1 #3

    Since all the copied checkboxes share the same field name, Acrobat treats them as linked instances of the same field. That's why selecting one checkbox selects all of them.


    Here, I am going to change the field names and tooltips for each checkbox. Double-click a checkbox to open Check Box Properties. On the General tab, change the Name field to something unique. Update the Tooltip field if desired. Repeat for each checkbox.

    ​​​​​​
    Now, it should look something like this, with each checkbox having a unique name:
    Check Box 1, Check Box 2, Check Box 3, Check Box 4
     


    Once each checkbox has its own name, Acrobat will treat them as separate fields. Selecting Check Box 1 will no longer cause Check Box 2, 3, and 4 to be selected as well.


    So, in other words, change the properties

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