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Participant
May 25, 2019
Question

Unable to save filled out form

  • May 25, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 10998 views

I created a form with Adobe Acrobat DC, it has no restrictions on editing.   When I send that PDF to people who have Adobe Reader X, they are unable to save the form once they fill it out.

They get the following error when trying to save "Data typed into this form will not be saved.  Adobe Reader can only save a blank copy of this form".

When I go to File -> Properties -> Security in Adobe Reader, it says Commenting: Not Allowed, while if I do this on Adobe Acrobat DC, it says Allowed.

Is there a way to allow people who have only Adobe Reader to be able to fill out the form and save a copy?

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Lukas Engqvist
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 27, 2019

What language are you filling the form data with? Does it depend on what characters? If you do a form with checkboxes and/or lists where the user chooses do you get same result? Where is the file when they do the form? Is it in a read/write folder? Is it in a synchronised folder (OneDrive, DropBox, GoogleDrive etc)?

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 25, 2019

They should use a newer version of Reader, and then they'll be able to do it.

In Reader X it's only possible if you apply the "Extended Reader Rights" to the file, via File - Save As Other - Reader Extended PDF - Enable More Tools.

Participant
May 26, 2019

Thank you for your response.  I tried that and when I open it on Adobe Reader X with Extended Reader Rights, the form boxe(s) are gone and it lets me modify any text, which I don't want.   I just want people to be able to save the form when filled out.

I can screenshot what I see if it would help.

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
May 26, 2019

Reader can't edit normal PDF text, so something in what you're describing doesn't make sense...

Yes, please post a full-window screenshot of what you're seeing.