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cwacs
New Participant
July 1, 2019
Answered

Acrobat DC automatically converting track changes in Word to Accept Changes

  • July 1, 2019
  • 7 replies
  • 17440 views

I can open a Word (Office 365) document in Acrobat DC and it will automatically create a pdf that correctly shows all the track changes in the Word Document.  However, when I use the Acrobat tab in Word or use the Acrobat print command in Word, the new pdf that is created always reflects that all tracked changes were accepted when creating the pdf.  As a note:  Microsoft print to pdf works correctly.

The Acrobat technical person told me that was the way it is and cannot be changed.  I think that is BS.  There has to be some setting in the Word addin for Acrobat that is telling Adobe to allow Word to accept all changes prior to creating the pdf.  Why would I be able to open a Word doc in Acrobat directly and have it correctly create a pdf showing changes.

I know someone know what command or setting I need to modify in the Word Acrobat addin preferences to make it act correctly.  Gave up on Adobe tech support on this one!  Thanks up front.  Curt

    Correct answer JR Boulay

    "Why using printer? The issue is within tracked changes in word and not reflecting in adobe acrobat after conversion..."

    Just because:

    7 replies

    H
    Helen35208917o6lx
    New Participant
    February 2, 2024

    Thank you!!!!

    Converting WORD to PDF using WORD print to PDF will lose a lot of other features (like bookmarks). 

    I just bought the new Adobe Pro and found this annoy issue. Thank you again for find the solution!

      JR Boulay
      JR BoulayCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      December 30, 2020

      "Why using printer? The issue is within tracked changes in word and not reflecting in adobe acrobat after conversion..."

      Just because:

      Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
        I
        IanRWilson09
        New Participant
        October 4, 2023

        Sorry, but this is NOT the correct answer. Checking the box that converts displayed comments is exactly what the original poster doesn't want -- nor do I.

         

        In previous version, one could turn on track changes in Word, hit the Create pdf and voila, the comments and tracked changes showed up in the .pdf file.  That no longer is the case.  The only way around it either print to .pdf or save as .pdf.  Both those solutions work.  But, as usual, a kluge. 

         

        Who knows if MS changed things or Acrobat changed things or there is an updated create pdf addin available that takes care of this.  Is there an updated one (for PC)?

        A
        a.j.r20065577
        New Participant
        October 4, 2023

        Correct, IanRWison09 - that is why I suggested to DE-SELECT that checkbox in my solution above that I posted on Dec. 30, 2020.  Can you try the steps I posted above instead of just printing or saving to *.PDF?  That has seemed to work for several people who've posted here, but curious if it works for you.  Thanks so much.

        A
        a.j.r20065577
        New Participant
        December 3, 2020

        Hi Everyone, I think I may have found the "culprit" option/setting: by de-selecting the "Acrobat tab > Preferences > Word tab > Convert Displayed Comments to Notes in Adobe PDF" checkbox option and then converting the tracked changed Word document to PDF using the Acrobat tab > Create PDF option, it works just fine and displays all the tracked changes. However, if there are indeed some comments within the Word document, they will not convert over into the PDF document (specifically, the comment markups will display, but not the note text).  Let us know how this works.

          S
          Suzanne5E61
          New Participant
          December 28, 2020

          This is the fix.  I've always been able to convert word tracked changes to PDF until 365.  Unchecking the box somehow makes this work again. Thanks for the solution!

            F
            FiddleBill
            New Participant
            July 20, 2020

            I find this helpful. "Saving As" into PDF works for me to show the tracked changes in a PDF file. The process also seems to be quicker than PDFing using the PDFmaker add-on.

             Versions of Acrobat before DC maintained tracked changes without any problem. I don't know why the Adobe programmers would assume that Word users would prefer this change, but at this point I think all we can do is acknowledge the workaround and complain to Adobe so they change the next version or upgrade back to something where we can choose our desired output.   

             

            Regards,

             -Bill

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            garyg123
            New Participant
            July 10, 2020

            Did you ever get a solution?  I just bought Adobe dc pro and now have the same problem.  it is maddening, esp when they pretend they don't underestand you.  It always worked when I had a cheap version of adobe pc maker and now it doesnt, that's an expensive non-imporvement

              M
              mgmartinez21
              New Participant
              July 10, 2020

              I think this is a functionality issue still not resolve by adobe

              JR Boulay
              JR Boulay
              Community Expert
              June 18, 2020

              You should try to use the Adobe PDF printer instead of the Microsoft Print to PDF.

              Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
                M
                mgmartinez21
                New Participant
                July 10, 2020

                Huh? Why using printer? The issue is within tracked changes in word and not reflecting in adobe acrobat after conversion...

                Meenakshi Negi
                Community Manager
                Meenakshi NegiCommunity Manager
                Community Manager
                July 2, 2019

                Hi Curt,

                Sorry as I do not understand your query correctly.

                Could you please elaborate on what exactly you are referring to when you say "reflects that all changes were accepted when creating PDF"?

                It would be helpful if you can share the exact workflow and the screenshot for the same. It will help us to better understand your query.

                To share the screenshot, use the steps provided below:

                - Click on the insert icon provided in the reply window as shown below:

                - An Insert Image window will appear.

                - Then click on Insert Image and browse the location where you have saved the screenshot file.

                - Select the file and click on Open > Insert Image.

                We will be waiting for your response.

                Regards,

                Meenakshi

                C
                cwacsAuthor
                New Participant
                July 3, 2019

                1.  Word Document with changes shown text and getting ready to create pdf of document

                2.  Then when it creates pdf, all the changes in the Word document are automatically accepted (I do not want that).

                3.  If I open ACROBAT and then open the Word document that shows changes in Acrobat, it creates the document correctly.  However, I want to be able to create pdf that show the Word document with changes shown.

                The process in steps 1 and 2 happen on my desktop and laptop.  Using Microsoft office 365 and Adobe Acrobat DC.  It did not do this until late last year.  Other pdf creation programs do not do this.

                  M
                  mgmartinez21
                  New Participant
                  June 18, 2020

                  Do we have update on this?

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