Adding text without changing original document in new Acrobat

[Elena304769772f9p]

I'm working with the "new" Acrobat for the first time and can't figure out how to add/edit text in documents without changing the original content.  I have to fill out lien waiver and pay application forms provided to me and I simply need to add text (or edit, if I "saved as" to do the next month's document) typewriter style, just filling in the blanks without changing anything else (although these are not fillable forms; sometimes scans, sometimes just a plain PDF converted from whatever program our customers used to create the doc).  But the text I add is moving and changing the formatting and pushing things in the original form out of place.  I was able to do this fine with the older Acrobat versions but not the new.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi

Thank you for reaching out.

Please refer to the information about the new Acrobat experience in the following help document: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/new-acrobat-experience.html. 

To edit the PDF, select New Acrobat on the following help page and then refer to the steps to make the changes as required: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/edit-text-pdfs.html. 

Let us know if you need any help.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[Elena304769772f9p]

That is what I am doing but it is moving around everything else in the document.  It is not just inserting the text I need without changing anything else.

[Tobias23180664lp43]

You guys need to bring back the simple typing tool.  This is ridiculous.  Who's idea was this?

[Phaedra35117109841l]

I'm having this same issue. This is huge problem and your solution doesn't work. This is really effecting my job. 😞  I hope you bring back the old "Add Text" option soon. 

[Bernd Alheit]

Use Tools > Fill & Sign

[Elena304769772f9p]

These aren't fillable forms but I might be able to make "Add text comment" work if I remove the borders every time.  Disappointing that I have go through more steps to do the same thing with a supposedly "better" product.  Thanks for your help!

[Bernd Alheit]

You don't need fillable form fields for this tool.

[claudia33667273qezk]

Thank you!! 

[CINDY25676635qncl]

I also used to use a typewriter tool to just add text ON TOP OF the fields in a PDF document but now I can only find "edit/add text" which converts the PDF document to be completely editable. This is not the goal. The goal is to just type ON TOP OF the fields in a document like we used to be able to do. How do we do that?

[CINDY25676635qncl]

I found a couple of options since my September post.

[Rhesa33168177vdqp]

Thank you! 

[CINDY25676635qncl]

My pleasure. 🙂

[default2paufd9s51je]

Thank you so much for posting this workaround!! Hopefully the next "improvement" will bring back the typewriter tool.

[Rhesa33168177vdqp]

I'm also very dissapointed that the new update removed this feature. Everytime I try to add text it moves the lines and shifts the entire document. My work around has been adding new text outside of the line boxes or preset borders of the document, then moving my text box on top of the line I'm trying to fill out. It's an extra step but so far haven't figured out another way to do it. Hope this helps until they add that feature back in.

[TheresaP23004]

AGREED!  Obviously these changes were made by "developers" who have no concept of how the product is used in real-life scenarios.  It may make sense when you are writing code in a dark room, eating your free snacks and drinking Smart Water - but to those of use who need to turn documents around quickly - this update stinks.

[jane-e]

this update stinks.

By @TheresaP23004

If you don't like the new experience, Theresa, you can disable it.

Steps to enable [and disable] the new experience

• To enable the new experience, go to View > Enable new Acrobat and click Restart.
• To disable the new experience,
  • Windows: Click the hamburger menu ( 3 lines ) at the upper left corner and choose Disable new Acrobat.
  • macOS: Go to View > Disable new Acrobat.

Details about the New Experience here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/new-acrobat-experience.html 

[TheresaP23004]

Thank you!  Very helpful.

[jane-e]

You're welcome @TheresaP23004 😊

Jane

[Ali23081451bcfm]

I am also super upset about this change and it needs to be fixed by Adobe. I have documents that I use for every client, and I used to be able to add client name, dob, etc.... but now there is no way to add text on top of the existing pdf without it changing the entire PDF. Extremely frustrating! 

[suftreas]

Found the solution! On the vertical menu bar, select the Fill In Form Fields icon (looks like an "A" in a text box) and then select Type Text. It works very similar to the previous Typewriter. The only annoying exception I found was that to move the text you have to use your keyboard arrow keys. You apparently can no longer just click on the box containing the typed text and move it to the location you want. I agree that the basic Typewriter feature was one I used all the time to enter information on imaged forms, without opening the document for editing or creating a form from it.

[Liz34508843a77a]

Thank you!!

[CINDY25676635qncl]

I found you have to click on the ARROW in the vertical menu bar, then you can move the text box around. In the past you didn't have to switch out of the text box you were working in to grab and move it with the mouse but now it takes that "up arrow". After moving the text box around I have found that if you click back on the  "A" from the vertical menu bar and click back on the text box, you can still edit them.