Can't Edit PDF Text in ANY PDF in Acrobat

[takemyall7]

Hi there,

I make minor textual updates to PDF files on a fairly regular basis in Acrobat. A couple of weeks ago, however, I lost the ability. When I go to edit a PDF, the program correctly identifies all of the text boxes, but the only thing I can do is move them. I cannot edit any of the text in any of the textboxes in any of the PDFs, nor can I add any new textboxes.

HELP!

[jane-e]

Please tell us the version:

• Mac: Adobe Acobat > About
• Win: Help > About

and confirm that you are using Acrobat, not the Reader.

Can you show a screen shot so we can see what you are seeing?

~ Jane

[takemyall7]

Thanks for the reply. I am using Acrobat Pro. My version is 2021.001.20145. I've attached a screenshot of a sample PDF that I cannot edit. There is nothing unique about this particular file, just one I chose and random and one that my colleague can edit.

You can see that the textboxes appear. I can drag them around. I can even click inside. But nothing from my keyboard registers in terms of adding, editing or deleting text.

[jane-e]

---

@takemyall7 wrote:

..., just one I chose and random and one that my colleague can edit.

One possibility is that Century Gothic is not embedded in the PDF and your colleague has the typeface installed on their computer while you don't. Do you get an error message when you click and try to edit?

~ Jane

[takemyall7]

Thanks. It's not a font thing. Here's a screenshot with Calibri and I can't edit it. It's something systemic - it's not any one PDF itself.  It behaves more like a feature I'm locked out of. Again, I was able to edit PDFs just a week or two ago.

[takemyall7]

Sorry - I forgot to mention, I don't get any errors.

[Bernd Alheit]

Change the original document and create a new PDF file.

[takemyall7]

I cannot delete any text boxes. I can move them, however. I can draw a new textbox, but I can't type in it.

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

Repair the Acrobat Installation.

[takemyall7]

I removed Acrobat from my machine and reinstalled. I am able to edit PDFs again.  Thank you both for your assistance. You may close this ticket.