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New Participant
July 15, 2024
Question

Cannot add text anymore

  • July 15, 2024
  • 12 replies
  • 13106 views

When I select "Edit PDF" and then select "Add Text" and then try to click in a blank space on the page, the entire page or an editable section is selected instead.  It's like the "Edit" is turned on instead of the "Add Text" button.  I used to be able to click anywhere on the page and add my text.  I make notes on all my PDF files that I save (like date and phone call made, date and email text, if a medical claim, how much I paid along with date and how I paid the bill).

I've found the only way to add new text is to try to find a blank area, type new next and then drag and drop that text box to the location I want it.  Or if I had previously added text, I can copy and past that text box and move it to where I need a new text box and overwrite the text.

Why is the sytem thinking I still want to Edit and not just add new text?

I added a screenshot where you can see that "Add Text is highlighted.  I wanted to add a new text below my note of how I paid on 10.17.23, but when I went to click the blank section of the page, Adobe thinks I'm in Edit mode and selected that whole box instead. In the past, when I clicked Add Text and clicked anywhere on the page, a cursor would appear and I could start typing.  I can't do that any longer.

12 replies

New Participant
September 2, 2025

Wow- I found my peeps! Same issue here, for YEARS I have saved a monthly document to PDF, then hit "Add Text" and typed in title and date. Very simple- should take < 30 seconds. Then about a year ago it started getting wonky... and now it won't go at all. Adding text creates an alphabet soup disaster in the document I'm editing. See attached example.

Amal.
Community Manager
Community Manager
September 3, 2025

Hi there 

 

We hope you are doing well. Thanks for reaching out. We are sorry for the trouble you are experiencing.

 

It seems to be a font issue. The required font is not embedded properly in the PDF file. To better understand we need some more information:

 

1. Does the issue occur with all PDFs or only with specific files?

2. Which version of Acrobat and operating system are you using? Go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure its updated to the latest version 25.01.20643 Go to Help > check for updates.

In the meantime, here are a few quick checks you can try:

1. Check font embedding – Open the file in Acrobat, go to File > Properties > Fonts, and see if the fonts are listed as embedded. If not, they may not display correctly on systems without the font installed.

 

2. Try to embed the unembedded fonts: Open the PDF in Acrobat Pro > Go to Menu > Save as Other > Optimized PDF > Click on Fonts tab > Click on "Retain Font" if you see any unembedded font > Click OK and check.

 

3. Preflight check (Acrobat Pro) – Go to Tools > Print Production > Preflight > Click on the 'Wrench icon', Under Documents > Select 'Embed Fonts' > Click on Fix and see if that helps. (Screenshot attached for reference)

 

 

~Amal

 

 

New Participant
April 29, 2025

Rather than click Edit at the top, click E-Sign. From there, click the A with the box around it and you can add text wherever you want.

Participating Frequently
April 29, 2025

My version has a "Fill & Sign" option, but no "E-Sign" button. Maybe you can share a screenshot to clarify what you're saying.

New Participant
April 29, 2025

 

 

Participating Frequently
April 29, 2025

I found this thread while searching for solutions to the same problem. What I've figured out is that this seems to only (mainly?) happen in PDFs that have been created with editable fields. We used to be able to also add our own text elsewhere in the document, but apparently that doesn't work anymore. This is a problem for me, as I often encounter poorly-created PDF forms where some fields are editable and some are not, even though all of them need to be filled out.

 

The only workaround I've found is to remove the editable fields, and the only way I've found to do that (with the free version anyway) is to do "Print to PDF". This creates a new PDF that looks just like the old one, but none of the fields are editable. When I do that, the newly created file does allow me to add my own text anywhere.

 

Adobe, I hope you're listening, as this is a pretty frustrating failure.

Participating Frequently
April 25, 2025

Thank you @Tariq Ahmad   but your link only produced "404 Page not found.
Page not found. For help, visit Adobe Support."

Community Manager
April 25, 2025

Thanks for highlighting it. Here is the URL of the page: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/learn-new-acrobat.html

 

New Participant
April 24, 2025

This issue is still not fixed!! I cannot add text. What is going on?

 

Community Manager
April 25, 2025

Hi @ronica_5413

 

Sorry for the troubled experience, and thank you for reaching out.
If your question is exactly the same as described above, then it is a known limitation in the Modern Acrobat experience. 

What you may try is disabling Modern Acrobat and checking the behavior: https://adobe.ly/4jrWX0d;

And let us know if that helps.

 


~Tariq

New Participant
March 28, 2025

Has this been fixed? I had to get a new company laptop and quit using my own and am now payiing $19.99 a month out of my own pocket to be able to edit PDF's and the feature I used constantly is no longer available. What??????  This is almost useless to me now. 

Participating Frequently
April 11, 2025

Exactly. I was able to insert text into my .pdft forms with the version of Acrobat Reader I had on my Windows 10 computer but in the version of Acrobat Reader I downloaded for my brand-new Windows 11 computer it doesn't work!!!  And naturally Adobe doesn't have the nerve to come in here to give us the official answer.

New Participant
April 15, 2025

Same!! Forced to get rid of windows 10, which works great, for Windows 11 that is slower and every application seems to operate differently for no apparent reason!

This adobe issue is so frustrating. I ended up selecting the "Disable New Adobe" in the menu and went back to classic view. Now back to Windows 10 operating, in adobe anyway!

New Participant
February 27, 2025

I have been using adobe for many years and I am disapointed with the changes. It is now time consuming. I am trying to add a simple text box and theres no text box available. 

Please make all the old tools available as before.

Is this a way to make us pay for something that was free.?

New Participant
April 3, 2025

it is an issue in paid adobe as well! So frustrating!!

New Participant
February 3, 2025

Is there a solution to this yet? I'm having the same issue. I can't share the PDF I'm working on since it contains confidential information.

Community Manager
February 3, 2025

@Angelic_mentor3930 Thanks for reaching out.
Ideally, adding text to a file shouldn't be a problem. However, I am not aware of exactly what is happening, the nature of the file, how it was created, or whether it is a scanned document. 
It is almost impossible to suggest in this situation. If you are experiencing the issue, help me with the files, the exact steps you are taking to add text to the file, and the version of Acrobat installed on your machine.

 

If possible a screen recording when you are trying to add the text. If you get a video, upload to a cloud drive and share the link in your response.

New Participant
February 3, 2025

Here is a link the loom video I created showing how I had to type my name
outside the bounding box, what happened if I tried to type my name on the
line (just inserts name between underlines. Have to type my name outside
the bounding box and then drag & drop where I want.

https://www.loom.com/share/a4b693c117eb4ca9a3e149453e55715f?sid=25edd913-56bb-4795-a16f-71c19d6eba70

Robyn Drucker
[Moderator: Removed Personal information]

New Participant
January 29, 2025

I also cannot add a text box or add text to specific places I need it to go in a document.  Very frustrating.

Community Manager
February 3, 2025

Hi @katie_6298 

 

Sorry for the troubled experience. Could you share a video of what is happening at your end? It will help us understand your workflow and exact problem, and we will be better prepared to either provide a solution or discuss this with the product team.

Also, if possible share a PDF file with us. 

New Participant
October 7, 2025

I see the ssme issue from the beginning of the year is still going on 🤬

New Participant
January 3, 2025

Has this been fixed? I am suddenly unable to add text also. Same issue - except I can't get it to work at all. If it does let me type it's only one letter? Very strange.

Community Manager
January 24, 2025

Hi @Kendra310127895n9m,

 

Sorry for the troubled experience. Could you share a video of what is happening at your end? It will help us understand your workflow and exact problem, and we will be better prepared to either provide a solution or discuss this with the product team.

 

Thank you for your feedback, questions, and continued patience.  

~Tariq