Delete auto fill data in Acrobat

[KazuT]

When I'm filling out a fillable PDF, Acrobat automatically suggests info I've filled out before. Is there a way to delete some of the more sensitive info (ex. Social Security #) from Acrobat's memory?

[Amal. · Accepted solution]

Hi Kazut

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble.

The Auto-Complete feature stores any entries that you type in an interactive form field. Auto-Complete then suggests or even automatically enters responses that match your typing in other form fields. The suggestions appear in a pop-up menu, from which you can select a match. The Auto-Complete feature is off by default, so you must enable it in the forms preferences if you want to use it.

To remove an entry from the Auto-Complete memory, such as a misspelled entry that you found and corrected later, edit the list in the preferences.

1. Go to Edit (Win), Adobe Acrobat (Mac) > Preferences
2. Select Forms on the left.
3. Click Edit Entry List under Auto-Complete.
4. In the Auto-Complete Entry List dialog box, do one of the following, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box:
   i) To remove all of the entries, click Remove All.
   ii) To remove some of the entries, select the entries and click Remove. (Shift-click to select multiple adjacent entries; Ctrl-click to select multiple nonadjacent entries.)
   
   

Note: When you select an option in the Auto-Complete menu, a description of how it affects the Auto-Complete behavior appears in the text area below.

For more information please check out the help page : https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/filling-pdf-forms.html#auto_complete_forms_interactive_forms_o...

Regards

Amal

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

When you use Fill & Sign you can disable this in your Adobe account.

[Amal. · Accepted solution]

Hi Kazut

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble.

The Auto-Complete feature stores any entries that you type in an interactive form field. Auto-Complete then suggests or even automatically enters responses that match your typing in other form fields. The suggestions appear in a pop-up menu, from which you can select a match. The Auto-Complete feature is off by default, so you must enable it in the forms preferences if you want to use it.

To remove an entry from the Auto-Complete memory, such as a misspelled entry that you found and corrected later, edit the list in the preferences.

1. Go to Edit (Win), Adobe Acrobat (Mac) > Preferences
2. Select Forms on the left.
3. Click Edit Entry List under Auto-Complete.
4. In the Auto-Complete Entry List dialog box, do one of the following, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box:
   i) To remove all of the entries, click Remove All.
   ii) To remove some of the entries, select the entries and click Remove. (Shift-click to select multiple adjacent entries; Ctrl-click to select multiple nonadjacent entries.)
   
   

Note: When you select an option in the Auto-Complete menu, a description of how it affects the Auto-Complete behavior appears in the text area below.

For more information please check out the help page : https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/filling-pdf-forms.html#auto_complete_forms_interactive_forms_o...

Regards

Amal

[Doreen251384160lq5]

I'm using Adobe Reader DC and am also trying to delete sensitive information that got cached using Fill and Sign in past documents.

I went to Edit -> Preferences -> Forms and Auto-Complete is off.

For this reason it seems, the Edit Entry List button is disabled.

Where else in Adobe Reader can I completely clear all these entries and also remove the option to cache any future entries?

[Bernd Alheit · Accepted solution]

When you use Fill & Sign you can disable this in your Adobe account.

[Doreen251384160lq5]

 I'm not logged into Adobe.  I'm using Adobe Reader DC - any idea where would I find the option similar to what's in your screenshot? 

[Bernd Alheit]

Open https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/home/ in a browser and sign in.

[Doreen251384160lq5]

Thanks for your response. 

So, essentially I have to create an account in order to clear the entries that are cached in Fill and Sign on my local machine?

[Bernd Alheit]

You have already a Adobe Id. 

[Doreen251384160lq5]

I followed your instructions to Clear Suggestions, as well as to disable auto-suggestion with Fill and Sign. 

However, previously entered information still display using Fill and Sign.

Any other options to correct this security flaw besides completely uninstalling Adobe Reader from my computer?

Thanks

[Bernd Alheit]

It is not a security flaw.

[A253902970qq6]

I disagree. This is a huge security flaw. My local Acrobat Reader is configured to NOT save any form data; and yet it is saving everything that is entered using Fill & Sign. I'd like to know how to clear the local cache without having to initiate a sign-in (and, thus, cloud sync of all the private data that should NOT have been saved in the first place). Please advise.

[Doreen251384160lq5]

How can I get rid of the Fill & Sign data?
Even uninstalling Reader doesn't delete it.

[Ryan256077174q82]

This is your answer: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/autocomplete-still-working-after-disabling...

The auto-fill data is cloud saved so you have to delete it from your cloud account, not locally. 

[Ryan256077174q82]

Also see here: https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/37690150--urgent...

If you are not signed in while using Acrobat DC Fill and Sign, the autofill data will be cached locally and you must manually delete it. 

[Steven26318097g4wv]

Agree its a huge security flaw.  I never gave permission to save my sensitive info. I still have not found a way to delete it.  The "Edit Entry List" button is grayed - cannot access it.  Have not found a "settings" button anywhere and specifically absent in Fill & Sign.  Can anyone direct me.  I guess I will have to do a complete uninstall.

[Legacy Oak Financial]

In Adobe - Click on Menu

Click on Preferences

Click on Javascript

Uncheck Enable Acrobat JavaScript

no more Auto fill data

Must be a programming flaw as the other methods suggested by the "expert" DON'T work.

[Dasha5FE2]

Still didn't work. All previously entered data still shows up. 

I've disabled Java. The Settings in my account some people mention isn't even an option for me. Old crap entries still show up in droves. 

[jl203 · Accepted solution]

None of these steps worked for me. I went to Menu -> Preferences -> Forms & deselected Automatically calculate field values, Show field preview when creating or editing form fields & Automatically detect Form fields. No past entries are showing up...at this time

[Allen367111819la8]

(April 2024) I agree this is a serious security issue.  If it's stored locally, where is it and why can't I delete it?  

I never opted in to allowing cloud storage for my form data, and the instructions about deleting it form data from Preferences->Forms->Autocomplete (edit entry list) don't work because it was never enabled locally. 

I tried clearing the auto-suggestions data from the cloud account under "settings" at https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/home/ , (Clear Suggestions button)  but my forms still try to populate with sensitive medical and other information.

Sadly, the "Data and Privacy Settings" tab at https://account.adobe.com/privacy  says NOTHING about deleting sensitive form history or auto-complete/auto-suggestions.    This is not acceptable in 2024!!

[Allen367111819la8]

After some more investigation,  when the Adobe Fill and Sign part of the application is activated, Acrobat makes 3 files:

1. C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\2020\Security\acrobat_fss_signature_initials
2. C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\2020\Security\acrobat_fss_signature_initialsk
3. C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\2020\Security\acrobat_fss_signature_initialsi

Manaully deleting  these files seems to have fixed the auto-fill issue when no other option did.  (Note: the path  and file name appear to differ slightly based on which product  and version of product you have).

Although this deletes the past history, all new form data is still stored in one of these files, even though the option is turned OFF in Adobe Acrobat Preference -> Forms -> Auto-Compete (OFF). 

BOOO!!!  There is no way to delete the history from the GUI.

[Allen367111819la8]

Alernate instructions here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/turn-off-all-autocomplete-and-autosuggesti...

[Doreen251384160lq5]

To clear Fill and Sign entries:



1. Edit>Preferences>Forms>Auto-Complete=Off

By default, this option is off, so that’s not usually the fix.



2. Delete all items in the Adobe Security folder (should be called
INsecurity folder I think, but who am I):

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\DC\Security

(May have to enable view hidden folders)

Can also delete all items in the \DC folder

Problem is, when you use Fill and Sign again, the items in \Security gets
recreated and between these items, they’re storing automatically all the
Fill and Sign data you type.

So, it’s really a temporary fix until Adobe provides an option to not cache
Fill and Sign data. Let me know when that happens.



3. Other source for Fill and Sign could be if you at some point you created
ANY kind of Adobe account, it’s caching Fill and Sign data in their cloud.
To clear:

• Go to https://cloud.acrobat.com/ and sign in with your credentials.

• At the top right corner of the screen, you will see an dropdown with your
username on it.

• Click it and go to Settings.

• Unchecking the “Suggest words….” checkbox and/or you press Clear All
button and will clear all the auto fill entries which has been stored in
your account.





More at *Urgent* unable to edit/remove/review auto-fill content – Share
your feedback on Acrobat DC (uservoice.com)

[ProSidian]

I'm trying to send a adobe sign document and it has auto populated form fields for me to use, they are in the wrong place and incorrect. How do i remove the populated form fields and add my own?

[Amal.]

Hi @ProSidian 

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

Your issue is different from what is being discussed in this thread. Please start a new discussion here https://community.adobe.com/t5/adobe-acrobat-sign/ct-p/ct-adobe-sign?page=1&sort=latest_replies&lang...

~Amal