Fillable Forms text box is blue - can I make them white?

[staceyleepd]

I've created a Fillable form using text boxes and it works well in the preview except that all of the text boxes are blue. I would like my users who are going to fill out the form to not see the blue text boxes; the text boxes should just look white/transparent (like nothing is there) until they put their cursor in the answer area.

Does anyone know how to edit/fix this? I'm not a proficient user of Adobe so I may be making newbie mistake!

Thanks.

[Tariq Ahmad · Accepted solution]

Hi Staceyleepd,

Text boxes are blue it is not a form property, it just a highlighting feature of Acrobat/Reader to give a user an idea those are fillable.

If you print the form they will turn out to be normal with white background. To check Launch Acrobat/Reader , click Edit>Preferences> Forms, Highlight color   "Fields highlight color." You can change the color and if you print the color doesn't have any impact. You can turn it off by un-checking the preferences  "Show border hover color for the fields. "  

Hope that answers your questions. Let us know if you have further questions.

Regards,
Tariq Dar.

[yvette_0529]

This worked pefectly! Thank you for sharing your expertise! 🙂

[adamm47735512]

I had this issue where I didn't want to permanently change the users setting. The below method worked great for me. It runs JS on page open and resets on page close. Only draw back is it has to be added to every page in the document, luckily mine was only a 1 page form.

https://colecandoo.com/2018/06/16/change-the-background-highlight-of-pdf-form-fields-in-a-document/

[Bernd Alheit]

This changes the preferences of the user.

[try67]

It's much easier to run the code when the file is opened, and then again when it is closed.

[Tom23917020zlzz]

You are clueless. With all do respet of course, clueless.

[eSimpson]

Stacey,

You CAN change the color of the fields if you use a different TYPE of field.  The LIST field generates blue background as soon as you enter items in the list.  If you use the COMBO field instead, you will still be able to create list without blue background.

[andrewt23907588]

Another question relating to the blue box which appears behind editable text.

So from reading the above, I deduce that when I print out the PDF the blue boxes don't appear. However, if I'm not using the editable PDF for printing purposes, I am making text changes in the editable area and then want to send it on to a client for their final use, how do I save it with the new text I've entered showing and not the blue box?

In case that didn't make sense - 

I have for example a form which has the following text on it:

Dear

Blah blah blah blah

Many thanks

I have created an editable area next to Dear, and I just want to be able to input someone's name, save the pdf off and email it to them. How do I save it without the blue box behind that text??

Many thanks

[try67]

Please stick to one thread: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/remove-blue-box-behind-editable-text-on-pdf-for-emailing/td-p...

[darinc38122]

In a nut shell this is what I did:

1. Open the pages panel in Acrobat
2. Right click on the first page
3. Choose "Page Properties"
4. In the dialog that comes up, click on the "Actions" tab
5. Make sure "Page Open" is chosen by "Select Trigger"
6. By Select Action, choose "Run a Javascript"
7. Click "Add"
8. In the field that comes up, paste in "app.runtimeHighlight = false". Click OK
9. Click OK
10. Save the file

Hope this helps. You may have to do it for each page.

[Phoebe22003878550y]

Hi there, 
I used the previous mentioned script in my pdf - created from InDesign. 

It's turned off the blue text fields for me, but when I sent it to a colleague he's still viewing them. Is there a way to turn off the feilds for everyone who get the document?

Cheers.

[Bernd Alheit]

What app does the colleague use?

[Phoebe22003878550y]

He uses Acrobat Pro - but we managed to make it work in the end, by using that script method!!

Thanks for the help though 🙂

[MuhammadShaki283499201x7x]

Hi there, I am having the same problem as yours. can you please help. How did you manage to get rid of the blue  boxes for your collegue. did your collegue also added the script again?

[ColinB838]

Thank you very much! That works wonderfully. Thank you for a very elegant answer.
I agree – this is functionality Adobe should include for professional looking visual control of what a form will look like for end users. – a blue field is not visually ideal for any number of corporate identites.

[ColinB838]

Thank you very much, DarinC ! That works wonderfully. Thank you for a very elegant answer.
I agree – this is functionality Adobe should include for professional looking visual control of what a form will look like for end users. – a blue field is not visually ideal for any number of corporate identites.

[norap86411701]

THIS WAS FANTASTIC HELP! THANK YOU!

[Bensox79]

Found this thread as its exactly what I want to do - however, I now realise that Acrobat forms feature was made by non-creatives, for non-creatives - ie librarians, parking fine processors etc. 
It seems that its only @staceyleepd and myself that require such design function (in 7 years!!), so...
Here's my creative work-around I can offer you; Create a png of #dde4ff colour code and size and position this between each form field. You then have no visible boxes spoiling your design - you'll just need to persuade your client or boss that the new blue background you've introduced enhances the brand!

[try67]

Many people have come up with that solution before... It's also possible to change the highlight color using a script, although that's not recommended, as it will affect other files, too.

[Abigail37072054pfrq]

No coding necessary!!!

I was looking for this information too and really wanted to avoid all the coding and javascript business. Plus, I wanted my customers to just open the form, fill it, and move on. Found this immensely helpful video on Youtube by Essentino Media (Change Color of a Text Field in PDF Using Adobe Acrobat PRO DC 🎨 Follow These Steps!)