How do I remove highlighting from a previously-created document in Adobe Acrobat DC?

[jmd83706]

First let me say that I have read many posts on this topic and watched YouTue videos and none of them seem to work for the latest version of Acrobat DC.  I created a document with some text highlighted  in September 2015 using Acrobat DC and now in November of 2015, I cannot remove the highlighting no matter what I do.  Sometimes I will see the "Delete Highlighting" option when I right click after selecting the text, but even when I select that option, it will not remove the highlighting.

Any ideas??? (I am definitely out of them!)

Thanks in advance for any assistance!!

[ximenaFS]

This is the appropriate solution to make the changes within Acrobat without having to open the document in another program. Just keep expanding the hierarchy and you'll find the elements you want to delete. You can click on each element in that tree and it will highlight it in the document for you so you know what you're deleting.

Thanks for the solution, martyb!

[Jason5FA6]

I signed in and left my first comment ever on here just to "like" your solution. Rockstar!

[Natalie5CB2]

Thank you so much!!!!

[Jacquelyn0D44]

3 years later and this still works WONDERFULLY. Thanks!!!!

[nuguy93]

Thank you!

[pj-fayer]

Perfect. IMO, THIS is the correct answer.

[Sean24900877kliy]

Thanks Marty! This is the correct answer! 

[Amanda25052678jj4y]

I LOVE YOU. Thank you so much!!

[Miller28552260nzh7]

I know you all are saying this is the best solution and all, but please can someone explain this in simple english. The left-hand Tool bar on mine pc, you can right-click, you can only left-click to see options... So i can't see the Content he was taking about. Please if you understand this better, kindly just explain.

[RadioDoc06]

4 years later, and this answer is still rock solid!  Holy cow I didn't even know this section of Acrobat DC existed.  This is going to save me so much time in the future.  Thank you!!  (this is what really needs to be marked as the correct answer!)

[Natalia2852382394sm]

This solution did not work for me, but I found another solution. 

I made too many changes on the PDF file and did not want to re-do it from the original Word file, the highlighted places could not be removed by the above method and the highlights seemed to be separate from the text, between the lines. I moved the text box and the highlights were separate objects on the level below the text box. I deleted the objects and moved the text box back. I hope it helps if you have the same problem. Take care y'all. 

[Sean28873967y719]

Thank you!!!!

[defaultbbc8n027od03]

Low tech solution worked for me. Thanks!

[noahB82C]

ok, found the easiest way to do this.  It turns out that our highlights are BEHIND (or under) the text box that you're editing/typing in. So what you have to do is click on and MOVE your text box, THEN when you move it out of the way, then simply hit "cut" or "delete" on the highlight portion. that will delete it. Then you can move your text box back.

Otherwise, you can't get to it. 

You don't need to do all the other stuff that people have recommended.

[defaultj9zju55isi94]

After a lot of tries, here is the easiest way I found to delete highlighting from text:

1. Right click on the highligting.  If the you do not see "Delete" as one of the options, select "Properties".

2. In the bottom left corner of the "Highlight Properties" popup UNCHECK the "Locked" checkbox.

3. Then CHECK the "Make Properties Default" checkbox. Select "OK"

Now right click on the highlighting.  You should now see "Delete" as one of the options.  Also, if you left click on the highlighting, you will see the Trashcan icon.  Clicking either Delete or the Trashcan should delete the highlighting, The left click menu also gives you a quick way to change the colors of highlighting without having to go back into the Properties menu.

[Liz229591569r4i]

I totally have this issue.  I even exported to MS Word to change the highlight.  That didn't work either.  The 'delete' option only works for the text not the highlighting and I am unable to navigate to Properties on the text box.  I do have Pro DC version but am at a loss.

[Thom Parker]

Can you post the PDF.  How the higlight is removed depends entirely on the kind of thing that it is. We'll have to see the document to know that. 

[Gillian26118208nd8s]

I selected the contents of text box by double clicking within the text box, then right clicked. A list of options appeared and this list included "Delete Highlight" as the last option. I guess I wasn't right clicking correctly, the first time I tried it. Ended up here, tried again, and voila! Highlight Deleted.

[STEPHAN22289986m1ea]

Adobe Acrobat Standard

Edit Text

Right Click -> Arrange -> Send to Back

Right Click -> Cut

Right Click -> Delete

Right Click -> Paste

[STEPHAN22289986m1ea]

Another option is to zoom-in which can help to grab the highlight that is below the text.

[matthewv49061695]

Thank you, jmd83706. This worked.