How do I select and modify text box property in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC?

[bobkatin]

In the previous version of Adobe reader/writer, I just right clicked, saw properties, selected background color and I was all set.  I do not know how to set text background with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.  Can someone help me?

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

The properties toolbar should come up automatically, if that is not happening, use Ctrl-E or Cmd-E to bring it up (that is as long as the "text box" you are referring to is a text box annotation - this is one of the terms that means different things to different people).

[bobkatin]

We either have different versions, or I am too dumb to understand your instructions.

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

The old Adobe Reader/Writer software was very easy.

This version, I clicked tools, then clicked edit.  Then clicked Text.  It allows me to select the font style, the font size, the font color, but not the background.  I want to select a white background to obliterate the material I am writing over.

When I type Ctrl E, nothing happens.

Can you provide additional support?

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

What you are using is not a "text box", it's the "Add Text" tool. The "Text Box" is on the Comments toolbar. You are adding static PDF text. The "Add Text" tool does not have a background color associated with it, because it is not adding anything besides the text you type. Whatever is behind that text will be used as the background for your text - this has never been different in previous releases of Acrobat. The only difference was that the tool used to be called the TouchUp Text tool.

Which version of Acrobat did you use before you moved to Acrobat DC? How did you add text back then? If you were able to configure a background, I assume it was an annotation or comment that you added. Click on the "Comment" item in the right hand pane, this will bring up a new toolbar:

Use one of the two tools I've marked. The one on the left will not add a box around the text you type, the one on the right will have a box around the text. For both of them, you can select the background color (again, using the properties toolbar as explained before).

This will add an annotation (or comment), it will not add static PDF text as you can do with the "Add Text" tool.

Unfortunately, Adobe did add to the confusion because they had two "Add Text" items in Acrobat XI: One with the same feature as the "Add Text" in Acrobat DC (static PDF content without a background), and one that was an alias for the "Add Text Comment" tool (this one was located on the Fill&Sign pane).

[JMic]

Karl Heinz Kremer, you are a legend. Thank you for this clear explanation. Several years after you posted it, you have just made my day!

[jill1stmech]

you say properties will come up automatically, where?  When I type control-E nothing happens

I used to be able to right click and "properties" came up, I could make boxes multi line.  Not now.

[Bernd Alheit]

Activate Prepare Form and select the field.