Exit
  • Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
  • 한국 커뮤니티
3

How to remove blue line grid over PDF text in Adobe?

New Here ,
Sep 23, 2014 Sep 23, 2014

I was working on my Adobe and I pressed something like control + x or maybe a or maybe y and suddenly a small blue lines have appeared as a grid over my text. I turned off Adobe and turned it on again opening a new PDF file and the small blue line grid remains in other Adobe PDFs. What should I do? (Note I am using a MacBook Pro)

TOPICS
Create PDFs
91.8K
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
3 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS
Community Expert ,
Sep 23, 2014 Sep 23, 2014
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe Employee ,
Apr 03, 2025 Apr 03, 2025

Hello!

 

I hope you are doing well,

If you see a blue line grid overlay on your PDF text in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, it is likely due to field highlighting being enabled. You can remove it using the following methods:

1. Disable Field Highlighting (For Interactive PDFs)

  • Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

  • Click Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat > Preferences (Mac).

  • Select Forms from the left panel.

  • Uncheck Show border hover colour for fields.

  • Click OK to save changes.

2. Toggle Field Highlighting (Quick Method)

  • Open the PDF.

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + H (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + H (Mac) to toggle field highlighting.

  • Alternatively, click Highlight Existing Fields in the purple bar at the top of the document (if visible).

3. Check for Grid Display (For Non-Form PDFs)

If the issue persists and it's a grid pattern:

  • Go to View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids.

  • Uncheck Grid to disable it.

These steps should remove the blue grid overlay on the text. For future references, see this article: https://adobe.ly/4lfrgIJ

 

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

View solution in original post

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe Employee ,
Jun 13, 2025 Jun 13, 2025
LATEST

Hi Amanda L Anderson,

 

Thank you for reaching out, and sorry about the delay in getting back to you.

 

It seems that you are using the new version of Acrobat. In Acrobat, go to Menu > View. Please use the steps suggested in the following help document: https://adobe.ly/4kYqOxu. Check the screenshot below for reference.

 

 

Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks,

Meenakshi

View solution in original post

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Sep 23, 2014 Sep 23, 2014

Ctrl+U ...

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 23, 2014 Sep 23, 2014

Awesome! Looks great! Thank you!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Dec 11, 2021 Dec 11, 2021

YAY!  Worked for me too!  So simple but took me days to find this solution.  THANK YOU

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jan 11, 2024 Jan 11, 2024

Ctrl+U worked for me too, thanks!

I was totally at a loss...

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jun 13, 2024 Jun 13, 2024

it worked, thank you!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Nov 29, 2018 Nov 29, 2018

It worked! I don't even know how I got the blue grid lines.

Thank you.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Nov 29, 2018 Nov 29, 2018

You probably pressed Ctrl+U by accident...

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jun 12, 2020 Jun 12, 2020

Ha.

I have been looking for this answer for a WEEK.

Thanks - so simple. I must have hit the ctrl+u by accident as well.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Sep 19, 2020 Sep 19, 2020

Ctrl + U works...SPOT ON!!! 

 

Thank You!!!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 26, 2020 Oct 26, 2020

Thank ou that seemed to work!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Explorer ,
Mar 24, 2021 Mar 24, 2021

5+ years later and I found myself in the same situation.  Thank you for this response.  I had no idea that was a function.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
May 09, 2022 May 09, 2022

AWESOME!!!! The lines were driving me CRAZY!!!

Thank you 

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Dec 13, 2022 Dec 13, 2022

Weird. I had to do Command + U to get rid of them on my MacBook Pro. Ctrl + U didn't do anything.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Mar 21, 2025 Mar 21, 2025

Thank you very much, I looked everywhere to remove it especially I am not sure what I did to make them show up, lol.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe Employee ,
Apr 03, 2025 Apr 03, 2025

Hello!

 

I hope you are doing well,

If you see a blue line grid overlay on your PDF text in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader, it is likely due to field highlighting being enabled. You can remove it using the following methods:

1. Disable Field Highlighting (For Interactive PDFs)

  • Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.

  • Click Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Acrobat > Preferences (Mac).

  • Select Forms from the left panel.

  • Uncheck Show border hover colour for fields.

  • Click OK to save changes.

2. Toggle Field Highlighting (Quick Method)

  • Open the PDF.

  • Press Ctrl + Shift + H (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + H (Mac) to toggle field highlighting.

  • Alternatively, click Highlight Existing Fields in the purple bar at the top of the document (if visible).

3. Check for Grid Display (For Non-Form PDFs)

If the issue persists and it's a grid pattern:

  • Go to View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids.

  • Uncheck Grid to disable it.

These steps should remove the blue grid overlay on the text. For future references, see this article: https://adobe.ly/4lfrgIJ

 

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
May 22, 2025 May 22, 2025

I do not see "View". Where is this located in the PDF file?

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe Employee ,
Jun 13, 2025 Jun 13, 2025
LATEST

Hi Amanda L Anderson,

 

Thank you for reaching out, and sorry about the delay in getting back to you.

 

It seems that you are using the new version of Acrobat. In Acrobat, go to Menu > View. Please use the steps suggested in the following help document: https://adobe.ly/4kYqOxu. Check the screenshot below for reference.

 

 

Feel free to let us know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks,

Meenakshi

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines