"Can't edit PDF. This document has been signed and cannot be edited."

Report · Apr 18, 2023

Currently getting this error for 3 PC users that have upgrade Acrobat Pro to version 2023.001.20093. This happens with every .pdf - whether it's local or stored online in Box/Google Drive. The error occurs when clicking on an area to edit with the text-edit tool, so can't do any text edits. We've tried a couple workarounds I've found in other posts - opening the .pdf in Powerpoint, then saving it as .pdf; opening it in Chrome, then printing as .pdf - and the formatting usually changes so that's not really a solution, but it does allow us to edit in Adobe afterwards...until the file is closed and reopened, and then the error returns and the workarounds have to be applied again. I've uninstalled/reinstalled multiple times. I ran sfc /scannow to check for any corruption in Windows files. For one user, I created a new profile but the problem is still present. All users had no issues prior to the upgrade. I collected the logs via Adobe's Log Collection Tool for one of the users and uploaded them to Adobe but it's been a week now and no response.

Report · Apr 18, 2023

Hi @Ben29470118hjg8

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that

Is this an issue with a particular PDF file or with all the PDFs? Please try with a different PDF file and check. If the file is stored on a shared network/drive please download it to your computer locally and then try again.

Please update the application to the new version 23.01.20143 Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Also, try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works.

Please try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...

You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Win or enable the root account in MAC and try using the application there and check.

If it still doesn't work, please remove the application using the Acrobat cleaner tool https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html , reboot the computer once and reinstall the application using the direct link
https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

Let us know how it goes.

Regards

Amal

Report · Apr 18, 2023

Hi Amal,

As mentioned in my original post, I had already addressed most of your suggestions. I tried the other 3 you listed.

Check for updates...had already tried that as well but when we checked again today Adobe still says no updates available.
Reset Acrobat preferences....still having the error
Uninstall using the cleaner tool and reinstall via the direct link...still having the error

Please advise on next steps as my users are severely hampered and are either forced to do workarounds or unable to edit .pdf's at all. I can provide you the email of one of the affected users and perhaps you can work with her directly?

Report · Apr 20, 2023

Hi Amal,

Can you point me to where I can download an older version of Acrobat Pro? I had intended to submit a help ticket to Adobe but it says I need to have access to the Admin console in order to do so. I don't know who our admin is and neither does anyone on my team.

Report · May 11, 2023

Hi Amal,

Can you point me to where I can download an older version of Acrobat Pro? I had intended to submit a help ticket to Adobe but it says I need to have access to the Admin console in order to do so. I don't know who our admin is and neither does anyone on my team.

By @Ben29470118hjg8

Who did buy the subscription? That person is probably the contract owner an by that the main admin. They can create other admins. In general, the other admins should be the ones installing and maintaining the programs: I guess that's you. Try https://adminconsole.adobe.com. If that works, and you can sign in and start the admin console, then you are admin!

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

Report · Apr 19, 2023

Hi, the documents aren't signed. Every .pdf is having the issue. My company pays for Adobe subscriptions so it is incumbent upon Adobe to get this sorted out. Since the original post from Amal didn't have much to recommend beyond what I already tried and seemed to be just some standard template they give to everybody, I'll look into opening a case with their support.

Report · May 11, 2023

Hi there

Sorry to keep you waiting, would you mind collecting the Adobe CC logs https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-log-collector.html , Procmon logs (Win Only) https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/acromonitor.html and share them via any cloud storage. Just upload the log file to the cloud, generate the link, and share that link with us for further investigation.

Regards
Amal

Report · May 11, 2023

Hi Amal,

Logs are here: https://stanfordmedicine.box.com/s/xmm60dqpie9fuw7dr6hvn4gh6gep9sep

I opened an additional post with more information here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/newest-version-of-pro-dc-incorrectly-applying-sec...

We've traced it to security settings being incorrectly applied.

Report · May 12, 2023

Hi there,

Thanks for sharing the logs file. Also, please share the version of the application you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 23.01.2017x installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Regards

Amal

Report · May 12, 2023

The user is remote so it's not easy for me to find the version, but as of when I initially posted this she was on the latest available via her subscription. We ran Help ->Check for updates...and it said none were available.

Report · May 16, 2023

Hi @Ben29470118hjg8

Please try to contact the user and ask for the version of the application isntalled on her machine. Go to Help > About Acrobat and take a screenshot of the version details and share that with us.

Regards

Amal