Rename an open PDF in Acrobat?

[craiglambie]

I often receive PDF files that I want to rename once I have looked at the content more closely.

How do I just rename an open file in Acrobat (rather than Save As, or closing the file and going into the OS file manager to do it?)

[Abambo]

Sumatra PDF is obviously not loading the file the same way as Adobe Acrobat and other typical Windows applications. Sumatra PDF has the Rename function, but you can also rename the file in Windows File Explorer while the file is open in Sumatra PDF.

By @JKG123

If my memory is correct, you could do that under UNIX, as the file name is just a pointer to the i-node, which is a structure holding the file. That allowed UNIX systems to implement hard links (many filenames point to the same physical file). But UNIX also never imposed file locking on the OS level, which let it to the application to ensure that not two programs modify the same file at the same time. Windows of today has implemented some UNIX concepts, and macOS is based on a UNIX kernel.

[Stéphanie5C6C]

This a nightmare! I dont get why such sophisticated tool cannot do such a simple and absolutly necessary action. Will try another app now.

[cmoore655]

First If you click on the left side panel to expand it, you'll see the Page Thumbnails option. Should be the first one.

Then right click the page you want to rename, select Page Labels...

And then in the popup window you'll see an area called "Prefix" - you can change the name there and then press ok

That should work.

[Bernd Alheit]

This doesn't change the name of the PDF file.

[Martin25301133lffu]

In the tree on the left highlight <Your Files> Then tick the box for the one you want, the menue on the right will show <rename> option click that and it will open a panel to edit the name. Click the rename button once you do that it will be done.

[Bernd Alheit]

What version of Adobe Acrobat does you use?

[Martin25301133lffu]

I'm using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC free version 2022.001.20169 64bit.

On Windows 11.

[Bernd Alheit]

The question was about Adobe Acrobat, not Reader.

Where does you see the tree in Acrobat Reader?

[Martin25301133lffu]

Ok sorry I don't use that.

[David31558036a5dv]

This is a flaw of Acrobat. PDF XChange will allow this feature to rename the file while it is open and is one of many reasons why I perfer it over Acrobat.

[Jim33055705925x]

So does the freaking free Sumatra PDF.

[adwul62]

Yes, I use SumatraPDF by default. It is light weight and really fast, highlights stuff searched for incrementally, etc.
Acrobat I use to create PDF, make them searchable, etc.

Like @bedazzler said: renaming, just hit F2. Piece of cake.

I am using Acrobat Pro 2020, likely newer versions have more features.

SumatraPDF can close a number of open files at once, using good old Pro 2020 I should close them one by one.

As said: for creating it is Acrobat of course, but for viewing, handling, whatever, it is SumatraPDF for me.

[J34173065lykf]

Really like to see this happen; is there a feature request we can vote for?

[try67]

Yes, several, actually. For example:

https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/37238668-file-re...

https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/46125667-rename-...

https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/43451523-impossi...

https://acrobat.uservoice.com/forums/590923-acrobat-for-windows-and-mac/suggestions/46918319-i-have-...