Rename an open PDF in Acrobat?

Report · Jul 22, 2018

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?)

Report · Oct 20, 2023

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.

ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer

Report · Aug 05, 2021

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

Report · Mar 16, 2022

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.

Report · Mar 16, 2022

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

Report · Jul 18, 2022

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.

Report · Jul 18, 2022

What version of Adobe Acrobat does you use?

Report · Jul 19, 2022

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

On Windows 11.

Report · Jul 19, 2022

The question was about Adobe Acrobat, not Reader.

Where does you see the tree in Acrobat Reader?

Report · Jul 19, 2022

Ok sorry I don't use that.

Report · Aug 08, 2023

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.

Report · Oct 20, 2023

So does the freaking free Sumatra PDF.

Report · Oct 21, 2023

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.