Setting Default Font for Text Box in Acrobat XI

[Guest]

As part of the projects I work on, I scan in all the document copies I acquire and add to the bottom of the first page the pertinent information needed, i.e., the record source, the volume and the page, using the text box (or typewriter) tool.

In previous versions of Acrobat, I have been able to choose a font style once and it carry over to any subsequent documents I process. In Acrobat Pro XI, it always comes up as Minion Pro, and I have to change it to Arial Black each and every time. Is there a way to set Arial Black as the default choice for the text box?

For what it's worth, I am using Windows 8.

Thanks.

[Bernd Alheit]

Yes, this is possible.

[Guest]

Thank you for your reply.

I thought it was possible, but I have not figured out how. Can you tell me how to do it?

Thank you.

[PragMattWV&DC · Accepted solution]

I have come across a work-around to this for Acrobat Pro XI.  It is a two-part process and a bit cumbersome, but it works.

First, go in and add your Text Box and whatever text you need.  After doing this, select all the text, then bring up a Text Box Text Properties bar by putting your cursor into the top tool bar area, right clicking and selecting "Properties Bar" or just hit Ctrl+E.  The Text Box Text Properties bar will appear (floating, but not permanently).  Leave the text selected and change the font properties to what you need.

Second, deselect the text, select the Text Box border, right click, and then select "Make current properties default" from the pop-up window.  FYI, the Text Box Text Properties bar will have changed to a floating Properties bar at this point, so if you need to make further changes, just Close the bar and go back to Ctrl+E to call it back up and make further changes.

I am using Windows 7 64-bit.

[OkieInCOS]

I tried that, but no property bar pops up. I get a small window that says "properties" and under it it says "no current selection" even though the text is quite obviously highlighted. Is this a bug?

[PragMattWV&DC]

I tried to duplicate what you are getting and cannot. I cannot say that it is a bug as I am not qualified to make that deterrmination.  You might want to consider re-installing your software, but seek alternative answers in the community forums first - there could be a simpler answwer.

One other piece of information on my particular installation of Acrobat Pro XI is that it as an upgrade to Acrobat Pro 8.  I cannot say this affects the issue, but I have been around personal computing since the introduction of the Commodore 64 and cut my teeth on a keypunch machine and 'heavy metal' and know enough to say that sometimes these things happen.  After updating my Windows 7 Home Premium to Service Pack 1, I had to re-install my Acrobat as it did not have all the functionality that it did previously and the Acrobat plug-in for a number of the Microsoft productivity programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.) just disappeared.  Sometimes the answer is to just reboot or re-install.

[JudyKWilson]

Many Thanks. This worked for me!

[Ted_T]

Many thanks, PragMattDC. Works for me, and I'm running Mac Mavericks 10.9.2.

Not to throw rocks here (at least too hard), but does it strike others as ludicrous that we need to resort to this level and method of communication to be able to bring some basic level of operability to what, in prior incarnations, was functional software?

Ted in NC

[dhsewell]

I have read the solution to saving new default text box properties (border color and thickness and text font and color. I am able to save the new characteristics as default but when I open a new or existing .pdf, everything has reverted back to the program defaults. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I am running Acrobat XI on Windows 10 Pro

[Dr. Sutharsamohan S.]

Hi Thanks for the hint

It works

Add text first and change to the font you want - ctrl+E - the properties box comes out - drag it onto the typed text box ( Otherwise the more option will vanish ) then while touching the text box you have just typed click more and set as default

Good luck

* Hope it is fixed soon to enable users to set default text options

[kimycamp]

This ONLY works for Adobe Acrobat DC and not for Adobe XI Pro.

[nicole_cherie]

I am having this same issue and haven't found a solution for months. When I get the Properties box to pop up it says "no current selection." Any help would be appreciated.

Using macOS 10.13.1 Adobe Acrobat Pro DC