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Kizashi72
Inspiring
May 14, 2024
Answered

Tabing through Forms

  • May 14, 2024
  • 21 replies
  • 12112 views

My Acrobat Pro just update this morning to Continuous Release Version 2024.002.20759.

 

When filling out a PDF form, I can no longer navigate by using the Tab key.  Every time I press Tab, it opens a comment box for me to make a comment, rather than moving to the next field as intended.  I looked all thru the settings and cannot figure out how to disable this.  This has never happened until now and is incredibly frustrating!

    Correct answer Kizashi72

    Hey everyone, I just found the solution posted by @Riya Saxena in the following thread, and it worked for me.  (see steps below)

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/when-i-tab-adobe-tried-to-add-a-comment/td-p/14626054#M464798

     

    Steps

    1. Close Acrobat if its already open
    2. Open registry editor
    3. Traverse to the path : Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC
    4. Create new key with name FeatureLockDown
    5. Inside this key create a new DWORD(32 bit) with name bReplaceOnKeyDown and set its Value to 0
    6. Close Registry editor and relaunch Acrobat

     

    21 replies

    Show previous replies
    K
    kory375735478nlx
    Participating Frequently
    May 22, 2024

    Running in to the same issue.  I have done the disable new acrobat and that doesn't work it just goes back to the same UI and tabs don't work.  Talk about stupid it was working fine and now this mess.  Shouldn't have to revert to an old version just due to a UI change.  talk about a headache and a half.  Looking to see aobut changing to Foxit as it so far hasn't had these issues and just works.

      K
      Kizashi72Author
      Inspiring
      May 22, 2024

      Interesting.  I reverted to the old UI, and it hasn't changed back to the new one for me.  

      What bothers me most is that lots of software "feature updates" are pushed live, and sometimes changes happen without even updating versions.

        R
        Rosie375732174xna
        New Participant
        May 22, 2024

        I am having the same problem. A huge productivity drag. I also "fixed" this by "diabling the new acrobat" which isn't great. Fix this problem Adobe!!!

         

          M
          Mader80
          New Participant
          May 22, 2024

          This happens to me to. I want to be able to tab through forms like we use to. That was the most efficient method for inputting.  There should be a way to turn OFF the comment box other than disabling the whole new version.

            JR Boulay
            JR Boulay
            Braniac
            May 22, 2024

            Try to revert to the Classic UI: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-2023-how-to-revert-to-classic-gui-user-interface/td-p/14052807
            Consider the "new Acrobat" as a beta version, many features are still missing or half-implemented.

            Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
            J
            jjacobsmichigan2
            New Participant
            May 22, 2024

            This is a huge accessibility failure. Plenty of people cannot use a mouse to navigate a form, including people using screenreaders. Tabbing seems to work as expected with JAWS, but it is doing the new comment when tabbing in NVDA, so a form is unusable for NVDA users using Acrobat, or others who cannot use a mouse.

              W
              Will29550163mkkl
              New Participant
              May 20, 2024

              Same issue here, on multiple files from multiple sources. "Disable New Acrobat" was the only thing that worked for me so far. If not a bug, then an aboslutely horrible decision by someone and Adobe, and hopefully patched soon.

                M
                Mark37469819j9dq
                New Participant
                May 17, 2024

                Has anyone sorted this out?  I tried resetting the preferences, but I don't think that really helped considering we had already reinstalled.  Like others, my user relies heavily on the tab key to fill out forms.

                  K
                  Kizashi72Author
                  Inspiring
                  May 17, 2024

                  As far as I know, the only workaround at the moment is disabling the new experience.  I was hesitent to do so,  after getting used to it, but so be it.

                    M
                    Mark37469819j9dq
                    New Participant
                    May 17, 2024

                    I got focused on the View menu.  In the list it appears under.  Yes, this worked.   This is an interesting design choice.  Maybe they are trying to show off their comment bubbles.

                    Thanks all for the help.

                    D
                    dssmt
                    Participating Frequently
                    May 15, 2024

                    Just had my user switch to the old Acrobat interface and that solved the problem for him. In the View menu, select the "Disable new Acrobat" option and restart.

                      T
                      Trina32362587b57n
                      New Participant
                      May 15, 2024

                       My computer updated last night. I am having the same issue today. Tab key opens a comment box. It does not take me to the next form field. I have tried 4 different forms, they were all working perfectly yesterday. I selected the 'Disable new Acrobat' option and it seems to be working now. But would like to have the new version back.

                        3
                        37422734e2z3
                        New Participant
                        May 15, 2024

                        I had the same issue - disabled the new Acrobat, and then while in the old version I re-enabled the new Acrobat and that seemed to fix the issue. 

                          D
                          dssmt
                          Participating Frequently
                          May 15, 2024

                          One of my users is also having this problem, but just the one (so far). This is a HUGE problem for us and will cost a LOT of time and frustration if it's not sorted out very quickly.

                            G
                            Gidget28538936yzo2
                            New Participant
                            May 15, 2024

                            I am also having this same issue. My  computer just updated as well. It tabs through 3 fields then the 4th actually creates a comment. Very Very frustrating as I need to tab through 600 fields to enter data into my forms.

                             

                              K
                              Kizashi72Author
                              Inspiring
                              May 15, 2024

                              Thanks for your contribution, glad it's not just me.  This is the second issue with forms I've had in a month!  Recently, there was a bug where every form field wanted an eSignature when clicked.  That was painfull too!

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