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KeithSWD
Inspiring
November 4, 2023
Answered

Weird behaviour trying to edit PDF - Arabic numerals substituted

  • November 4, 2023
  • 4 replies
  • 5725 views

I am having issues recently when trying to make edits to existing PDF's.

For example, with a simple bit of text like this (in Calibri font, nothing exotic):

I can change a bit of the text like this:

But as soon as I attempt to change or add any numeric characters I get Arabic numerals:

I have uninstalled and re-installed Acrobat. I also tried setting the Default font for Text Editing in Preferences. Neither made any difference.

 

I am using the latest version of Acrobat for Windows (v23). I have Windows 11 also latest patches applied.

I am editing PDF's on the SAME computer that I created them with. So all fonts used originally are available when editing.

 

What on earth is going on!!  Thanks in advance.

 

    Correct answer KeithSWD

    After some unhelpful and completely erroneous bot responses from AdobeCare.24x7, I finally called Adobe support. Under Preferences>Language, for some reason the x64 Acrobat that has recently installed as part of CC, Application Language was set as English with Arabic Support. I have no idea why Arabic Support was installed, nor why having that support would only affect typing numerals in the way it did. However, setting it to 'Same as Operating System' appears to have fixed the issue.

    4 replies

    P
    pinnpublishers
    Participant
    November 13, 2025

    Really shocking that this is still an issue after 2 years - Acrobat installation still defaults to "English with Arabic support" even though I don't have anything to do with Arabic on my computer. Why can't it simply default to English only for an English only install !!!

    P
    paulb66556498
    Participating Frequently
    June 28, 2024

    Had exactly the same issue and your tip about language preferences solved it. Thank you! Why does software change stuff without your knowledge or permission to then break it?!??!? 

    K
    KeithSWDAuthorCorrect answer
    Inspiring
    November 11, 2023

    After some unhelpful and completely erroneous bot responses from AdobeCare.24x7, I finally called Adobe support. Under Preferences>Language, for some reason the x64 Acrobat that has recently installed as part of CC, Application Language was set as English with Arabic Support. I have no idea why Arabic Support was installed, nor why having that support would only affect typing numerals in the way it did. However, setting it to 'Same as Operating System' appears to have fixed the issue.

      Abambo
      Community Expert
      AbamboCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      November 11, 2023

      I would have guessed that the "Hindi Digits" setting was ticked.

       

      ABAMBO | Hard- and Software Engineer | Photographer
        N
        Nat1616165116
        Participant
        June 4, 2024

        Thankyou!! This fixed mine when switching the application language did not.

        Eric Dumas
        Community Expert
        Eric DumasCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        November 4, 2023

        Hi,

        1. can you look at File > Properties > Fonts tab.
        2. when you highlight the new text, in Edit mode, in the formatting options in the panel on the right side of the screen. What font is listed?

        Can you share screenshots?

        K
        KeithSWDAuthor
        Inspiring
        November 4, 2023

        Hi Eric

        I would love to show some screenshots of that, but since re-installing Acrobat I am now greeted with a grey rectangle on which there is a blue spinning wheel. I cannot dismiss it, or do anything with the app except kill it with Task Manager.

        But I do know that before this was happening, if I highlighted the text, the properties showed the font as Calibri. Interestingly, if I highlighted the block of text inlcuding the Arabic numerals, and changed the font, everything changed EXCEPT the Arabic numbers.  It really is odd.

        Current view:

         

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