Skip to main content
M
Marshall356087002d3n
New Participant
February 21, 2024
Answered

Acrobat crashes when trying to edit a fillable-form PDF

  • February 21, 2024
  • 11 replies
  • 16331 views

I have a user that had been using Adobe Acrobat Reader on a new PC for about a year without issue. A month ago, this user's Adobe Acrobat would crash when attempting to fill in a fillable field in a given PDF. If you leave the PDF alone, it will stay open, but the moment you try to edit it, or fill in a fillable form, Adobe Acrobat crashes.

 

The user is on Windows 11 Pro and on Adobe Reader Version 2023.008.20533. I've tried uninstalling and re-installing Adobe Acrobat, removed all anti-virus, and run the Adobe cleaner/uninstall tool and the issue still persists. If anyone has any insight or advice it is greatly appreciated. I have protected view set to 'OFF' as well, as I noticed that suggestion in a lot of articles that dealt with Adobe Acrobat crashing. If there are log files available, let me know how to provide them or where they are typically stored on a PC. 

 

[moderator changed the subject for clarity: was Adobe crashes...; corrected Adobe to Acrobat in the text; sanitized the topics]

[Moderator moved the thread from Acrobat to the Acrobat Reader forum]

    Correct answer Thorben38241278hz8t

    I have the same issue but discovered something just now, that works at least as a semi-optimal fix.

    If I open a file directly from the Windows Explorer, the issue occurs, Acrobat crashes as soon as I click a fillable field. If I however first open Acrobat manually and then open a document (either through the Acrobat UI or the Windows Explorer), I am able to fill the fields without problem.

    Acrobat just always has to be open first for some reason

     

    I hope this helps someone, at least until theres a fix for it

    11 replies

    Show previous replies
    Amal.
    Community Manager
    Amal.Community Manager
    Community Manager
    February 22, 2024

    Hi @Marshall356087002d3n 

     

    I hope you're doing well, though I'm sorry to hear about the issue you're experiencing.

     

    Could you please clarify if this problem occurs with a specific PDF file or if it affects all PDFs? It might be helpful to try opening a different PDF to see if the issue persists. If the file is located on a shared network or drive, try downloading it locally onto your computer and then attempting to open it again.

     

    Since you have the latest version installed, you might want to consider repairing the installation from the help menu (applicable to Windows only) to see if that resolves the issue.

     

    Another step to try is resetting the Acrobat preferences. You can follow the instructions outlined in this link: How to Reset Acrobat Preference Settings to Default.

     

    Additionally, reviewing the suggestions provided in this help page Acrobat DC Crashes on Windows OS might offer further insights into resolving the issue.

     

    Let me know if any of these steps help in resolving the problem.

     

    ~Amal

    M
    Marshall356087002d3nAuthor
    New Participant
    February 22, 2024

    We attempted the repair and no change occurred. We then attempted the Reset of Preferences by following the folder path in the article you provided, but no preferences folder was found at the location (see attachment). We then did the registry editor suggestion and that did not fix the issue either. We opened 3-5 more PDF files with fillable fields and if you wait 15 seconds, you can then edit the PDF file. However, if you attempt to edit the PDF file before waiting the 10-15 seconds, Adobe continues to crash. The user is contemplating upgrading to Adobe Acrobat Pro, but is hesitant to do so given this issue. 

    Amal.
    Community Manager
    Amal.Community Manager
    Community Manager
    February 23, 2024

    Hi there

     

    We are sorry to hear that. Would you mind collecting the Crash/freeze logs https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/collect-logs-crash-freeze.html and sharing them via any cloud storage? Just upload the log file to the cloud generate the link and share that link with us for further investigation.

    Regards
    Amal

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices