can't copy and paste text from pdf docs

Report · Nov 23, 2015

Since upgrading to Acrobat DC I can no longer copy and paste text from pdf documents. Instead I get squares instead of characters. Anybody else experiencing this?

Report · Nov 23, 2015

Hi martinex57,

Are you using Acrobat DC or Acrobat Reader DC ?

Are you able to select the text?

Also, let me know the exact dot version of the application.

Regards,
Aadesh

Report · Dec 04, 2015

I have the exact same problem and it is very disturbing. I am with Acrobat Reader DC 15.009.20079. Another thing that I dislike is that whenever I open two .pdf files instead opening in two windows, now they are opening in two tabs in the same window and for example if I want to compare both files at the same time I am not able, as I was in the older versions... So is there a solution to selecting a text and also opening two files in different windows?

Report · Dec 04, 2015

To disable the tabs go to Edit - Preferences - General and un-tick "Open documents as new tabs in the same window".

Regarding copying the text: Can you select the text with the mouse? If so, what happens when you press Copy and then Paste in another application?

Report · Dec 04, 2015

Thank you, try67! I haven't seen before the option for the tabs in preferences but now I fixed it.

And for the copy/paste problem I wasn't able to select the text (I couldn't see the option for the select tool, it was on hand tool) but it was my bad, it is just right click with the mouse and it's there.

Thank you for your quick reply once again!

Report · Aug 24, 2016

try67,

I have a document I'm reading in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. The document is a completed form. One of the sections on the form is a running text field that has been filled out. I see "+" sign in the lower right hand corner, but I can't expand the section and see all the text. When I try to copy and paste the text to read it, I can't do that either. I've checked Security Properties (Edit/Protection/Security properties/Security tab) and Content Copying is Allowed.

What's going on? I just want to copy the text out of the completed form and paste it. At least, I want to be able to hit the "+" and read everything entered into the form.

Help!

Report · Aug 24, 2016

It sounds like the form field is either set as read-only or was flattened. Either way, this means you don't have access to the full text using Reader. You need to report this issue to the author of the form and have them fix it.

Report · Jan 08, 2022

No, this is standard behavior, happening to me too after re-installing Reader DC on a standard document that is NOT a form.

Report · Jan 08, 2022

Share the file in question, please.

Report · Aug 24, 2016

The "+" sign is only there to let you know that there is text you cannot see. Unless it's a dynamic form that has a box that expands as it gets filled, that's all you will see. The creator of the file should have made the box bigger or limited the amount of text that can be added to it.

If you want to copy/paste text from it, insert your cursor into the box, hit Ctrl+A to select all of the text, Cntrl+C to copy.

Report · Aug 25, 2016

~graffiti, thanks for your response! I followed the instructions you gave (insert cursor, Ctrl+A, Ctrl+C). Below is a sample of what I get what I Ctrl+V in Notepad or Word:

% " # )% - "* )%" +　 - ) - $ &- % ! # )% - "* % ),'

The document is an internal form that my team made. I believe the field is created to stay the same size; it's not dynamic, and that's okay, as long as I can copy the content out. Other people in my company complete the form and email it to me, and I'm able to copy and paste out of it. Could there be a problem with the Adobe the person changing the form is using? A conflict between the two version we're using? Again, this issue arises for only one person completing the form - for everyone else that completes it and gives it to me, I can easily copy and paste.

Your thoughts?

Report · Aug 25, 2016

It "could" be that the person that has the problem form has a font issue. He may not have the proper font on his system. Or, he could be using a third party pdf viewer which could also cause problems. It shouldn't be a compatibility issue as long as everyone is using a version of Adobe Reader and not something else.

Report · Jan 08, 2022

Yeah, the solution is buy more product from Adobe to keep your same functionality. Working on finding alternative solutions to Adobe for everything. Tired of the heavy handed endless back-end revenue generating processes that steal all my system resource and destroy my privacy. Use to really like Adobe and it products. The wrong people are making decisions on the future of Adobe and it's products.

Report · Mar 09, 2023

You can also just click and hold the tab and drag it off to seperate.

Report · Jan 22, 2016

Acrobat Reader DC

yes, i can select text fine.

just no copy.

if i ctrl+c then ctrl+v somewhere else, nothing happens.

tis blank.

same with all other apps that open pdfs.

Report · Jan 23, 2016

It's possible the file has a security policy that prevents the extract of the contents. Look under File - Properties - Security.

Report · Jan 23, 2016

negative.

everyone has full control.

Report · Aug 29, 2023

And nobody answers....crickets

Report · Oct 11, 2017

So on a whim, I opened the pdf and right clicked to Print. From the Print preview box, I was able to copy and paste the text. Huzzah! Weird workaround.

Report · Jan 11, 2018

I have Adobe Acrobat 2015 (Mac v.) and I now know the new way to get the select cursor.

However, when a pdf is viewed in a browser (Safari, maybe others), for example, in Google Books, with Acrobat as the default, I no longer see a way of copy and pasting now that I have Adobe Acrobat 2015 installed.

The pointer symbol that allows converting to the cursor when viewing a pdf does not show up when viewing in a browser.

Report · Aug 07, 2018

So I also can't copy text from a PDF & it does NOT say "Secured" in the file name, & it also says "Allowed" in the PDF Securities for copying text, so what gives???

This has nothing to do with characters because I can't even highlight to copy, so forget about pasting.

Report · Aug 07, 2018

You’re allowed to copy text but there must be text to copy. Sounds as if it is, instead, a picture of text, such as a scan. By the way no current version of Acrobat shows “secured” in the file name. Only obsolete versions did that.

Report · Aug 08, 2018

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Test+Screen+Name wrote
By the way no current version of Acrobat shows “secured” in the file name. Only obsolete versions did that.

Seriously? It doesn't show "(SECURED)" in the window title any more?

Report · Aug 08, 2018

It shows (SECURED) at the window title. But it is not part of the file name.

Report · Aug 08, 2018

Ah, OK. I don't think that was ever the case, was it? Maybe a long time ago...