Can't select block of text

[lindad34092833]

I have updated to Adobe Acrobat DC and can no longer select blocks of text in pdfs. I have the select tool active, I am trying to select a whole sentence to highlight. I am using a pdf in which I have previously been able to perform this function. I am trying to place the curser at beginning of sentence and drag to the end of the sentence to select whole sentence before I highlight it.  I can no longer do this WHY? It's driving me mad.

Hoping someone can help

[lesliekeros]

I also can't select blocks of text using the select tool in Reader. This is a new problem. The PDF was created from a Word document, so it wasn't scanned. What to do?

[jonk29052914 · Accepted solution]

Hi All

I had exactly the same problem but I believe I found a solution!

Windows 10 64-bit,  Adobe Reader DC

Problem: I suddenly discovered that could not use the cursor to drag cursor over text within a PDF either. This prevented me from, e.g., highlighting, selecting and inserting a digital signature (which is executed by drag command).

And yes:   Select tool ACTIVATED.  Copy text ALLOWED in document security settings.

For weeks I tried all kinds of things - reinstalling, repairing. What bugged me is that it DID work correctly at first on a brand new Windows 10 laptop. My other Windows 7 laptop was unaffected. I had to move to the other laptop to be able to perform the functions. Frustrating.

Today, however, I found an option here:

Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) > Sandbox protections

Enable Protected Mode at startup

UNCHECK this box, close Reader DC and reopen. Voila, drag function (and all its dependent commands) restored.

I hope it works for you, and that it works for all other users who have asked  a similar question on this forum, e.g. cannot select, cannot highlight, cannot copy text, cannot drag cursor, cannot insert digital signature, unable to digitally sign PDF

Good luck

[Henkki Zakkinen]

Well, that indeed seems to fix it. Security feature crippling functionality - not good, Adobe! I'd file it as a bug to be handled.

I found out that I cannot use protected view anyway, due to some nondescript compatibility issues (link to the explanation doesn't work)

So I figure I have to switch all these features off. Send me bugged PDFs now .

Henrik

[michael26822990q6zj]

There must be another setting? I had the selection Tool capability last week and this week starting on Wednesday I do not. Adobe sure knows how to screw technical writers.

[ontrail71]

How can this issue be fixed if using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC instead of Reader?

[Curve]

Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou jonk.  You absolute star!  I've been getting so frustrated with this, as your clearly were.  Nothing fixed it - until your solution.  Why on earth does the default setting prevent you from highlighting text...?

[br.adobe]

I found out that even if you disable enhanced security, if Acrobat JavaScript is disabled, you won't be able to perform those actions either. In other words, you have to uncheck "Enable Protected Mode at startup" and "Enable Enhanced Security" on the "Security (Enhanced)" tab and check "Enable Acrobat JavaScript" on the "JavaScript" tab.

[JG Writer]

Thank you!! This worked for me!

[Nicole Lara AIA]

OMG thank you.

[frfidecaro]

Be thou blessed! I was going crazy on this. I Have no idea what this protected mode is for so I presume I will live with the option Enable Protected Mode at startup off.

[Jennie23620999c4ig]

Didn't work unfortunately. 

[BARBARA25429667saiq]

This works. Thank you!!!

[dianem2019]

Going to Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced) and UNCHECKING Enable Protected Mode at startup and closing Acrobat and reopening it worked for me.

Thank you so much for figuring this out. Since updating Acrobat DC I could no longer select more than one word at a time in PDFs. This has caused me a lot of grief. So happy I can once again select more than one word at a time in PDFs.

[michael26822990q6zj]

This worked for me also however my IT departement constantly upload and updates software and setting information. I have to do this every time.

[ryanp90900513]

Your solution does not work. I am dissappointed with Adobe.

[sebenas29547751]

This was the only correct solution to this problem!!!!  Thank you, worked right away!!!!!

[sebenas29547751]

To add, if you don't close the program after doing this and reopen, it will not work.  Also hit Enter to leave the page, do not just X out or the change will not save.

[cass48405667]

ABSOLUTE LIFE SAVER!! Thank you!!!

[DarkShot]

THANK YOU!  This was driving me crazy and every time I sought an answer someone would try to explain OCR to me and not believe me when I said that wasn't the issue!! 

[OliverDavidSean]

Yes. I believe you have found the answer. Using Adobe DC and havent been able to highlight text for several days until today I was done dealing with the bs and I searched for a remedy and found your answer. Thank you.

[rklangendoen]

This worked for me. Thank you!

[Alkis309764196gdw]

I unchecked "Enable Protected Mode in Security (Enhanced). It doesn't work for me. There must be something else ...

[Alkis309764196gdw]

This is aupposed to be the correct answer. Well, it isn't. Unchecking "Enable Proteced Mode at startup"  (then close and re-open Adobe Reader) doesn't change anything. Which means that there's somewhere else that makes the text non-selectable. 
Well, this is too strange. No one in the Abode team or among the people who are expertes in PDF  structure can suggest a workable solution or alternative solutions, one  of which can work, or at least the reason(s) why text selection is impossible??
This is really, but really  strange.
 

[ls_rbls]

@Alkis309764196gdw ,

Is this happening with every PDF files that you attempt to work with or just one particular PDF document?

Would you be able to share a copy of a dummy PDF file with no sensitive data on it?

[AlkisPis]

@ls_rbls, it is happening esp. to this PDF. (Maybe to some other too.)  Normally there's no problem in text selecting, highlightng etc.

(PDFs in which the text is stored as image(s) are of course excluded.)