Cannot delete individual pages in Adobe Acrobat X PDF

[lmspence]

So annoying.  When I try to delete individual pages it gives me the error message "one or more pages are in use and cannot be deleted".  I have tried closing the thumbnail page preview pane, selecting the pages and hitting backspace (delete), highlighting and choosing the 'delete page' icon at the top of the toolbar....nothing.  I have seen a lot of threads about this issue that are dated 2011 with no solutions.  Has anyone out there found the solution?

Much appreciated.

Using Adobe Acrobat 10.1.4, Mac OSX 10.7.4

[nacinla]

Ran into this again tonight. Did anyone ever come up with a solution? On my Mac I'm not seeing the "Repair Acrobat Installation" in the Help menu as described. I had to quit the program and then re-open the doc to delete a page. Really annoying.

[BWJ-1]

If there are internal links in the document (contents, index or other shortcuts) it won't let you delete any pages. You'll need to remove all links (even the ones that occur before the page you want to delete), save the document, reopen then try deleting the page(s). Not sure if there's a way to automatically remove all internal links but you can reveal them and individually remove in Tools > Content > Link

[try67]

Not true. The presence of links has nothing to do with the ability to delete pages.

[kel_322]

I know this was posted a while ago, but I've come across this issue, too. This is what works for me:

1. What works for me is to close all Adobe programs and files, including the one you are working on.
2. Close all Adobe processes through the Task Manager (CTL+ALT+DEL).
3. Reopen your document and delete your pages.

[ChipC]

Thank you kel_322. I still use Acrobat X here in 2021 and just encountered the problem.  The "Repair Installation" link required the installation media, which I don't want to hunt for.  But your solution of just killing all the Adobe processes worked great.  I've been using AX for many years now and this is the first time I've had this difficulty.

[electrode49]

On the 15th of Jan 2013 "ijustwanttopost" wrote:

          If you actually want to fix this problem in Acrobat X:

               1. Go to the Help Menu

               2. Select Repair Installation

               3. Follow the instructions

               4. Get on with your life

This solved the issue for me.  I'm using:

• Windows 7 Professional with Service Pack 1
• Adobe Acrobat version 10.1.12

[SamDael]

This is really quite simple once you understand. I am using Mac Acrobat X Pro and after scanning an additional page to a previously loaded  file, the former files remain even if you save as or close the window. The former cannot be deleted. You have to select close from the icon after closing the window. You then have to click the file saved and then delete the appropriate pages and save again.

[j toddd46945843]

With all due respect, Acrobat Pro DC has been a nightmare ever since it was installed on my Mac. To delete pages I have to close the document and shut down Acrobat Pro each time and then reopen. The whole idea of computers is to save time, but at every step it appears that Adobe engineers have added more steps and frustrations to my workflow. Do they ever actually use the products they produce in a real work setting? Of course not. I'm very close to uninstalling Adobe Acrobat DC and finding non-Adobe products for all my work needs.

[Ingo_D_]

What worked for me was to split the document to remove the problematic page. It's a workaround, but it did the trick for me and saved me some time.

[drd-]

OK, try this simpler solution.  Close file, shut ofg Acrobat X, but also !!! shut off your browser (maybe you've been using adobe on it ???). Then reopen the file in Acrobat.  Worked for me after fighting with this for months. 

[morrieg]

Shutting down Safari did it!!  What a nuisance.  Thank you.

[noneyo5FFB]

I ran into this again today in 2021, it was a specific file and it turned out the windows explorer preview pane was causing Adobe to believe the file was in use, started working after turning off preview pane.  Hopefully this helps someone else next year.

[LP5ECF]

Right Click on Page you want to delete, Go to Tools, Select Redact. Click on "Remove Hidden Information." Then Delete. This worked for me after getting several error notifications despite trying methods below. 

[CollinsMoore]

Its an Error and exists in DC as well

TWO options to Try

1) Dont delete the page - EXTRACT it and select the Option to Delete on Extraction ( This is my Fav fix 99/100 works)

2) Under Preferences and Documents change PDF/A View mode to NEVER

[Martha22896016f0uj]

I closed Acrobat completely and reopened it - was able to delete the page then. (Mac)

[Abambo]

Yes, restarting the application or restarting the computer solves a lot of problems in any application. That is, why I trained my support people to ask people systematically to save all work and to restart the computer. 

[Grift_GFX]

I love how I found this post in 2022. Ten years later, and this still happens. Adobe's software is a trainwreck, and we all pay entirely too much for it. The power of monopoly.

[jackdalrymple]

10 years later... MacOS 12.

Still happening. 

Drives me crazy =[

Just give up.