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Participant
April 26, 2017
Answered

InDesign Radio Buttons to interactive pdf

  • April 26, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 5849 views

Hello,

Is there any way to retain the look of radio buttons or check boxes designed in InDesign after exporting to an interactive pdf. They always reset to the default Acrobat button styles when not in focus. I have tried it with buttons I have designed and using the sample radio buttons provided in the software and neither work.

I understand what Acrobat is doing and why it is doing it, I just struggle to believe that they would include these buttons in the Interactive for PDF workspace if they don’t actually work in interactive pdfs. I am hoping I am missing something really obvious or there is a work-around.

The form is nothing over the top, just a series of radio buttons and related questions. But my client wanted nicer looking buttons. Any help would be great!

Thanks

Correct answer mat_hob

Yep, Acrobat all the way. Just figured it out a minute ago, when the form highlighting feature is turned off the buttons retain the InDesign style, when its on they revert back to the default Acrobat buttons. This is both in Reader and Pro.

So new questions is, can I set that to toggle that to off when my client's clients open the pdf?

2 replies

Frans v.d. Geest
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 12, 2025
Known Participant
March 12, 2025

Hi Frans! Thanks for your message. I tried this and it does indeed remove the blue markings but the style of my radio buttons remains a circle instead of text.

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 26, 2017

What software are you looking at the PDF+buttons in? Acrobat, I hope!

Mike Witherell
mat_hobAuthorCorrect answer
Participant
April 28, 2017

Yep, Acrobat all the way. Just figured it out a minute ago, when the form highlighting feature is turned off the buttons retain the InDesign style, when its on they revert back to the default Acrobat buttons. This is both in Reader and Pro.

So new questions is, can I set that to toggle that to off when my client's clients open the pdf?

mat_hobAuthor
Participant
April 28, 2017