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mikaelabowler.ai
mikaelabowler.ai
Participant
February 13, 2022
Answered

Open existing interactive PDF in InDesign?

  • February 13, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 798 views

There are tons of posts about exporting to PDF from InDesign when I try Googling this, but that isn't my issue.   I want to bring all of the interactive form elements of an existing PDF into InDesign so I can redesign the form (Acrobat isn't flexible enough).   Maybe I'm missing something incredibly obvious, but I can't just open the PDF form file in InDesign so... help?   Thanks in advance!

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer Colin Flashman

    There is a trick that you can use where you can redesign the art in InDesign and update the PDF with the form elements, so long as the form elements don't change. It requires the full version of Acrobat, not the reader.

    Prior to attempting this trick, make sure you have access to backups of your artwork just in case.

    1. That is, make the design as you like in ID, then export to PDF (doesn't have to be interactive).
    2. Open the original PDF that has the interactivity and in Acrobat, go to the pages palette.
    3. Select the pages to replace and then go replace pages...
    4. From windows explorer/mac finder, navigate to the recently made PDF and import that, confiming it will replace the pages.

    What will happen is that the art will change but the interactive fields from the previous document will remain.

    2 replies

    Colin Flashman
    Community Expert
    Colin FlashmanCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    February 13, 2022

    There is a trick that you can use where you can redesign the art in InDesign and update the PDF with the form elements, so long as the form elements don't change. It requires the full version of Acrobat, not the reader.

    Prior to attempting this trick, make sure you have access to backups of your artwork just in case.

    1. That is, make the design as you like in ID, then export to PDF (doesn't have to be interactive).
    2. Open the original PDF that has the interactivity and in Acrobat, go to the pages palette.
    3. Select the pages to replace and then go replace pages...
    4. From windows explorer/mac finder, navigate to the recently made PDF and import that, confiming it will replace the pages.

    What will happen is that the art will change but the interactive fields from the previous document will remain.

    If the answer wasn't in my post, perhaps it might be on my blog at colecandoo!
      mikaelabowler.ai
      mikaelabowler.aiAuthor
      Participant
      February 13, 2022

      oh so essentially just swapping out the "background" in Acrobat?  sounds like it should work, I'll go try it!

      Derek Cross
      Community Expert
      Derek CrossCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 13, 2022

      You have to have the original to do that.

      Derek Cross
      Community Expert
      Derek CrossCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 13, 2022

      PDF is a finished format, it can't be edited in InDesign you need the original InDesign document.

      There is third-party software available that might be helpful:

      https://markzware.com/products/pdfmarkz/

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