Why unchecked checkboxes in a PDF are printing as if they are checked from InDesign?

[Lu_AleGri]

I created an interactive form in InDesign. After I exported it, all checkboxes appear unchecked on the screen, however, when I send it to print all checkboxes print as if they are selected. How can I fix this?

[Srishti Bali]

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out. Could you please share a few screenshots of the issue? Is the issue related to a specific document? If yes, could you please share the document with us? You can upload it to the Creative Cloud and share the download link. 

Regards,

Srishti

[Luke_Jennings]

Are you viewing and printing your interactive PDF from Acrobat or Reader? If you are using any other viewer, this could be the cause of your printing issue.

[@mj]

Hi,

I'm inclined to think that this a copy and paste of the same checkbox? Acrobat needs unique IDs to tell checkboxes apart.

Check out Luke_Jennings post here. It should get you going.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/how-to-print-with-check-boxes-un-checked/td-p/9719048

Good luck

.mj

[zzzzzzzzzzz111111]

I was having the same frustrating problem but I may have found a solution. I made a document with multiple check boxes and they always printed with checks. I had tried changing every imaginable setting in my indesign document and in my export settings. I had tried printing from google chrome and acrobat. My software is up to date. My operating system is up to date. The check marks always showed in the printed document. 

I was changing settings, exporting, and printing dozens of times to troubleshoot the problem. Then I selected the "hidden until triggered" option on just one of the boxes and exported and printed to see what would happen. The box with this option selected didn't show up in the viewer or on the printed document (as expected), but all the other boxes printed without checkmarks. Then I unchecked the "hidden until triggered" option, and regardless of other settings changed, all the boxes printed without checkmarks.

So I guess the solution is to check "hidden until triggered," then export, then uncheck "hidden until triggered." 

I don't have a way to recreate this problem now. But after changing this setting once, it no longer prints with checkmarks. I think this is a glitch that Adobe should look into fixing since it seems to plague many users.

[artistvan]

The solution is to give the Check Box a Button value at the bottom of the buttons and forms window. Doesn't matter what it is, just use numbers or anything. 

[Hannah24808528d9ai]

At the bottom of the 'Buttons and Forms' window, uncheck the box that says 'Selected by default'. It fixed the issue for me.