Fix Acrobat Create PDF Advanced Settings Greyed Out on Mac
Question details
The user is unable to access the Advanced Settings option while attempting to create a PDF, as the button is unresponsive and greyed out.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- macOS High Sierra
- Scenario
- Attempting to configure advanced properties when using the Create PDF tool from an existing file.
- Observed behavior
- The Advanced Settings button under the Create PDF menu is greyed out and cannot be clicked.
Verify the file extension of the original document you are trying to convert, as Acrobat intentionally disables advanced configuration for certain unsupported formats.
Use Supported Image Formats for Advanced Settings
The Advanced Settings option is strictly limited to specific image formats. Ensure your source file is an accepted image type.
Adobe Acrobat restricts the use of Advanced Settings in the Create PDF dialog to a handful of image-based files. If you are importing a DOC, PSD, or another PDF, the application automatically disables this menu.
Locate the file you wish to convert and verify its format. It must be a TIFF, PNG, or JPG file to use the advanced configurations.
If your file is currently in an unsupported format (like PSD or DOC) and you specifically need image-based advanced conversion settings, export it to PNG or JPG first.
Open Acrobat, navigate to Tools, and select 'Create PDF'. Choose your newly converted image file, and you will see the 'Advanced Settings' button is now enabled.
Manually Create Bookmarks from Document Structure
If your primary goal for accessing Advanced Settings was to create PDF bookmarks from a Word document, you can generate them post-conversion.
Easily Create and Edit PDFs with WPS Office
Bypass frustrating, greyed-out settings menus. WPS Office provides an intuitive, all-in-one PDF creator and editor that effortlessly handles conversions from Word, Excel, PPT, and image formats without complicated restrictions.
- 1. Open WPS Office: Launch the WPS Office application and click on the 'PDF' tab from the main workspace interface.
- 2. Select Create PDF: Click on 'Create PDF' and choose 'From File' from the available dropdown menu.
- 3. Import your file: Select your source file, regardless of whether it is an image or a text-based document.
- 4. Export and customize: Utilize the straightforward export options to save your file as a high-quality PDF with full access to editing and bookmarking tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Advanced Settings button greyed out in Acrobat Create PDF?
The Advanced Settings option is designed exclusively for image file types such as TIFF, PNG, and JPG. If you select text documents, PSD files, or existing PDFs, Acrobat automatically disables this button because the specific image-processing settings do not apply.
How can I adjust PDF conversion settings for Microsoft Word documents?
For Word documents, you should configure conversion settings prior to export. Open the document in Microsoft Word, navigate to the Acrobat tab on the ribbon, and click 'Preferences' to adjust bookmark, link, and security settings before creating the PDF.
Does macOS High Sierra cause compatibility issues with Acrobat's Create PDF feature?
While older operating systems like macOS High Sierra might have general performance limits with newer Adobe updates, the greyed-out Advanced Settings button is a universal software rule based entirely on the selected file format, not an OS-level bug.
