Fix Acrobat PDF Commenting and Drawing Tools Unavailable
Question details
Users are unable to access commenting, drawing, shape, and text tools in Adobe Acrobat, even with an active paid subscription.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to annotate, mark up, or add comments to a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The standard commenting, drawing, and markup tools are missing, greyed out, or completely unavailable to use.
Before troubleshooting, open a different PDF file to test whether the commenting issue is isolated to a single document or affects the entire application.
Check Document Security Permissions
The most common reason for unavailable commenting tools is that the PDF owner has restricted commenting and editing.
Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the problematic PDF document.
Navigate to 'File' in the top menu and select 'Properties', or simply press Ctrl+D (Windows) or Cmd+D (Mac).
Click on the 'Security' tab to view the Document Restrictions Summary. Look for 'Commenting' in the list.
If Commenting is marked as 'Not Allowed', the tools will be disabled. Contact the document author to request an unrestricted version or the permissions password to unlock it.
Verify Acrobat Subscription and Installation
If commenting is unavailable on all PDF files, there may be an issue with your Acrobat license sync or software installation.
Use WPS Office as a Free and Powerful PDF Annotator
If Adobe Acrobat's permission restrictions or subscription errors are slowing you down, try WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, free alternative that includes a robust PDF reader and editor with full commenting, drawing, and annotation capabilities.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF file.
- 2. Access Comment Tools: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon.
- 3. Start Annotating: Select tools like 'Highlight', 'Text Box', or 'Shape' to begin annotating your document freely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my PDF commenting tools greyed out?
This usually happens when the creator of the PDF has applied security settings that restrict commenting or editing. You can check this by going to File > Properties > Security in your PDF viewer.
Can I remove commenting restrictions from a PDF without a password?
No, if a PDF is secured with a permissions password by the author, you must obtain the password from the document owner to unlock the commenting and drawing tools.
Why is my Acrobat subscription not recognizing my paid tools?
Sometimes the software desyncs from your Adobe ID. Signing out of your account, restarting Adobe Acrobat, and signing back in can often refresh your license and restore your premium tools.
Are there free alternatives to annotate PDFs?
Yes, alternative office suites like WPS Office provide comprehensive PDF tools that allow you to read, highlight, draw, and add text comments to PDF files easily and for free.
