Fix Acrobat Shared Review Archive Not Removing XML Comments
Question details
Saving a shared review PDF as an archive creates an archive file but fails to automatically remove the associated XML comment folders or display the archived-review banner.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Archiving a shared review PDF to finalize the document and embed the review comments safely.
- Observed behavior
- The resulting archived PDF fails to display the expected archived-review banner, and the original XML comment folders remain undeleted, causing confusion regarding whether the comments embedded successfully.
Before attempting to fix or manually delete any data, ensure you create a secure backup of both the original shared review PDF and its associated XML comment folders.
Verify Archive Integrity and Keep XML Backups
Since the XML folders remain unexpectedly, you must manually verify if the comments embedded correctly in the archive copy before proceeding.
This issue is often related to version-specific bugs within Adobe Acrobat's shared review cleanup process. Before manually deleting any temporary files, you need to ensure the archive effectively captured the necessary review data.
Locate the newly generated PDF ending with the '_archive' suffix and open it using Adobe Acrobat.
Navigate to the Comments pane on the right side of the screen. Confirm that all comments, annotations, and edits are present, fully visible, and appropriately embedded.
If any comments are missing or corrupted, do not delete the XML files. You may need to revert to your backups and try the archive process again.
Open Acrobat, navigate to the 'Help' menu at the top, and select 'Check for Updates' to install the latest supported release. Newer updates often patch shared-review archiving bugs.
Easily Review and Save PDFs with Embedded Comments
If you want to avoid messy external XML folders and complex archiving errors, WPS Office provides a streamlined PDF editor. All comments and annotations are cleanly embedded directly into a single PDF file, making it incredibly easy to review, share, and archive without fear of data loss.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document directly within the application.
- 2. Add Annotations: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon to easily insert your review comments.
- 3. Save File Directly: Click 'Save'. WPS Office automatically embeds all comments seamlessly within the single file, requiring no complex XML folder management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Acrobat leave XML comment files behind after archiving?
This happens either due to a known software bug in specific versions of Adobe Acrobat or because an interrupted network connection during the shared review prevented the software from executing its standard temporary file cleanup script.
Can I safely delete the XML review folders manually?
Yes, but only after you have opened the newly created '_archive' PDF file and confirmed that all your required comments are visible and correctly embedded. Deleting them before verification risks permanent loss of review data.
How do I ensure comments are permanently embedded in my PDF?
You can use the 'Print to PDF' feature within your software to completely flatten the document, permanently locking the comments onto the pages. Alternatively, use a reliable editor like WPS Office that natively saves and embeds comments into the single file structure.
