PDF Editing Issues

Fix Adobe Acrobat Reader iPad Toolbar and Highlighting Issues

Emma Brown Oct 19, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to fix a disappearing toolbar in Adobe Acrobat Reader for iPad and wants to know how to properly annotate, highlight, and comment on PDF documents.

How to Fix Adobe Acrobat Reader for iPad Toolbar and Highlighting Issues

Product: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Device & OS: iPadOS
Scenario: Reading and annotating a PDF document on an iPad.
Observed behavior: The toolbar appears and disappears unexpectedly while scrolling through the document, and the user is unsure how to access highlighting and commenting tools.

Before you start

Ensure your iPad is connected to the internet and check your App Store to see if a newer version of the application is available before proceeding with the steps below.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Adobe Acrobat Reader and Use Native Annotations

Updating the app resolves the scrolling toolbar glitch, allowing you to use standard touch gestures to highlight and annotate text seamlessly.

A known bug in older versions of the app causes the top and bottom toolbars to hide and show erratically when swiping through pages. Updating the app patches this bug and restores the normal annotation interface.

Update the app

Open the App Store on your iPad, tap your profile icon at the top right, scroll down to find Adobe Acrobat Reader, and tap 'Update' to install version 18.11.01 or later.

Highlight or underline text

Open your PDF document. Long-press the specific text you wish to annotate until the selection tool appears, then choose Highlight, Underline, or Strikethrough from the context menu.

Add comments

To add general text comments or sticky notes, tap the blue pencil button on the screen, select 'Comment', and choose your preferred tool from the annotation toolbar.

Update Adobe Acrobat Reader and Use Native Annotations

Update Verified: Version 18.11.01 and above fully patches the erratic scrolling behavior, ensuring your toolbars remain stable while reading.

Highlight and Annotate PDFs Effortlessly with WPS Office for iPad

If you continue experiencing glitches with other PDF readers, WPS Office offers a highly stable and free alternative for iPad users. You can easily view, highlight, and comment on your PDF documents without toolbar display issues.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and open WPS Office from the App Store on your iPad.
2. Open your PDF: Tap 'Files' to locate and open the PDF document you want to edit.
3. Access annotation tools: Tap 'Tools' at the top or bottom of the screen, then switch to the 'Annotation' tab.
4. Apply highlights and comments: Select the Highlight, Underline, or Text tool and apply it directly to your document using your finger or Apple Pencil.
5. Save changes: Tap 'Done' at the top left to securely save your newly annotated PDF document.

Free and highly stable PDF reader and editor tailored for iPadOSIntuitive highlighting, underlining, and annotation tools with full Apple Pencil supportSeamless compatibility with standard Adobe PDF formatsLightweight application that saves device storage while providing full Office features

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my toolbar disappear in Adobe Acrobat for iPad?

This was a known software bug in older versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader for iPad. Updating the app to version 18.11.01 or newer resolves the issue where the toolbar vanishes while scrolling.

How do I remove a highlight or comment in a PDF on my iPad?

Simply tap the highlighted text or the comment icon you previously added to the document, and choose 'Delete' or 'Clear' from the context menu that appears.

Can I change the color of the highlight in my PDF?

Yes, after selecting the highlight tool or tapping an existing highlight in your document, you can tap the color palette icon in the annotation toolbar to choose a different color.

Are my PDF annotations saved automatically?

Most modern PDF readers auto-save annotations as you make them, but it is always recommended to tap 'Done' or the back arrow before closing the document to ensure all your recent edits are fully written to the file.

PDF Troubleshooting