PDF Editing Issues

Fix Apple Pencil Annotations Shifting in Acrobat on iPad

John Wilson Oct 19, 2026 869 views

Question details

Users experience unexpected shifting of Apple Pencil annotations in Adobe Acrobat for iPad when scrolling or zooming.

How to Fix Apple Pencil Annotations Shifting in Acrobat on iPad

Product: Adobe Acrobat
Device & OS: iPadOS 18.3.2 (iPad 10th generation)
Scenario: Annotating PDF documents using an Apple Pencil in Adobe Acrobat on an iPad.
Observed behavior: Drawn markings and annotations shift from their original positions by the same distance and direction when the user scrolls or zooms the document, making it difficult to maintain accurate notes. Rapidly switching between writing and scrolling modes does not consistently resolve the displacement.

Before you start

Before proceeding with the troubleshooting steps, download and save a local copy of your PDF document to your iPad to prevent potential syncing issues or accidental data loss.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Software and Restart iPad

Ensure all related software and firmware are up to date to resolve known bugs causing annotation displacement.

Software glitches related to touch handling and rendering are often patched in newer operating system and application updates. Performing a system reboot afterward ensures these updates are properly applied and system caches are cleared.

Update iPadOS

Open the Settings app on your iPad, go to 'General', and tap 'Software Update'. If an update is available, follow the on-screen prompts to install the newest version of iPadOS.

Update Adobe Acrobat

Open the App Store on your iPad, tap your profile picture at the top right, and scroll down to check for available app updates. If Adobe Acrobat is listed, tap 'Update' next to it.

Restart the Device

Press and hold the top power button and either volume button until the power off slider appears. Drag the slider to turn off the iPad. Wait a few moments, then press and hold the top button again to turn it back on.

Firmware Updates: Apple Pencil firmware updates automatically in the background when the Pencil is attached to or paired with an iPad that is connected to the internet and running the latest iPadOS.

Solution 2

Use Local Copies and Adjust Annotation Habits

Localizing the file prevents cloud-syncing errors, while altering your annotation habits can bypass the displacement trigger.

Reliable PDF Editor

Annotate PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office on iPad

Experience flawless Apple Pencil integration with WPS Office. Annotate, highlight, and edit PDFs on your iPad without worrying about annotations shifting, moving, or syncing incorrectly.

1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office on your iPad and tap on your PDF file to view it.
2. Select the Annotation Tool: Tap on the 'Annotation' or 'Edit' tab located in the top menu bar to reveal the drawing tools.
3. Draw and Highlight: Use your Apple Pencil to write, draw, or highlight directly on the document pages smoothly.
4. Zoom and Scroll Freely: Use your fingers to zoom in or scroll down the document without worrying about your annotations displacing.
5. Save Your Work: Tap the 'Save' icon to ensure your precise markings are properly stored in a fully compatible PDF format.

Smooth Apple Pencil integration for precise, stable annotations100% compatible with Adobe PDF formatsLightweight, fast, and optimized for iPadOSFree and incredibly easy to use

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my Apple Pencil markings move out of place in Acrobat?

This is often caused by software rendering bugs or caching delays within Acrobat when the application attempts to quickly differentiate between Apple Pencil inputs and finger-scrolling gestures.

Can I recover annotations that have already shifted?

Usually, you can undo the last action immediately by tapping the undo arrow. However, if the document has already been saved with shifted annotations, you may need to manually erase and redraw them, or revert to a previous file version if you saved a backup copy.

Does reinstalling the Acrobat app delete my PDF files?

If your files are stored locally within the Acrobat app's specific directory, reinstalling the app will delete them. Always move your important PDFs to the 'On My iPad' folder or a cloud service like iCloud Drive before uninstalling the application.

PDF Troubleshooting