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How to Enable Polygon and Cloud Markup Tools in Acrobat Pro
Question details
The user needs to enable specific drawing markup tools that are currently unavailable in their PDF editor.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro 11
- Device & OS
- Windows 10
- Scenario
- Editing a PDF document on a touchscreen laptop and attempting to use advanced drawing markups.
- Observed behavior
- The Draw Cloud, Draw Polygon, and Draw Connected Lines tools are missing or unavailable from the interface after software installation.
Verify whether your Windows 10 laptop is currently actively running in tablet or touchscreen mode, as the software interface dynamically adapts to these system settings.
Disable Acrobat Touch Mode
Turning off the automatic touch-optimized interface in Acrobat Pro restores access to hidden markup tools.
On touchscreen devices, Acrobat automatically activates Touch Mode to space out buttons for easier finger tapping. However, this simplified layout hides complex drawing tools like Polygons and Clouds.
Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro. Click on the 'Edit' menu at the top left corner of the application window and select 'Preferences' from the dropdown list.
In the Preferences dialog box, look at the left-hand panel and click on 'General' under the Categories list.
Locate the 'Touch Mode' dropdown menu on the right side of the window. Change the setting from 'Auto-Detect' or 'Always' to 'Never'.
Click the 'OK' button at the bottom to apply your changes. Close and restart Acrobat Pro to refresh the interface and restore the missing tools.
Use WPS PDF for Seamless Drawing and Annotations
WPS Office includes a powerful, built-in PDF editor that makes adding shapes, clouds, and highlights effortless. If you are struggling with missing toolbars or complex settings in other software, WPS PDF offers an intuitive, stable interface for all your document markup needs.
- 1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office, select the 'PDF' module, and open your target document.
- 2. Navigate to the Comment Tab: Click on the 'Comment' tab located on the top ribbon to reveal the comprehensive annotation toolkit.
- 3. Select Drawing Shapes: Click the 'Shapes' or 'Draw' icons to immediately insert lines, arrows, clouds, or custom polygons onto your PDF pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do certain markup tools disappear in Acrobat on a touchscreen device?
Acrobat features an auto-detect function for touchscreen laptops. When it senses a touch interface, it activates 'Touch Mode,' which enlarges buttons for finger tapping but hides advanced markup tools like polygons and clouds to save screen space.
Can I permanently prevent Acrobat from hiding my drawing tools?
Yes, you can permanently disable this behavior by going to Edit > Preferences > General, and explicitly setting the 'Touch Mode' option to 'Never' instead of 'Auto-Detect'.
Where are the drawing markup tools located when Touch Mode is disabled?
Once Touch Mode is off, you can find the drawing tools by opening the 'Comment' pane on the right-hand side of the Acrobat interface, expanding the Drawing Tools section, and selecting the desired shape.
Will shapes and clouds added in a PDF be visible to users on other software?
Yes, standard PDF markups (including clouds, polygons, and lines) are saved natively into the document. They will be fully visible when shared with users opening the file in other standard readers like WPS PDF or web browsers.
