How to Fix Acrobat Adding Extra Letters and Compressing Text During PDF Editing
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where the PDF editor inserts unwanted characters and visually compresses the text formatting when attempting to edit document text fields.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Modifying existing text or typing into text fields within a PDF document.
- Observed behavior
- The application automatically adds an extra letter (such as 'e') after words and squishes or compresses the text together, making it unreadable.
Before attempting any fixes, try opening and editing a completely different PDF file to determine if this text compression and character insertion bug is isolated to one specific document or if it affects all your files.
Update Adobe Acrobat to the Latest Version
Software bugs related to font rendering and text field editing are frequently patched in newer release versions. Updating ensures you have the latest fixes.
A known issue in certain Acrobat versions causes text compression and the insertion of extra letters during edits. Ensuring your software is up to date is the most reliable way to resolve these built-in rendering bugs.
Launch your Adobe Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Reader DC application on your computer.
Click on the 'Help' menu at the top of the screen and select 'Check for Updates' from the dropdown list.
Follow the on-screen prompts to download and install the latest version (e.g., 19.21.20058 or newer). Once the installation is complete, restart Acrobat and try editing your PDF again.
Recreate the PDF from the Source Document
If the issue only happens with a single file, the PDF's internal text structure or embedded fonts may be corrupted.
Edit PDF Text Without Errors Using WPS Office
Avoid font corruption, unwanted characters, and text compression bugs by using the reliable PDF editing tools built into WPS Office. It allows you to modify text, images, and pages in your PDF documents smoothly and accurately.
- 1. Open the PDF File: Launch WPS Office, click on 'Open', and select the PDF document you need to modify.
- 2. Access the Edit Menu: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab located on the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Modify Text Safely: Click the 'Edit Text' button. You can now click on any paragraph to type or modify text smoothly without compression issues.
- 4. Save Your Changes: Once your edits are complete, press Ctrl+S or click the Save icon to securely save your updated PDF.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF text look compressed when I try to edit it?
This usually happens when the original fonts used in the document are not properly embedded, or if they are missing from your computer's system. When this occurs, the PDF editor struggles to match the kerning, causing the text to substitute incorrectly and look squished or compressed.
How can I check my current Adobe Acrobat version?
You can verify your installed version by opening Adobe Acrobat, clicking on the 'Help' menu at the top, and selecting 'About Adobe Acrobat' or 'About Adobe Acrobat Reader'. A pop-up window will display your specific release version.
What should I do if updating the software doesn't fix the extra letter bug?
If updating does not resolve the issue, the specific PDF file likely has a corrupted text structure. The most effective workaround is to recreate the PDF from its original source file (like Word or Excel), or try using a different PDF editing application to make your necessary text changes.
