How to Fix Acrobat Comment Text That Fades or Turns Gray
Question details
The user needs to prevent text annotations from turning gray or fading when they become inactive after being added via the PDF Commenting tool.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Adding text annotations to a PDF document using the Commenting or Add Text Comment tools.
- Observed behavior
- The added text appears faded or grayed out as soon as the comment annotation is no longer actively selected by the user.
Determine whether the text you are adding is meant to be a temporary review note or a permanent part of the PDF document, as this dictates which editing tool you should use.
Adjust Pop-up Opacity in Commenting Preferences
Change the pop-up opacity setting to 100% so that comments remain fully opaque even when not selected.
Adobe Acrobat allows you to control the transparency of inactive comment pop-ups. If this value is set too low, comments will appear faded or gray when you click away from them.
Launch Adobe Acrobat and navigate to Edit > Preferences on Windows, or Acrobat > Preferences on a Mac.
Select 'Commenting' from the Categories list on the left side of the Preferences window.
Locate the 'Pop-up Opacity' setting and change its value to 100, then click OK to save your changes.
Use the Edit PDF Tool for Permanent Text
Use the Edit PDF feature instead of the Commenting tool if you want to add actual, permanent text to the document.
Use a Text Box with a White Background
Create a text box annotation with a solid white background to prevent the text from fading, especially in software versions where opacity settings might be limited.
Add Permanent Text and Comments Easily with WPS PDF
Avoid frustrating fading text issues by using WPS Office. Its built-in PDF editor offers robust tools that allow you to seamlessly insert permanent text or vibrant, fully opaque comments into your documents without dealing with complex opacity settings.
- 1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF document using the built-in WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Choose Your Editing Tool: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab to add permanent document text, or go to the 'Comment' tab for annotations and review marks.
- 3. Insert Text: Click 'Add Text' or 'Text Box', click on the desired area of the page, and type your content. Your text will remain solid and clear.
- 4. Save the Document: Click the Save icon or press Ctrl+S to save your perfectly formatted PDF document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my text in Acrobat look faded only when I click away?
This happens because the 'Pop-up Opacity' setting in Acrobat's Commenting preferences is set below 100%. When a comment is inactive (not selected), Acrobat makes it transparent according to this specific setting.
What is the difference between the Commenting tool and the Edit PDF tool?
The Commenting tool adds a temporary annotation layer on top of the page for review purposes, which can sometimes fade or hide based on view settings. The Edit PDF tool modifies the actual base text layer of the document, making the text a permanent part of the file.
How do I fix Acrobat comment text issues if the problem started after a software update?
If adjusting the opacity settings or using text boxes does not work and the issue began immediately after a recent update, it is recommended to completely uninstall Adobe Acrobat, remove any damaged installation files, and reinstall the latest version from the official website.
