How to Fix Acrobat Removing Word Document Markup During PDF Conversion
Question details
Tracked changes, comments, and other document markups are unexpectedly removed when converting a Word document to a PDF file using the Adobe Acrobat integration.
- Product
- Microsoft Office Standard 2019, Adobe Acrobat Standard
- Device & OS
- PC / Windows
- Scenario
- A user is attempting to save or convert a heavily marked-up Microsoft Word document into a PDF format while keeping the tracked changes and comments visible.
- Observed behavior
- The generated PDF file appears as a clean document, with all the original Word markups, comments, and tracked changes completely stripped away or hidden.
Ensure you have fully resolved and saved your document, and confirm your Acrobat Add-in is fully updated to match your current version of Microsoft Office.
Enable Print Markup Settings in Microsoft Word
Verify that your Microsoft Word display and print options are actively configured to include document markups prior to running the Acrobat conversion.
The Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker add-in often relies on Word's native print settings to determine what gets rendered into the final document. If Microsoft Word is configured to hide markups during printing, Acrobat will also exclude them from the resulting PDF.
Navigate to the 'Review' tab in the Microsoft Word ribbon. In the Tracking group, select 'All Markup' from the drop-down menu to ensure changes are visible on screen.
Go to 'File' and select 'Print'. Under the Settings section, click the first drop-down menu (usually stating 'Print All Pages') and ensure that 'Print Markup' has a checkmark next to it.
Return to your document, click the 'Acrobat' tab in the ribbon, and select 'Create PDF' to verify if the markups are now correctly retained in the output file.
Configure Acrobat PDFMaker Preferences
Adjust the specific settings within the Acrobat tab to force the add-in to include comments and document information.
Use Word's Native Save As PDF Feature
Bypass the Adobe Acrobat add-in completely and use Word's built-in PDF export tool to securely preserve comments and tracked changes.
Convert Word to PDF with Markups Seamlessly Using WPS Office
Avoid complex add-in configurations and third-party software conflicts by using WPS Office. Its built-in, native PDF exporter allows you to cleanly convert documents while easily choosing whether to keep or hide tracked changes and comments.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your marked-up document.
- 2. Access PDF Exporter: Click on the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 3. Configure Export Options: In the Export to PDF dialog, check the advanced settings to ensure the option to include comments or revisions is actively selected.
- 4. Export Document: Click the 'Export to PDF' button to generate your new PDF with all original markups perfectly preserved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my converted PDF look like the final version of the document instead of showing edits?
Most PDF conversion tools default to exporting the 'Final' or 'Clean' view of a document to prevent sensitive editing history from being shared accidentally. You must explicitly configure the software or print settings to output the markup view.
Can I convert a PDF with tracked changes back into a Word document?
Yes, but the results vary by software. Converting a PDF back to Word usually turns the visible markups into static text or standard comments, rather than active, interactable tracked changes in the traditional Word format.
Is it possible to print tracked changes to PDF without using Adobe Acrobat?
Absolutely. You can use the 'Microsoft Print to PDF' virtual printer natively installed on Windows. Simply go to File > Print in Word, select 'Microsoft Print to PDF' as your printer, ensure 'Print Markup' is checked in the settings, and hit Print.
Do I need a premium Adobe subscription to keep comments in PDFs?
No. Keeping comments visible during conversion is a function of how the original document's software (like Word) hands off the data. Properly configuring the print and export settings in your word processor is usually enough, even with free or standard conversion tools.
