How to Fix Acrobat Send for Review Comments Not Appearing
Question details
Users cannot view comments added during the Send for Review process in Adobe Acrobat when collaborating over an SMB network drive.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Reader DC
- Device & OS
- Windows or Mac
- Scenario
- Collaborating on a shared PDF file and attempting to synchronize comments using a Shared Review hosted on an SMB network drive.
- Observed behavior
- The review tracker indicates that new comments have been added, but the actual comments do not display within the PDF document.
Verify that your connection to the SMB network drive is active and stable, and ensure you have the appropriate read and write permissions for the shared review directory.
Update Adobe Acrobat or Reader DC
Installing the latest software update patches the known synchronization bug that prevents shared review comments from rendering correctly.
This missing comments issue is tied to a specific synchronization flaw in older versions of Acrobat DC when handling SMB server connections. Adobe released a patch specifically to address this tracker discrepancy.
Launch Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC on your Windows or Mac computer.
Navigate to the top menu bar, click on 'Help', and select 'Check for Updates' from the dropdown menu.
If version 20.009.20074 or a newer update is available, follow the on-screen prompts to install it. Once completed, restart the application and open the shared review PDF again.
Seamlessly Review and Annotate PDFs with WPS Office
If you frequently encounter synchronization bugs or complex network drive issues with proprietary PDF review services, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a robust, lightweight environment to open, comment, and collaborate on PDF files smoothly without relying on complex server-based review trackers.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office Free from the official website and complete the installation on your device.
- 2. Open Your PDF File: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select the shared PDF file you wish to review.
- 3. Add Annotations: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon to easily add sticky notes, highlights, and text boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF review tracker show new comments but the document is empty?
This mismatch is often caused by a synchronization bug in Adobe Acrobat DC when reviewing files over an SMB network drive. The tracker registers the XML data for the comment, but the software fails to render it visually. Updating to the latest software version usually fixes this.
Can I manually force Acrobat to sync shared review comments?
Yes, you can try clicking 'Check for New Comments' directly in the document message bar or the review tracker. If the comments still do not appear, restarting the application or applying the latest application update is required.
Does a slow network connection cause PDF comments to disappear?
If your connection to the SMB drive is unstable or drops, Acrobat may fail to download the latest comment files correctly. This can temporarily prevent new comments from appearing until a stable connection is re-established and synced.
