How to Fix Apple Pencil Highlighting Not Working in Acrobat on iPad
Question details
The user is unable to consistently highlight body text in PDFs using a second-generation Apple Pencil in the Adobe Acrobat app on an iPad Pro.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- iPadOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to highlight body text in a text-based PDF document using an Apple Pencil.
- Observed behavior
- Highlighting fails or acts inconsistently on body text, even though header highlighting and freehand drawing continue to work.
Ensure your Apple Pencil is properly paired and sufficiently charged, and verify that the PDF document contains recognizable text rather than just scanned images.
Reinstall Adobe Acrobat and Update iPadOS
Removing and reinstalling the app alongside updating your device can resolve underlying software glitches affecting the highlighting tool.
Acrobat on iPadOS occasionally experiences cache issues or bug-related conflicts with Apple Pencil inputs. A fresh installation using the App Store ensures you have the latest stable version.
Tap and hold the Acrobat icon on your iPad home screen, select 'Remove App', and then tap 'Delete App' to clear the application and its local cache.
Navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your iPad to check for and install any pending system updates.
Open the App Store, search for 'Adobe Acrobat', and download the app again.
Open your text-based PDF in the newly installed Acrobat app, select the Highlight tool, and try dragging your Apple Pencil across the body text.
Verify Document Text Selectability
Check if the document formatting is preventing standard text selection in the body paragraphs.
Highlight PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office on iPad
WPS Office offers robust PDF editing capabilities with flawless Apple Pencil support. If you're experiencing glitches in other apps, try WPS Office for a smooth, reliable highlighting and annotation experience on your iPad.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download WPS Office for free from the iPad App Store.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and import or open the PDF document you want to edit.
- 3. Select the Highlight Tool: Tap the 'Annotation' menu at the top and choose the Highlight tool.
- 4. Highlight with Apple Pencil: Drag your Apple Pencil across the body text to apply precise highlights instantly without lagging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I highlight headers but not body text in my PDF?
Body text might be rendered as an image layer rather than recognizable text, or the document formatting may have invisible layers overlapping the content. Headers might be structured differently, allowing them to remain selectable.
How can I tell if a PDF has selectable text?
Try using your finger to long-press on a word in the document. If a text selection cursor appears and you can drag to select multiple words, the document has selectable text. If it highlights the whole page as a blue block, it is likely a flattened image.
Does WPS Office support second-generation Apple Pencil features?
Yes, WPS Office on iPad is fully optimized for Apple Pencil, including the second-generation model. It supports precise text highlighting, handwriting, and pressure sensitivity.
