How to Fix Cannot Copy Text from a PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Question details
The user is unable to copy text from a PDF document in Acrobat Pro DC, often encountering bounding boxes instead of standard text selection.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to highlight and copy specific text from a PDF document to paste it into another application.
- Observed behavior
- When clicking on the text, bounding boxes appear as if the text is a block object, or the selection simply fails to copy the text to the clipboard.
Verify that your PDF is not a scanned image, as scanned documents require OCR (Optical Character Recognition) processing before any text can be selected or copied.
Switch to the Select Text and Image Tool
Use this method if clicking on text displays editing bounding boxes instead of highlighting the text.
Acrobat has distinct modes for editing and reading. If you are using the 'Edit PDF' tool, Acrobat treats text as editable blocks. To quickly copy content without modifying the document format, you must switch back to the standard selection tool.
If you currently have the 'Edit PDF' panel open and see bounding boxes around paragraphs, click the 'Close' button in the right-hand pane to exit editing mode.
Look at the top toolbar and click on the arrow icon, which represents the 'Select Text and Image' tool.
Click and drag your cursor over the text you wish to copy. Once highlighted, right-click the selected text and choose 'Copy', or press Ctrl+C (Windows) / Cmd+C (Mac).
Check Document Security and Permissions
Use this method if the selection tool works but the 'Copy' option is grayed out or fails to copy anything to your clipboard.
Update Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
Use this method if the copying failure appears to be a bug affecting every PDF you open.
Seamlessly Copy Text from PDFs with WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat is causing persistent tool conflicts or copying errors, try WPS Office. Its built-in PDF reader provides straightforward text selection, smart OCR tools for scanned documents, and seamless copying without confusing editing modes.
- 1. Download and Install: Download and install the free version of WPS Office on your computer.
- 2. Open the PDF: Launch WPS Office, click 'Open', and select your target PDF document.
- 3. Select the Text: Ensure the 'Select' tool is active on the Home tab, then click and drag over the text you want to extract.
- 4. Copy and Paste: Right-click the highlighted text and choose 'Copy', then paste it smoothly into your desired document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the text show bounding boxes when I click on it?
You are likely using a PDF editing tool rather than a standard reading or selection tool. When an editing tool is active, the software treats paragraphs as editable blocks, displaying bounding boxes. Switching to the standard 'Select Text and Image' tool will allow normal highlighting.
What should I do if the PDF is a scanned image?
If the PDF was created from a scanner, it consists of flat images rather than actual digital text layers. You cannot copy text from it directly. You must use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool to recognize and convert the image into selectable text.
Can I bypass a secured PDF to copy text?
If the author has restricted content copying via the document's security settings, you cannot copy text natively without the author's permission. You will need to enter the permissions password in the Document Properties to unlock the copying functionality.
