How to Fix Corrupted Text When Copying Text Boxes in Acrobat X
Question details
The user needs to resolve an issue where copying text boxes in Acrobat X results in corrupted or unreadable text.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat X
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Copying text boxes between PDF documents or within the same document.
- Observed behavior
- The pasted text becomes XML-like, garbled, or completely unreadable instead of retaining the original characters.
Ensure you have the latest updates installed for Adobe Acrobat X, as older versions are more prone to font-handling bugs. It is also helpful to check if the PDF is an XFA-based form, which frequently triggers this copying error.
Paste Text Content into a New Text Box
Avoid copying the entire text box object, which triggers the bug, and instead copy only the text itself.
This Acrobat X issue is often caused by copying the container object along with the text, which brings over corrupted XML data. By copying just the raw text, you bypass the software's object-handling bug.
Double-click inside the original text box in Acrobat X, highlight the text, and press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac) to copy the text content.
Go to the destination PDF, select the 'Add Text Box' tool from the Comment or Edit menu, and draw a new text box.
Click inside the newly created text box and press Ctrl+V (or Cmd+V) to paste the uncorrupted text.
Convert XFA-based Content to a Standard PDF
Flattening or converting the document to a standard PDF format can resolve underlying XML and font-handling conflicts.
Edit and Copy PDF Text Boxes Flawlessly with WPS Office
If Adobe Acrobat X continues to corrupt your text, switch to WPS PDF. It offers a modern, bug-free PDF editing experience, allowing you to copy, paste, and modify text boxes across documents without losing formatting or generating unreadable characters.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office, click on 'PDF', and open the document containing the text boxes you want to copy.
- 2. Select the text box: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab, click on the target text box to select the object, and press Ctrl+C to copy it.
- 3. Paste without corruption: Go to your destination page or document and press Ctrl+V. The text box and its contents will appear perfectly intact.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does copied text turn into XML code in Acrobat X?
This is a known bug in Acrobat X related to font-handling and XFA-based forms. When you copy the entire text box object, the software mistakenly copies the underlying XML structure instead of just the visual text.
Can updating Adobe Acrobat fix the corrupted text issue?
Yes, installing the latest patches for Acrobat X may resolve some font-handling bugs. However, since Acrobat X is an older, unsupported version, upgrading to a modern PDF editor might be necessary for a permanent fix.
How do I know if my PDF is an XFA-based form?
You can check this by opening the PDF in Acrobat, going to 'File' > 'Properties', and looking under the 'Description' or 'Advanced' tab. If it was created with Adobe LiveCycle Designer, it is likely an XFA form, which is highly prone to this copying bug.
