PDF Editing Issues

How to Fix Missing White Color in PDF Pen and Highlighter Options

Muhammad Talha Oct 18, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to restore the white color option for the pen and highlighter tools to use it as a makeshift whiteout for erasing errors in PDF documents.

How to Fix Missing White Color in PDF Pen and Highlighter Options

Product: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to cover up, hide, or erase unwanted text and images in a PDF document using white annotations.
Observed behavior: The white color option has been removed from the pencil, pen, and highlighter tool palettes, preventing the user from hiding unwanted PDF information.

Before you start

Ensure your PDF application is updated to the latest version, as temporary software glitches or recent interface updates may affect the availability of specific color palettes.

Solution 1Recommended

Check Your PDF Reader Version and Update

Verify your current app version to determine if a recent software update caused the issue or if a patch is available to restore missing tools.

Software developers frequently update user interfaces, which can sometimes move or temporarily remove specific features. Checking your version helps determine if you are experiencing a known bug.

Open the application

Launch your PDF reader app on your mobile device or tablet.

Access the menu

Tap the three vertical dots located in the top right corner of the screen to open the main menu.

Navigate to Help settings

Select 'Help' from the dropdown menu, then tap the three vertical dots again.

Check app version

Choose 'About' to view your current version details. Visit your device's app store to check for and install any available updates.

Check Your PDF Reader Version and Update

Solution 2

Use a Solid White Shape as a Whiteout Alternative

If the white pen color is permanently removed, you can use a solid white rectangle to cleanly cover up unwanted text and images.

Seamless PDF Editing

Easily Edit or Whiteout PDF Content with WPS Office

Instead of using makeshift whiteout annotations that leave your original text vulnerable to copying, you can use WPS PDF to directly edit, delete, or modify text and images. WPS Office provides a robust suite of PDF tools to handle document corrections natively.

1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Download and launch WPS Office, then open the target PDF file you need to modify.
2. Access the Edit tools: Navigate to the 'Edit' tab at the top of the screen and click on 'Edit Content' to make the document elements selectable.
3. Delete unwanted content: Click directly on the unwanted text or image and press the 'Delete' key on your keyboard to remove it completely.
4. Apply safe redactions or shapes: Alternatively, go to the 'Insert' tab, select 'Shapes', draw a rectangle over the target area, and set its fill color to white for a clean cover-up.

Directly edit, delete, or rewrite PDF text without needing messy whiteout tools.Insert solid shapes and format them with custom colors to cleanly block out document sections.Fully compatible with standard PDF formats and files created in Adobe Acrobat.Lightweight, fast, and features an intuitive interface for easy document modification.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my PDF reader suddenly remove the white color option?

Software developers sometimes update their user interfaces or consolidate tool palettes. This can occasionally result in specific color choices being temporarily or permanently removed from standard annotation tools like pens and highlighters.

Can I completely delete text in a PDF instead of covering it up?

Yes. By using a dedicated PDF editor like WPS PDF, you can directly select and delete the underlying text or images rather than just drawing white shapes over them, resulting in a cleaner document.

Is using a white pen or shape a secure way to hide sensitive information?

No. Using a white pen or shape only hides the text visually. The underlying text data remains in the file and can easily be highlighted and copied by anyone. For sensitive data, you must use a proper Redaction tool to permanently remove it.

PDF Troubleshooting