PDF Editing Issues

How to Fix Overlapping Text and Covered Page Numbers in Adobe Acrobat

Rana Garcia Oct 23, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve an issue where adding multiple lines of text to an existing PDF causes the new text to overlap with nearby lines and obscure page numbers.

How to Fix Overlapping Text and Covered Page Numbers in Adobe Acrobat

Product: Adobe Acrobat Pro
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Adding multiple lines of text to an existing PDF document using the text editing tools.
Observed behavior: The newly entered text does not push existing content down; instead, it overlaps existing text lines and covers the page numbers.

Before you start

Verify whether your PDF is a scanned document (image-based) or a native text PDF, as this dictates how text reflows when edited. Also, ensure you are using the desktop version of Acrobat Pro rather than the web viewer.

Solution 1Recommended

Adjust the Text Box Bounding Box and Line Spacing

Use this method to manually resize the text container so that new lines do not spill over and overlap with other elements.

In Adobe Acrobat, text is contained within bounding boxes. When you add multiple lines, the box may not automatically expand or reflow the surrounding content, leading to overlapping text.

Select the Edit PDF Tool

Open your document in Adobe Acrobat Pro and click on 'Edit PDF' in the right-hand pane.

Resize the Text Box

Click on the text you are editing. A bounding box will appear around it. Drag the corner or edge handles to expand the box, giving the text more room to fit without covering page numbers.

Adjust Format Settings

If text lines are overlapping each other within the same box, highlight the text and look at the 'Format' section on the right panel. Adjust the 'Line Spacing' value to provide enough space between your text lines.

Adjust the Text Box Bounding Box and Line Spacing

Check Document Structure: If expanding the box doesn't push the underlying text down, the PDF might lack properly tagged flow structure. You may need to manually move the overlapping elements down.

Solution 2

Perform OCR on Scanned Documents

Use this solution if you are editing a scanned PDF, which handles text layers differently from native PDFs.

Edit PDFs Smoothly with WPS Office

If you are struggling with overlapping text and rigid bounding boxes in your current PDF editor, WPS PDF offers a highly intuitive and reflow-friendly editing experience. It allows you to seamlessly add, modify, and format text while maintaining the correct layout and page structures automatically.

1. Open the PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF file you wish to edit.
2. Access the Edit Tab: Click on the 'Edit' tab at the top menu bar, then select 'Edit Text'.
3. Add or Modify Text: Click anywhere on the document to start typing. WPS PDF will automatically adjust the text box size and reflow the content smoothly without obscuring page numbers.

Seamless text editing that prevents overlapping and layout issuesHigh compatibility with Adobe PDF formats and structuresAdvanced OCR technology for easily editing scanned documentsLightweight, fast performance for large and complex PDF files

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does text overlap when I type in an existing PDF?

Text overlaps usually happen because the PDF lacks a flexible layout structure. Unlike word processors, PDFs use fixed bounding boxes for text. If you add more text than the box can hold, it spills over instead of pushing the existing content down.

How do I stop text from covering page numbers in a PDF?

You can prevent this by manually resizing the bounding box of the text you are editing. Drag the bottom handle of the text box upwards, or manually select and drag the page number element out of the way using the Edit PDF tool.

Does this issue happen more often with scanned PDFs?

Yes. Scanned PDFs are essentially flat images. When you add text to them without running OCR (Optical Character Recognition) first, the new text simply floats on top of the image layer, causing overlaps.

PDF Troubleshooting