How to Keep the Highlight Tool Active in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
The user needs a way to highlight multiple passages continuously without having to reselect the highlight tool each time.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Highlighting multiple passages of text in a PDF document continuously for review or studying.
- Observed behavior
- The Highlight tool automatically turns off and becomes inactive after applying just one highlight, forcing the user to reselect the tool for every subsequent markup.
Ensure your PDF document is not restricted from editing or commenting, and verify that you are accessing the specific 'Comment' toolbar rather than a quick-select menu.
Pin the Highlight Tool in the Comments Toolbar
Use the built-in Pin feature to keep the Highlight tool active for continuous use without reselecting.
Adobe Acrobat includes a specific toggle to lock annotation tools. When this is enabled, you can apply multiple highlights across your document without the cursor reverting to the default selection tool.
Launch Adobe Acrobat, open your PDF document, and select 'Comment' from the right-hand pane or the 'Tools' menu.
Click on the 'Highlight text' tool icon located at the top of the Comment toolbar.
Look for the 'Keep tool selected' icon (which looks like a push pin) in the toolbar and click it to lock the highlight tool.
Drag your cursor over the various text passages you want to highlight. The tool will now stay active for multiple selections.
Update and Repair Adobe Acrobat Installation
If the Pin tool doesn't work or is missing, updating or repairing your Acrobat installation can fix underlying software glitches.
Reset Acrobat Preferences to Default
Corrupted preference files can cause specific tools to malfunction. Resetting them forces Acrobat to generate fresh, default settings.
Highlight PDFs Effortlessly in WPS Office
Avoid frustrating tool-reset issues by using WPS PDF. WPS Office includes a built-in PDF reader and editor that provides smooth, continuous highlighting and commenting features, completely free.
- 1. Open PDF in WPS: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF file.
- 2. Go to the Comment Tab: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon.
- 3. Select the Highlight Tool: Click the 'Highlight' button to activate the text highlighter.
- 4. Highlight Your Text: Select the text you want to highlight. The tool remains active seamlessly for your next selection without extra configuration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my highlight tool keep turning off in Adobe Acrobat?
By default, Acrobat may revert to the selection tool after a single highlight to allow users to interact with other document elements safely. You must manually enable the 'Keep tool selected' (Pin) icon in the Comment toolbar to override this behavior.
Will repairing Adobe Acrobat delete my PDF files?
No, using the 'Repair Installation' option from the Help menu only scans and replaces missing or corrupted application files. Your personal PDF documents, comments, and data will remain safe.
How do I highlight multiple separate lines at once?
To highlight multiple unconnected lines, activate the highlight tool, click the 'Pin' icon to keep it selected, and then drag your cursor over each separate passage of text one by one.
What if the Pin icon is missing from my Acrobat toolbar?
If you cannot see the Pin icon, you might be using an outdated version of Acrobat or a simplified quick-tool menu. Ensure you open the full 'Comment' toolset from the right pane, or update the software via Help > Check for Updates.
