How to Make a Fill Transparent in Adobe Acrobat CC 2018
Question details
The user wants to remove the fill color or make it transparent for an element in Adobe Acrobat CC 2018.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat CC 2018
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Editing a PDF document and attempting to change the background color of a shape, comment, or text box to transparent.
- Observed behavior
- The Acrobat color picker displays various color shades but lacks an obvious option to remove the fill or apply full transparency.
Ensure your PDF document is not restricted from editing or commenting. If the file is locked or secured with a permissions password, the properties and color selection tools will be grayed out.
Enable Transparency in the Mac Color Selection Dialog
Use the built-in macOS color picker accessed through Adobe Acrobat to set the fill color to transparent.
In the Mac version of Adobe Acrobat CC 2018, the software relies on the system's native color selection dialog. You must locate the transparency controls within this specific window to achieve a transparent fill.
Right-click the shape or text box you want to edit in your PDF, and select 'Properties' from the context menu.
Navigate to the 'Appearance' tab in the Properties window and click on the 'Fill Color' box.
In the Mac color selection dialog that pops up, look for the transparency checkbox or opacity slider at the bottom. Check the box or drag the opacity slider down to 0%.
Once transparency is selected, the specific color chosen no longer matters as it will be fully transparent. Click 'OK' to apply the changes to your object.
Select 'No Color' in Windows Acrobat
For Windows users, use the 'No Color' swatch or adjust the opacity slider within the Acrobat properties toolbar.
Edit and Annotate PDFs Easily with WPS Office
Struggling with hidden color settings? WPS PDF offers an intuitive, user-friendly interface for editing PDFs. Adding shapes, adjusting fill colors, and applying transparency can be done in just a few clicks without digging through complex system color dialogs.
- 1. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document you wish to edit.
- 2. Select the Object: Click on the shape, text box, or comment whose fill color you want to change.
- 3. Access the Appearance Menu: Navigate to the right-hand properties panel or the floating toolbar that appears.
- 4. Apply Transparent Fill: Click the 'Fill Color' dropdown and select the 'No Fill' icon (a square with a red slash). The fill will immediately become transparent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is changing the opacity to 0% the same as a transparent fill?
Yes, visually and functionally, setting the fill opacity to 0% achieves the exact same result as selecting a 'No Fill' or transparent option. The element's background will become completely invisible.
Why is the Fill Color option grayed out in Acrobat?
This usually happens if the PDF document has security restrictions preventing document assembly or commenting. Check the document properties (Ctrl+D or Cmd+D) under the 'Security' tab to see if editing is allowed.
Can I make an image background transparent in Adobe Acrobat?
The transparent fill settings in the color picker only apply to vector shapes, comments, and text boxes. To make an image background transparent in Acrobat, you typically need to edit the image externally in a program like Photoshop using the 'Edit Image' tool.
