How to Show Editable Objects in Adobe Acrobat 2017
Question details
The user needs to know how to display bounding boxes around editable text and images in Adobe Acrobat 2017 to modify document contents.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat 2017
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Attempting to edit an existing PDF document and needing to identify which text blocks and images can be selected and modified.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants to reveal the editable areas (bounding boxes) to easily select and alter supported content, similar to features found in older versions like Acrobat XI.
Ensure you have the appropriate permissions to edit the PDF document, as secured or restricted files will not display editable bounding boxes until unlocked.
Use the Edit PDF Tool to Reveal Editable Content
The 'Edit PDF' tool replaces older content editing controls, automatically scanning the document and instantly revealing all editable text and image objects.
In Adobe Acrobat 2017, the process of finding editable elements has been streamlined. Instead of manually enabling bounding boxes, accessing the main editing tool will automatically highlight everything you can change.
Launch Adobe Acrobat 2017 and open the PDF document you wish to edit.
Click on the 'Tools' tab located at the top left of the Acrobat application window.
Locate and click on the 'Edit PDF' icon. Acrobat will automatically analyze the document and draw bounding boxes around all editable text blocks and image objects.
Click inside any of the displayed bounding boxes to start typing, editing text formatting, or moving and resizing images.
Edit Text and Images Smoothly Using WPS PDF
If you are looking for an intuitive and fast way to edit PDF files, WPS Office provides a powerful, built-in PDF editor. It instantly identifies text and images, allowing you to modify them as easily as a standard Word document.
- 1. Open your PDF in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open your PDF file directly within the application workspace.
- 2. Navigate to the Edit tab: Click on the 'Edit' tab located on the top ribbon menu.
- 3. Select Edit Content: Click on the 'Edit Content' button. WPS PDF will instantly reveal bounding boxes around all editable text and images.
- 4. Make your changes: Click inside any highlighted box to seamlessly edit text, change fonts, or drag and resize images.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I see editable text boxes in my PDF?
If bounding boxes do not appear, the PDF might be a flattened image file (like a scan) without embedded text, or the document author has applied security restrictions preventing editing. You will need the password to unlock it or use OCR tools to make text editable.
How do I edit text in a scanned PDF document?
To edit text in a scanned document, you must perform Optical Character Recognition (OCR). In modern PDF editors, the OCR process is usually triggered automatically when you select the editing tool on a scanned file, converting the image pixels into editable text blocks.
Can I edit images in a PDF just like text?
Yes. When you activate the PDF editing mode, supported images are also highlighted with bounding boxes. You can select them to resize, reposition, replace, or delete the images entirely without leaving the application.
