Why Can’t Highlight Text in PDF? Try 6 Fixes to Enable It
PDFs have already conquered the business workflow, bringing ease to professionals to handle the chunks of digital documents instead of paperwork. Similarly, the traditional markers are replaced by text highlighters. Picture this: what if you can’t highlight text in PDF file? This issue might impact your workflow, follow this guide to learn the effective troubleshooting fixes to overcome this problem and enhance the PDF text selecting experience.
Why Can’t I Highlight Text in PDF File?
There were days when markers were more like work companions for highlighting important data, making it quick and eye-catching for users. These pen markers have lost their importance due to digital text highlighters. The PDF highlighter feature is translucent and handy for text selection with accuracy.
Unfortunately, the issue of cannot highlight text in a PDF might frustrate you. It prevents you from deeply analyzing your PDF document. Moreover, there are a myriad of reasons behind highlight text is not working in PDF, read them below:
PDF is Image-Based or Scanned: If your PDF document is created by scanning, the text is stored in image format instead of selectable or editable text. In this case, you experience the issue like can’t highlight text in PDF as the document contains text in picture format.
Secured PDF Document: Sometimes PDFs are secured with advanced restrictions or security. The permissions, such as text highlighting or editing, are controlled by owners to prevent action on the files. Hence, you should remove PDF restrictions from document to access the data.
Corrupted PDFs: Corrupted PDF files are typically damaged, incompatible, or incomplete, containing errors due to file transmission, storage, or creation. This reason triggers the issue of can’t select text in PDF file.
PDF Read-Only Mode: If the PDF file is opened in read-only mode, it certainly controls actions like highlighting, editing, and sharing of the PDF file. Hence, you need to disable these permissions to access the document for highlighting purposes.
Outdated Version of PDF Highlighter: Using the older version of PDF Highlighter doesn’t support features like text highlighting. It unable you to select or edit the text in the PDF document effortlessly.
Overall, these are the most typical reasons behind the issue of cannot highlight text in PDF. Certainly, you might face any of these causes when unable to select the content in the document. Now, let’s walk through the troubleshooting fixes.
6 Simple Fixes for Can’t Select Text in PDF
In the following section, we will share the best way to fix the error of can’t highlight text in PDF, allowing you to enable highlighting in PDF files. Using these stepwise guides, you can easily get right to highlight or add annotations to your .pdf document. Now, let’s move to learn these easy workarounds:
- Turn Off PDF Read-Only Mode
- Unlock the PDF Security to Enable Highlighting Feature
- Repair Corrupted PDF File – Fix Font and Encoding Errors
- Try the OCR Tool to Read the Image-Based Text
- Update or Try a Different PDF Reader
- Enable Text Highlighting Using Adobe Reader
Now, let’s understand these techniques one after another.
Fixes 1: Turn Off PDF Read-Only Mode
If the PDF highlighter not working, it might happen if document is in read-only mode. This feature prevents users from making modifications like highlighting, text annotation, etc. Ensure saving the PDF document without allowing this mode. It is one of the simple yet effective troubleshooting fixes for PDF can’t highlight text. In this way, you can easily highlight and get control of the PDF file.
Fixes 2: Unlock the PDF Security to Enable Highlighting Feature
The issue of can’t highlight text in PDF mainly happen if the PDF file is secured. Here, you need to unlock PFD for copying or highlighting the text. To remove these PDF prohibitions, we recommend you use advanced software like the SysTools PDF Restriction Removal tool. It is a proficient utility that comes with featured-packed functions allowing you to highlight text in PDF without any permissions.
Fixes 3: Repair Corrupted PDF File If Cannot Highlight Text in PDF
Struggling with why can’t I highlight text in PDF, it may happen if your PDF document is corrupted or has encoding & font issues. This triggers damage to the PDF file. The major causes of this problem include file creation or transmission errors.
To repair non-standard fonts, file corruption, or broken errors, try Adobe Fixer or repair software. This tool is a game-changing solution that allows you to fix document incompatibility, making it a go-to file for highlighting, editing, and more.
Fixes 4: Try the OCR Tool to Read the Image-Based Text
If you’re constantly addressing the problem of can’t select text in PDF file, it mainly occurs when the document is scanned or has text in image format. Try OCR or optical character recognition tool, one of the ultimate solutions to convert the image information into selectable text.
Moreover, you can use OCR tools like Acrobat Pro, which helps you to access the scanned pictures into searchable or editable text. In this way, you can highlight the text and resolve the error like highlight text is not working in PDF.
Remember: Acrobat is not a freeware solution instead based on the subscription plans. Sometimes you might address pesky issues like Adobe Acrobat Pro not working. Hence, use this software carefully when fixing any errors.
Fixes 5: Update or Try a Different PDF Reader
If you’re seeking how to enable highlighting in PDF, you need to update the PDF Reader. Working on an old version of Reader triggers glitches like PDF cannot highlight text. After updating the new edition if the problem persists, try a different PDF Reader like Adobe Reader. It is handy and has amazing features to read or highlight the text. Like Acrobat, this software has a subscription model which might hurt your pocket.
Fixes 6: How to Enable Text Highlighting Using Adobe Reader
Facing the problem of PDF stop highlighting and wondering how to enable text highlighter in PDF. Try Adobe Reader, one of the robust tools that provides multiple features like reading, commenting, printing, and even highlighting. Follow these steps & highlight text in a PDF file with the PDF highlighter tool offered by Adobe Reader:
- Open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
- Select the Highlight Text Tool to highlight the text.
- Click the Post button after writing the text.
- Lastly, Save this file at any desired location.
Overall, these are the easy fixes for can’t highlight text in PDF. By following these methods, you can resolve the glitches and enable the PDF highlighter. However, these freeware solutions might waste your time and sometimes frustrate you. So, move down to learn the best way to fix unable to highlight text in PDF.
Bonus Tip: SysTools Pro Tool to Fix Can’t Select Text in PDF
The reason behind “Why can’t I highlight a PDF” occurs if your PDF file is protected with advanced security. To make your PDF document free from any restriction, use SysTools Unlock PDF Tool, one of the profound and standalone software to clear the powerful security from the PDF file.
This tool’s prime features include batch removal of permissions like printing, editing, copying, and more. Additionally, you can remove both user and owner security restrictions from your PDF file. Most importantly, this tool helps you secure your PDF elements when unlocking the document. This pro wizard is compatible with both Windows and Mac OS.
The Bottom Line
In this workaround guide, we have shared 6 easy troubleshooting fixes for can’t highlight text in PDF files. By implementing these methods, you can highlight the PDF text with ease. Since the manual tips take time. So, try the expert-recommended solution i.e. SysTools pro wizard to remove all kinds of PDF prohibitions, making your document fit for highlighting, selecting, and even text annotation without any data loss.
FAQs on Cannot Select Text in PDF
1. Why PDF Highlight Tool greyed out in Adobe Reader DC?
Ans. Due to commenting restrictions on the PDF document the PDF Highlight tool stops working or gets greyed out.
2. How to enable PDF highlighting feature in Adobe Reader?
Ans. To enable this feature remove commenting restrictions from PDF document and then try to highlight PDF text.
3. How to add notes to highlighted PDF text?
Ans. To add notes to highlighted PDF text select the particular text then right click on it and click the Open Pop-up Note option. After adding the text click the Post button.
4. Why Adobe Acrobat can’t select text in PDF document?
Ans. Due to certain restrictions a user is not allowed to select text in the PDF document.