Can’t Highlight Text in PDF ? Learn Here How to Fix It

  author
Written By Kumar Raj
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Published On March 6th, 2024
Reading Time 6 Minutes Reading
can't select text in PDF

Why I can’t highlight text in PDF  ? Are you searching for the same query? If you are trying to select & highlight text in PDF document with Adobe Reader DC, and then found that the PDF highlighter tool is not working, then you can easily overcome this challenging situation through the solution described in this article with minimal effort. Start reading the if you can’t select text in PDF.

Highlighting PDF text (including words, phrases or paragraph) is useful to mark up text for future reference or for the reviewing purpose. Most of the times while reading the journals, magazines or e-books users find some important points or sentences that they want to highlight. But sometimes, they fail to do so as the chosen PDF highlighter does not work in their PDF files. However, there are many reasons due to which users can’t highlight text in PDF documents. It might be possible that the file is not a proper PDF file i.e. it could be a scan or a flattened copy of the text. But, apart from these reasons, there is one more root cause & it is discussed clearly in the next paragraph, why you are unable to highlight text in PDF. So continue reading.

Why I Can’t Highlight Text in PDF? – Main Reason

One of the most important reason due to which users can’t highlight text in PDF document is the Comment Restrictions”. When this type of security is applied on the PDF files, the Adobe Reader “PDF Highlighter” stops working or gets greyed out.

can't select text in PDF

Therefore, to enable highlighting in PDF document it is necessary to bypass Permissions Password for commenting. Once, the security is removed from the PDF file users can easily select and highlight secured PDF document. So, read the next section and resolve the query “why can’t I highlight or select text in PDF“.

Can’t Select Text in PDF ? – Try this Quick Solution

We have seen that due to Comment restrictions many users are unable to highlight text in PDF. Users and use the instant and secure solution SysTools PDF Document Unlocker to enable highlighting text in PDF files by smoothly removing comment restriction from their PDF files. This PDF highlighter has helped wide range of users who cannot highlight text in PDF with plethora of advanced features.

Using this PDF highlighter software users can remove any restriction from a PDF document such as commenting, printing, signing, copying, form filling, document assembly, page extraction, etc. All these restrictions can be easily removed by the software in a few seconds if you can’t highlight text in PDF.

This PDF highlighter also allows to remove 128/ 256-bit encryption from PDF documents. The best feature offered by this PDF highlighter tool is that it is compatible with all versions of Windows OS i.e. 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, and Windows Server 2008, 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022. The software supports to keep the source PDF password in the resultant PDF document. Download this application to highlight, select, mark and make the important sentences recognizable in your PDF documents.

How to Enable Highlighting in PDF Effortlessly? Follow These Steps

If you can’t highlight text in PDF, follow the explained step-by-step procedure if you can’t select text in PDF which are secure either:

 

  • Firstly, download and install the given PDF highlighter on your computer.
  • Click the Add Files / Add Folder button and select the PDF files which you are unable to highlight text in PDF.
resolve if can't select text in PDF
  • Select either “Save” or “Print” as the desired option if your can’t hihgk.
click save or print
  • Choose the destination location by clicking the Change button.
choose desired path
  • Now, to begin the process click the Unlock PDF button.
 enable highlighting in PDF
  • Lastly, the confirmation message gets displayed, click Ok.
PDF highlighter

The above steps will be very helpful for all those users who were are and constantly searching “why can’t I highlight text in PDF”. It’s because these steps are useful in creating a PDF file which is free from any restrictions and can be easily highlighted.

How to Select & Highlight Text in PDF by Adobe Reader DC

If you are in search of a manual solution to can’t highlight text in PDF, then you can also use Adobe Acrobat Reader if can’t select text in PDF.  Although it provides multiple features like the signing, commenting, printing PDF files, etc. But, when it comes to highlight or select text in PDF, users will have to use it’s “Highlight Text Tool”. With this PDF highlighter tool, you can highlight certain area or words of a document in order to emphasize the importance. Hence, this method can be quite challenging and time consuming for normal users. 

Follow these steps & highlight text in PDF file with the PDF  highlighter tool offered by Adobe Reader:

  • Open your PDF document in Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
  • After that select the Highlight Text Tool.
  • Now, point and click the cursor next to the text that you want to highlight.
can't highlight text in PDF
  • If you want to add notes with the highlighted text simply double click the highlighted area or right-click the highlighted text & select the Open Pop-up Note option
highlight text in PDF document
  • Click the Post button after writing the text.
click post button
  • Lastly, Save this file at any desired location

Conclusion

After reading this blog we have learned the main reason due to which users can’t highlight text in PDF document i.e. “Commenting restrictions”. Due to this type of security users can’t highlight secured PDF file. Therefore, to resolve this problem we have discussed the best utility which can cancel all security & enable highlighting in PDF files. Along with this, the complete step by step procedure is also discussed which can help the user to select & highlight PDF text by Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

Also Read:

How to Unlock Password Protected PDF Without Password

Convert Read Only PDF Files Into Editable Ones

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

  author

By Kumar Raj

A versatile writer with the vast knowledge of technology helps to reduce the gap between a user and technology. Provides easy and reliable ways to resolve multiple technical issues, which users encounter in their day-to-day life.