Cannot Edit PDF Form After Signing and Saving It

Environment

Adobe

Issue

I completed a PDF form, then signed and saved it. Another person needs to complete part of the form, but the form fields are no longer editable.

Resolution

When a PDF form is signed in Adobe Acrobat and saved, all other form fields may become locked and can no longer be modified. The individual form fields will need to be unlocked in order to be modified. This can be done by following the steps below:

  1. Open the PDF document in Adobe Acrobat
  2. Select the "Prepare Form" tool
    (This can be opened from the "Tools" tab at the top of Adobe, or from the Tools panel on the right side of Adobe)
  3. Select the form field(s) to unlock
    (Note: You can select multiple form fields to edit them all at once by holding the "Ctrl" key on Windows or "Command" key on Mac)
  4. Open the form field properties window
    (Double-click the form field OR right-click and select properties)
  5. Uncheck "Locked" checkbox in bottom-left corner
  6. Uncheck "Read Only" checkbox
  7. Re-check "Locked" checkbox and select "Close"
  8. Click the "Preview" button in the top-right of Adobe and ensure the changes are correct, then click the "Close" button; otherwise, click "Edit" to continue making changes
  9. Save and close the document

Additional Information

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.

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