Note: Cool Things list compiled using the Windows version of Adobe Reader 9.4
Keyboard shortcuts and “most” features should be available in equivalent versions of Adobe Reader on other platforms
Mac users should be able to convert keyboard shortcuts for Mac keyboard
ACCESSIBILITY – 1 – 2
1. File > Save as… Accessible Text – provides a way of checking if your PDF content will be read logically by assistive technologies. Saves a text file that can be opened in any editor
2. Document > Accessibility Setup Assistant – help to set up Adobe Reader to use assistive technologies
PREFERENCES – 3 – 14
3. Edit > Preferences …Full Screen – Allows control of Full Screen PDF rendition for slide shows and presentations
4. Edit > Preferences … Full Screen – Auto Advance, set transitions and loop settings
5. Edit > Preferences …Documents – Open Cross document links in same window & specify number of documents in recently used list
6. Edit > Preferences …General – Make Hand tool select text & images
7. Edit > Preferences …Page Display – Always show document page size in bottom left corner of window
8. Edit > Preferences …Identity – Information used with comments, reviews and digital signatures
9. Edit > Preferences …Internet – Display PDF in browser (useful when viewing PDF online & when previewing PDF documents in Adobe LiveCycle Designer
10. Edit > Preferences …Reading – Allow voice settings to be changed (platform specific) & read form fields
11. Edit > Preferences …Spelling – Select the dictionaries and their search order for spell checking
12. Edit > Preferences …Tracker – Enable RSS feeds in Tracker (See 46 – on how to set up RSS in Adobe Reader)
13. Edit > Preferences …Units – Change the units of measurement
14. Edit > Preferences …Accessibility – Replace Document Colors – allows changing of foreground/background colour of page to allow for high-contrast text/background rendition (See 1 & 2 for Accessibility tips)
PRINT – 15 – 18
15. File> Print…Booklet Printing – print multi-page documents as booklets
16. File > Print…Select from drop down whether to print the Document, Document and Markups, Document and Stamps
17. Print as Image – (File > Print > Advanced)
18. File > Print…Current View – useful when you need to print a part of a page e.g. large-format document to office printer – zoom in on the page then select this option
PROPERTIES – 19 – 20
19. File > Properties > Description – information about the PDF document being viewed including – application document was created with, PDF producer, PDF version, files size and number of pages
20. File > Properties…Security tab – Check the security and permissions set on a PDF – e.g. cannot print – maybe you do not have permission
READER ENABLED – 21 – 24
21. Reader Enabled PDF forms can be filled in and saved using the Adobe Reader.
22. Typewriter tool allows text to be typed directly on a PDF page.
23. Comment & Markup can be added to PDF pages.
24. If a PDF has been Reader Enabled, Adobe Reader allows Signature fields to be signed or a Signature field can be added by a Reader user to any part of the page using Document > Sign > Place signature.
Note the Full version of Adobe Acrobat is required to Reader Enable a PDF.
Depending how a PDF is enabled it allows Adobe Reader users to:
• Fill in and save PDF forms
• Use the comment and markup tools
• Use the typewriter tool to add text
• Sign a PDF using a digital signature.
SEARCH – 25 – 26
25. Edit > Search allows searching current document as well as “All PDF Documents in” a specific location – e.g. network folder, external drive
26. Advanced search allows searching of bookmarks, comments and including attachments
SELECT – 27 – 29
27. To select all text on a page – with the Select tool click in the text and press CTRL + A
28. Select all of the text in a PDF document – with the Select tool click in the text and press CTRL + A – ensure that you are in View > Page Display > Single or Double Page Continuous mode
29. Select a word by double clicking with the Select tool; Select the line by clicking 3 time, Select all text on a page by clicking 4 times
TOOLS – 30 – 54
30. Using Acrobat.com – shareand collaborate on files with other users. Sign up for a free account.
31. Help > About Adobe Plug-ins – lists plug-in modules installed with Reader
32. Presentation mode – CTRL + L or go to Window > Full Screen Mode. Use arrow keys or mouse to move forward & backward
33. Edit > Check Spelling – Comments, Form Fields & Editable text
34. Selection Tool – to select rectangular areas hold down CTRL + ALT and then draw a rectangular selection area anywhere on screen to select text
35. Reset Toolbars – ALT + F8
36. Hide/Show Toolbars – F8
37. Attachments panel allows viewing of files attached to PDF document as long as necessary viewing application is installed
38. Files can be saved from Attachments panel out of the PDF
39. View > Toolbars > More tools.. allows additional tools to be added to toolbar or removed
40. Snapshot tool can be used to capture a part of a PDF page and copied to clipboard. This can then be pasted as an image into another application
41. After selecting text with the Select tool – right clicking provides the option to copy or copy with formatting
42. To select an image for copying either drag the Select tool around the required area of the image or double click on the image to select it
43. Useful short cut – F9 – when the menu bar is hidden – unhides
44. If a PDF has been created with Layers (for example from a document created in Adobe InDesign and exported as PDF) these layers can be viewed by using the Layers panel through View > Navigation > Layers
45. Tracker (use the Tracker to keep updated on your RSS feeds)
46. Use View > Tracker to keep a tab on RSS feeds from inside Adobe Reader (See 12 on how to switch on this facility in Preferences)
47. Switch Layers on and off and print the resulting output
48. Email the PDF you have open in Adobe Reader via File > Attach to email…
49. Use Window > New Window to open a copy of the currently active document to allow different views of the same content
50. Use Adobe Reader on Windows , Mac OS and UNIX systems to move and share content across different platforms
51. Adobe Reader 9 can view PDF Portfolios and PDF documents containing rich media content such as audio, video and Flash
52. Help > Repair Adobe Reader Installation if the software is misbehaving
53. View > Zoom > Reflow – allows PDF documents to reflow to the size of the Reader window. Allowing accessibility when enlarging text as text reflows
54. View > Automatically Scroll – control speed by using the numeric keypad – 1 = slow/9 = fast
ZOOM & VIEW – 55 – 67
55. View > Read Out loud – allows Reader to read text content from the PDF
56. Zoom – can accommodate 6400% – type into Zoom area or use drop down arrow to select
57. In Pages panel resize the red rectangle on the active page then move it to zoom into different areas of the page
58. Pages panel – from the properties setting (small cog icon at the top of the panel )- page thumbnails can be enlarged and reduced
59. Select pages in the Pages panel using CTRL or Shift or combination. Selected pages can be printed
60. Use the Bookmarks panel to navigate within or between documents (only available if PDF has been created with bookmarks)
61. Shift + CTRL + Plus rotates pages clockwise
62. Shift + CTRL + Minus rotates pages anti-clockwise
63. The Marquee Zoom tool can be used to zoom in on sections of a document using the CTRL key to change it to the zoom out tool and holding down the
Shift key changes it into the Dynamic zoom which zooms in and out as you drag up or down with the mouse held down
64. If your PDF has many Layers – from the layers panel properties select “List layers for Visible Pages” to view subset of layers
65. To Exit Full screen mode – press ESC(ape)
66. Pan & Zoom tool provides an easy way of navigating in an individual page using zoom and navigation features
67. Use the Comments panel to navigate comments added to a PDF
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