How do I create a new fillable PDF form in Adobe Acrobat?

Open Acrobat and select 'All tools'. Choose 'Prepare a form'. Select your document; Acrobat will help you add interactive fields. Add text boxes, checkboxes, or dropdowns as needed. Save your new fillable form.

If I want users with Adobe Reader to save their filled forms, what extra step do I need to take?

Go to 'File' in the top menu. Select 'Save as Other'. Choose 'Reader Extended PDF'. Click on 'Enable More Tools' (includes form fill-in and save).

How can I make sure my PDF form is accessible to all users?

Start with a well-structured source document. Use Acrobat's 'Prepare a form' feature for fields. Ensure every field has a label, a Tooltip, a tag, and correct tab order. Use simple fonts (Arial/Times, 11pt minimum). Run Acrobat's Accessibility Checker before sharing the form.

Standardize Request Format in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Provide staff with a reusable staff request form: create a fillable PDF staff request form that…+

Provide staff with a reusable staff request form: create a fillable PDF staff request form that captures requester name, department, start date, justification, budget code, and manager approval field, save it to the team library, and email the link to all staff by Wednesday.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Before publishing the form, reduce back-and-forth: highlight required fields, add inline help…+

Before publishing the form, reduce back-and-forth: highlight required fields, add inline help for budget codes and expected lead times, include a manager-approval checkbox and signature field, and produce a one-line instruction for staff about where to save the completed form.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open Adobe Acrobat Pro on your computer.
2
Select the Tools tab.
3
Find and select Prepare Form under Forms.
4
Choose an existing file to use as your form, or select the option to create a new one.
Best practiceIf your form is not already a PDF, convert it to PDF before starting this process.
5
Click Start to let Acrobat detect form fields automatically, or manually add fields as needed.
Best practiceLetting Acrobat auto-detect fields can save time, but always review and adjust the detected fields for accuracy.
6
Use the toolbar to add, move, or delete form fields such as text boxes, checkboxes, and drop-down lists.
7
Double-click any form field to edit its properties, such as name, tooltip, and appearance.
8
When finished, use File > Save to save your fillable PDF form.

In the appWith the API

You can quickly test your form by switching to Preview mode in the Prepare Form tool to see how users will fill it out.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Form fieldA place in the PDF where someone can type, pick, or check something.ExampleClick on the form field labeled 'Name' to type in your full name.

TooltipA small message that appears when you point to something, helping people understand what a form field is for.ExampleHovering over the 'Submit' button reveals a tooltip saying 'Click to send your completed form'.

Tab orderThe order in which you move from one field to the next by pressing the Tab key.ExamplePressing Tab moves your cursor from the name field to the address field, following the set tab order.

The real tasks

the one, listed here

Provide staff with an easy-to-use, reusable staff request form so they stop submitting information in different formats.

FAQ

about this task

Open Acrobat and select 'All tools'.
Choose 'Prepare a form'.
Select your document; Acrobat will help you add interactive fields.
Add text boxes, checkboxes, or dropdowns as needed.
Save your new fillable form.

Using Acrobat's 'Prepare a form' feature ensures that your PDF form fields are accessible and work correctly. Word's form tools often do not export to accessible PDF fields, which means people using screen readers or other assistive technologies might not be able to use your form. Acrobat helps you create forms that everyone can use.

A Tooltip is a short description for a form field that appears when a user hovers over it. For accessibility, Tooltips are very important because screen readers use them to tell visually impaired users what each field is for. This helps everyone understand and complete the form correctly.

Go to 'File' in the top menu.
Select 'Save as Other'.
Choose 'Reader Extended PDF'.
Click on 'Enable More Tools' (includes form fill-in and save).

Start with a well-structured source document.
Use Acrobat's 'Prepare a form' feature for fields.
Ensure every field has a label, a Tooltip, a tag, and correct tab order.
Use simple fonts (Arial/Times, 11pt minimum).
Run Acrobat's Accessibility Checker before sharing the form.

Standardize Request Format

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Video

Other guides