Create fillable PDF forms in Windows 10 using these steps.
Make filling out forms fast and easy with digitally fillable PDFs.
Perhaps you work in Human Resources and need all your company’s employees to fill out an updated form. Or you work at a school and need student athletes to fill out forms for the upcoming sports season. These days, using digital forms with fillable fields makes the process easier for everyone.
Make a fillable PDF on Windows 10.
Acrobat uses optical character recognition (OCR) technology to identify text and turn your document into an editable, searchable PDF. This technology also helps Acrobat identify fields that should be fillable, which means that you don’t need to create each field manually. You can start with an existing PDF or create the file in another app before using Acrobat to create the form.
With Adobe Acrobat on your desktop, it’s easy to add fillable sections to your PDFs. Here’s how:
- Open Acrobat, click on the Tools tab, and select Prepare Form.
- Select or scan a document, and Acrobat will automatically analyze your file and add form fields. You can even use documents created in applications such as Microsoft Word or Excel and turn them into interactive PDFs.
- Review areas highlighted in blue to be sure the fillable fields are in the correct locations. You can change field names, tab order, and add new fields as needed. Use the Forms task pane to make any other adjustments.
- When you’re done, click Close Forms Editing.
- Click Save and download or share your new PDF form.
You can also add new form fields to a PDF that already has fillable sections. Simply use the top toolbar and adjust the layout using tools in the right pane.
How to fill out a PDF form on Windows 10.
Not all PDFs are activated with fillable fields, but when they are, the process is simple and intuitive. You’ll know that it’s an interactive form because a message bar will appear at the top. To view all the fillable fields, click the Highlight Existing Fields button that appears in the message bar.
- To activate the tool that lets you select fields, right-click the document. Choose Hand Tool or Select Tool from the pop-up menu.
- Hover over a fillable field. The field can be a button, radio button, check box, or a text box. If you can select the field, the Select tool appears. If you can type, the I-beam will appear.
- Click a field to select it as an option or to begin typing.
- Press Tab to move to the next field or Shift+Tab to move backward.
- When you’re done, click the submit button that appears in the message bar at the top or in the content.
If the PDF is flat or non-interactive and non-fillable, you’ll need to print and fill it out by hand — or use the Fill & Sign tool, which lets you add comments, text, and signatures.
- Open the PDF in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader.
- Click Fill & Sign in the right pane, or click the Sign icon in the toolbar.
- Click Fill & Sign.
- Use the tools and options in the toolbar to make annotations.
- To add text, click Add Text in the toolbar, then click at the place in the document where you want the text to appear and begin typing. Use the field toolbar to make any changes.
- To sign or initial the form, click the Sign icon in the Fill & Sign toolbar.
- Choose Add Signature or Add Initials. You can type or draw your name in the field or upload an image of your signature.
- Click Apply.
- Click at the place in the PDF where you want the signature or initials to appear.
Share your fillable PDF on Windows 10.
When you’ve finished, save your PDF and share it with others. Sign fillable PDFs from anywhere, even on mobile devices, so you can work on the go. Download the Adobe Fill & Sign app to easily complete forms, right from your phone.
Whether for business or personal use, PDFs are convenient and almost universally accessible. While you can use them as beautiful finished products, you can also use them to edit, collaborate, and share information in a smooth workflow. With Adobe Acrobat, you’ll find all the tools you need in one place to get the work done.
See what else you can do to make PDF communication convenient with Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat online services today.
