Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe: Acrobat Pro and Photoshop

VGAP
Topic 1: Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Pro
 Topic 1: Introduction to Adobe Acrobat Pro

• Overview of Adobe Acrobat and Its Uses

• Understanding The Acrobat Workspace
Overview of Adobe Acrobat and Its Uses
• Adobe Acrobat is a software application developed by Adobe that allows users to create, edit, view, and
manage Portable Document Format (PDF) files.
• Used for:
• Creating PDFs
• Converting PDFs
• Merging and splitting PDFs
• Signing and securing PDFs
• Annotating PDFs

• Acrobat is used by businesses, educators, and professionals for handling official documents,
contracts, and forms due to its versatility and ability to preserve formatting across devices.
How to Access Acrobat
• With an Acrobat subscription, you can work with PDFs on your desktop, mobile, or online.
• Acrobat Desktop App:
• The desktop app is a complete solution for working with PDFs.
• Download and install it from Adobe’s website or the Adobe Creative Cloud desktop app.
• Acrobat Reader Mobile App:
• The mobile app helps you view and work with PDFs on your phone or tablet.
• Used to read, annotate, sign, and share PDFs for free.
• With a subscription, you can also edit, export, combine, and organise PDFs directly from your phone.
• Acrobat Online Services:
• These are online tools available through your browser.
• Sign in to Acrobat online to complete tasks like editing and converting PDFs quickly.
Acrobat Workspace
• Adobe Acrobat application has the following three views: Home, All Tools, and Document.
• Home View:
• This is the application’s landing page you see when you first open Acrobat or when no document is open.
• All Tools View:
• This page shows all the tools available in Acrobat, so you can easily find what you need to work on your PDFs.
• Document View:
• This is the view you see when a document is open. If you open multiple documents, each one will appear as a
tab.

• You can customise your workspace to suit how you like to work, navigate through pages easily, and
adjust settings in Preferences.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
HOME VIEW
A. Application menu
B. Create a PDF
C. See all tools
D. Help
E. Notifications
F. Adobe Account
G. List view
H. Thumbnail view
I. Home page menu
Acrobat Workspace cont.
ALL TOOLS VIEW
• On the Home Page, click See all tools to view all the tools
available in Acrobat or Reader.
• The tools are organised into categories for easy navigation.
• When you select a tool, its specific menu will appear on the left
side of the screen.
• From there, you can choose a command to work with your open
document.
• If no document is open, simply click Select a file to open the
document you want to work on.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
DOCUMENT VIEW
A. Home page
B. Quick action toolbar
C. Print
D. Share
E. Get a link to the document
F. Comments tool
G. Bookmark tool
H. Page thumbnails tool
I. Reading order tool
J. Accessibility tags
K. Rotate page
L. Page display settings
M. Zoom in/out
Acrobat Workspace cont.
CHANGE DISPLAY THEMES
• You can change Acrobat’s look by selecting a display theme.
• Go to Menu > View > Display Theme and choose:
• System Theme – Matches your operating system’s theme and updates automatically.
• Light Grey – The default theme with a light grey background.
• Dark Grey – A darker theme that reduces eye strain, improves visibility in low light, and helps save battery.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
CUSTOMISE QUICK ACTION TOOLBAR
• The Quick Action Toolbar provides easy access to
commonly used tools like Select, Comment, Highlight,
Draw, Fill Text Fields, and Sign.
• You can customise it to fit your needs by adding,
removing, or rearranging tools.

• To customise:
1. Click Add, Remove, or Reorder Tools > Customize.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
CUSTOMISE QUICK ACTION TOOLBAR
2. Add a tool by selecting it and clicking Add to
Toolbar.
3. Remove a tool by selecting it and clicking Remove
from Toolbar.
4. Rearrange tools using the up/down arrows.
5. Add a Divider to separate tool groups for better
organisation.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
CUSTOMISE SIDE PANELS
• You can show or hide tools in the side panel for quick
access:
• Right-click on the side panel and select/deselect tools.
• Windows: Go to ☰ Menu > View > Show/Hide > Side
Panels.
• Mac: Go to View > Show/Hide > Side Panels.
Acrobat Workspace cont.
CUSTOMISE SIDE PANELS
• You can easily navigate through the pages of a
document by going to the ☰ Menu > View > Page
navigation (Windows) or View > Page navigation
(macOS) and using the navigation menu tools.
• The navigation tools also appear at the bottom of the
right panel which allows you to have quick access to
the navigation buttons:
• Use up/down arrows to move through pages.
• Type a page number to jump to a specific page.
• Click the rotate icon to rotate pages.
• Adjust page display settings from the right panel.
• Access tools like Thumbnails, Bookmarks, and
Comments from the side panel.
Opening and Viewing PDFs
CUSTOMISE SIDE PANELS
• You can open a PDF in Acrobat in several ways: from the application itself, your email, file system, or a
web browser.
• PDF documents usually have the extension .pdf.

Open a PDF In The Application

• In Acrobat, do one of the following:
• Open a file from the Home > Recent view.
• Select Open from the ☰ Menu (Windows) or File (macOS).
• In the Open dialog box, select one or more filenames and select Open.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
CUSTOMISE SIDE PANELS
Open a PDF From The Desktop or Within Another Application
• In Acrobat, do one of the following:
• To open a PDF attached to an email message, open the message and double-click the PDF icon.
• To open a PDF linked to an open web page, click the PDF file link. The PDF usually opens in the web browser.
• Double-click the PDF file icon in your file system.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
NAVIGATING PDF PAGES
• You can move through a PDF in several ways:
• Next/Previous Page: Use the up and down arrows or type a page number to jump directly to a page.
• Scroll Bars: Drag the vertical or horizontal scroll bars to navigate manually.
• Zoom Options: Use the Select & Zoom toolbar to adjust magnification for better readability.
• Thumbnails & Bookmarks: Open the Page Thumbnails panel or the Bookmarks panel from the right toolbar to
jump to specific sections.

• For quick navigation:

• Go to Last Page: Use ☰ Menu > View > Page Navigation > Last Page.
• Automatic Scrolling: Enable Auto Scroll from the View > Page Display menu and press Esc to stop.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PDFs
View PDFs In Read Mode
• Read Mode hides toolbars and panels to maximize the document view.
• A floating toolbar at the bottom provides basic controls like page navigation and zoom.
• Enable Read Mode: Go to ☰ Menu > View > Read Mode or click the Read Mode button in the floating toolbar.
• Exit Read Mode: Select Read Mode again from the menu or click the collapse button in the floating toolbar.

View PDFs In Full Screen Mode

• Full Screen Mode hides all menus, toolbars, and panels, showing only the document—ideal for
presentations.
• Enable Full Screen Mode: Press Ctrl + L or go to ☰ Menu > View > Full Screen Mode.
• Navigate in Full Screen: Use keyboard shortcuts or enable on-screen navigation buttons.
• Exit Full Screen Mode: Press Esc or use the navigation buttons (if enabled).
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PDFs
Setting Up Full Screen Navigation
• To enable the Full Screen navigation bar:
1. Open Preferences (☰ Menu > Preferences on Windows or Acrobat > Preferences on macOS).
2. Select Full Screen under Categories.
3. Check Show Navigation Bar and click OK.

Navigating in Full Screen Mode

• Open Full Screen Mode from ☰ Menu > View > Full Screen Mode (Windows/macOS).
• Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate:
• Next Page: Press Enter, Page Down, Down Arrow, or Right Arrow.
• Previous Page: Press Shift + Enter, Page Up, Up Arrow, or Left Arrow.
• Exit Full Screen: Press Ctrl + L or Esc (if allowed in preferences).
• The navigation bar (if enabled) appears in the lower-left corner with buttons for Next, Previous, and
Exit.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PDFs
Adjusting Display Size in Acrobat
• You can change the display size of a PDF for better readability based on your device.
• Go to ☰ Menu > View > Display Size Mode (Windows)
• Choose Small, Standard, or Large as needed.

Changing Display Themes in Acrobat

• You can customise Acrobat’s appearance by selecting a display theme:
• Go to ☰ Menu > View > Display Theme (Windows/macOS).
• Choose one of the following: System Theme, Light Gray, or Dark Gray.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PREFERENCES
• The Preferences dialog box allows you to customse Acrobat’s behavior for viewing PDFs, including
settings for documents, full screen, general options, page display, and multimedia.
• To access Preferences:
• Windows: ☰ Menu > Preferences
• macOS: Acrobat > Preferences
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PREFERENCES
Documents Preferences
• Restore Last View Settings When Reopening Documents: Reopens the last page viewed.
• Open Cross-document Links in Same Window: Links open in the same window.
• Allow Layer State to Be Set By User Information: Defines layer visibility by user settings.
• Allow Documents To Hide the Menu Bar, Toolbars, and Window Controls: Hides UI elements based
on PDF settings.
• Save Settings: Automatically saves document changes periodically.
• PDF/A View Mode: View documents in PDF/A mode for archival consistency.
• Hidden Information: Searches for metadata, file attachments, comments, and hidden text.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PREFERENCES
Full Screen Preferences
• Current Document Only: Limits display to one document.
• Escape Key Exits: Exits Full-Screen mode with the Esc key.
• Loop After Last Page: Automatically loops back to the first page.
• Full-Screen Appearance: Adjust background colour and cursor visibility in Full-Screen mode.
• Full-Screen Transitions: Controls page transition effects.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PREFERENCES
General Preferences
• Use Single Key Accelerators to Access Tools: Lets you use single keystrokes for tool access.
• Open PDFs from Last Session on Acrobat Launch: Reopens PDFs from your previous session.
• Touch Mode: Optimises Acrobat for touch-enabled devices.
• Enable PDF Thumbnail Preview in Windows Explorer: Allows PDFs to appear as thumbnails in file
explorer.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
VIEWING PREFERENCES
Page Display Preferences
• Page Layout: Sets the default layout for when you open a document (e.g., single page, continuous
scroll).
• Zoom: Adjusts the magnification level for PDFs.
• Rendering: Options to smooth text, line art, and images.
• Use 2D Graphics Acceleration: Speeds up zooming, scrolling, and redrawing content (Windows).
• Show Art, Trim, & Bleed Boxes: Displays defined art, trim, or bleed areas for design documents.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
SHOW OR HIDE TOOLBAR ITEMS, SIDE PANELS, GRIDS, AND CURSOR COORDINATES
• In Adobe Acrobat, you can customize the visibility of various toolbar items, side panels, grids, and
cursor coordinates using the View > Show/Hide options.

• Menu Bar
• Windows: Use the hamburger menu in the top left corner, then go to View > Show/Hide > Menu Bar.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Menu Bar.
• Customise Toolbar
• Windows: Use the hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Customize Toolbar.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Customize Toolbar.
• Side Panels
• Windows: Use the hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Side Panels.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Side Panels.
Opening and Viewing PDFs cont.
SHOW OR HIDE TOOLBAR ITEMS, SIDE PANELS, GRIDS, AND CURSOR COORDINATES
• Rulers & Grids
• Windows: Use the hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Grid.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Grid.
• A checkmark will appear next to the command when the grid is displayed.
• Cursor Coordinates
• Windows: Use the hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Cursor Coordinates.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Cursor Coordinates.
Adjusting PDF Views
ADJUSTING MAGNIFICATION
Quick Tool in the Right Panel
• Zoom In: Click the Zoom In button to magnify the page.
• Zoom Out: Click the Zoom Out button to decrease the magnification.
• Navigate Pages: Use the up and down arrows to scroll through pages.
• Jump to Page: Type the desired page number in the box to jump to it.
• Rotate Page: Use the rotate icon to rotate the page view.
• Display at 100% Magnification: Select the desired magnification level from the menu.
Adjusting PDF Views cont.
ADJUSTING MAGNIFICATION
Pan & Zoom Tool
• Windows: Go to hamburger menu > View > Zoom > Pan & Zoom.
• macOS: Go to View > Zoom > Pan & Zoom.
• Drag the box handles in the Pan & Zoom window to change magnification.
• Drag the center of the box to pan and explore different areas of the document.

Loupe Zoom Tool

• Windows: Go to hamburger menu > View > Zoom > Loupe Zoom.
• macOS: Go to View > Zoom > Loupe Zoom.
• Select the area to zoom in on, adjust the magnification level using the slider, or enter a value in the
dialog box.
Adjusting PDF Views cont.
ADJUSTING MAGNIFICATION
Page Thumbnail Zoom
• In the right panel, select the page thumbnail button.
• Hover over the lower-right corner of the thumbnail, drag to resize and adjust the view.
• Drag the zoom box frame to explore different areas of the page.

Default Magnification
• Windows: Go to hamburger menu > Preferences > Page Display.
• macOS: Go to Acrobat > Preferences > Page Display.
• Select a magnification level from the drop-down list.
Adjusting PDF Views cont.
ADJUSTING MAGNIFICATION
Display Offscreen Areas of a Magnified Page
• Use the up/down arrows or horizontal scroll bars to navigate through the page while keeping the
magnification.
• Use the Hand tool in the Common Tools toolbar to drag the page and explore different areas.
Adjusting PDF Views cont.
ZOOMING
Zoom In or Out from the Right Panel
• Zoom In: Click the "Zoom in" button.
• Zoom Out: Click the "Zoom out" button.

Adjust Zoom to Specific Views

• To adjust the zoom to specific settings, follow these steps:
• Windows: From the upper left, click the hamburger menu > View > Zoom.
• macOS: From the upper left, click View > Zoom.

• Then, you can choose from the following options: Actual size, Zoom to page level, Fit to width, Fit
height, Fit visible content, Marquee zoom, Dynamic zoom.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs
USING GRIDS AND SNAP TO GRID
View Grid
• Windows: Go to the hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Grid.
• macOS: Go to View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Grid.
• A checkmark appears next to the grid when it's visible.

Enable/Disable Snap to Grid

• Windows: Hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Snap to Grid.
• macOS: View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Snap to Grid.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
USING GRIDS AND SNAP TO GRID
Change Grid Appearance:
• Windows: Hamburger menu > Preferences > Units & Guides.
• macOS: Acrobat > Preferences > Units & Guides.
• Modify the grid's spacing, origin, subdivisions, and line color.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
USING RULERS AND GUIDES
View Rulers
• Windows: Hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Rulers.
• macOS: View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Rulers.

View Guides
• Windows: Hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Guides.
• macOS: View > Show/Hide > Rulers & Grids > Guides.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
USING RULERS AND GUIDES
Create Guides
• Drag down from the horizontal ruler for a horizontal guide or drag right from the vertical ruler for a
vertical guide.
• To move a guide, click and drag it to a new location.
• To delete a guide, click it and press Delete. To clear all guides, right-click the ruler and select Clear All
Guides.

Change Guide Colours

• Windows: Hamburger menu > Preferences > Units & Guides > Guide colour.
• macOS: Acrobat > Preferences > Units & Guides > Guide colour.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
MEASURING OBJECTS IN A PDF
Access Measuring Tools
• From the All Tools menu, select Measure Object to open the Measuring Toolbar.
• You can measure distances, perimeters, and areas.

Measurement Types
• Distance Tool: Measures the distance between two points. Click to start and end the measurement.
• Perimeter Tool: Measures the total perimeter by clicking at multiple points and double-clicking at the
last point.
• Area Tool: Measures the area enclosed by lines. Click at multiple points and close the shape by
clicking the first point.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
MEASURING OBJECTS IN A PDF

Snap to Measurement
• Snap to Paths: Aligns to the nearest path.
• Snap to Endpoints: Aligns to the nearest endpoint.
• Snap to Midpoints: Aligns to the midpoint of a line.
• Snap to Intersections: Aligns to where lines intersect.
• Hold Shift for 45º constraints.

Delete Measurements
• Right-click and choose Cancel Measurement to discontinue a measurement. Press Delete to remove
a measurement.
Use Grids, Guides, and Measurements in PDFs cont.
VIEW CURSOR COORDINATES
Show Coordinates
• Windows: Hamburger menu > View > Show/Hide > Cursor Coordinates.
• macOS: View > Show/Hide > Cursor Coordinates.
• This shows the position of the pointer in the document and the width/height of selected objects.

Change Units for Coordinates

• Windows: Hamburger menu > Preferences > Units & Guides > Page & Ruler Units.
• macOS: Acrobat > Preferences > Units & Guides > Page & Ruler Units.
Bibliography
• Learn Acrobat Pro. (2025). Adobe.com. https://www.adobe.com/za/learn/acrobat?locale=en-
ZA&learnIn=1
• Adobe Acrobat User Guide. (2023). Adobe.com. https://helpx.adobe.com/africa/acrobat/user-
guide.html