Thanks to some incredible digital solutions, you no longer have to settle for static, boring and dull PDFs. Adobe Acrobat lets you create interactive PDFs with plenty of engaging elements and takes your documents to the next level. These interactive PDFs are the key to grabbing attention and increasing engagement with links, buttons, videos and more. Whether you want to create educational materials, a marketing brochure or a training manual, Adobe Acrobat can be your solution to turning ordinary PDFs into interactive powerhouses.
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Interactive PDF: What is it anyway?
Before we go through the step-by-step guide to creating interactive PDFs, let’s say a few words about them. Interactive PDFs are dynamic files that allow readers to interact with different elements. These elements can be buttons, links, videos, fields, and checkboxes. They can help you organize your information better, deliver a flawless approach, and preset your content to engage your audience.
Why should you create interactive PDFs?
Still undecided about creating interactive PDFs? Such PDFs offer several advantages to create and deliver professional content in a snap. You can better organize your content, create a logical structure, and keep your readers interested in the document.
Whether you’re holding a business meeting, creating marketing materials for real estate, or working on a press release for an upcoming product launch, interactive PDFs will help you make a better impact and get the job done in a snap.
While there are many powerful PDF editors that can create such files, Adobe Acrobat stands out for obvious reasons. It has robust PDF editing tools, native desktop and mobile apps, and seamless integration with other Adobe apps.
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How to create an interactive PDF with Adobe Acrobat
Before you start, make sure you have an active subscription to Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Creative Cloud. Also, set your priorities before you start editing your PDF file, as there are several elements in Adobe Acrobat to complete the work.
- Open an existing PDF file in Adobe Acrobat. You can see all the tools in the sidebar. Switch to Edit Tab.
- Choose More under the Add content Menu. You can now take a look at all the elements that can be used in a PDF. Let’s add a web link here.
- Choose shortcut and click on Add or edit a link.
- Double-click where you want to add a web address. A dialog box opens.
- You can choose link type, line style, highlight style, color, line thickness, and link action. The default settings should be sufficient for your general needs, but you can always make changes to suit your needs. It’s nice to see that Adobe offers a range of customization options. Click Next.
- You can use the scroll bars, mouse and zoom tools to select the target view. Press Set link to create a link destination.
- Double-click it and move the mouse pointer to Actions Menu.
- Expand Select action and click on Opening a web link. Choose Add.
- Enter the Website URL for the link and click OK.
From now on, every time you double-click the rectangular box, Adobe Acrobat will offer a pop-up to open the web address on your device.
Now let’s add a button to a PDF file.
- Open a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat and go to Edit Menu (see steps above).
- Choose button from the sidebar.
- A blue box will appear. You can place it anywhere in the document.
- Give him a relevant Surname and open All properties.
- You can change the name and appearance (border color, fill color, text size, color and font), tweak the position and add a specific action when someone clicks or taps the button.
- Once you have assigned a specific action, click Save above and your button is ready to use.
In another example, we’ll add a video to your PDF document. This way, your readers can watch it by clicking directly into the file.
- Open a PDF document and go to Edit Menu (check the steps above).
- Choose Video and press anywhere on a document.
- A dialog box opens where you can insert a video via a link or from local storage. Select Choose.
- Select and paste a video file from Finder or File Explorer. You can right-click it and open Properties to adjust startup settings and other controls.
We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the Element Properties menu to make the necessary changes.
In addition to links, buttons, and videos, you can add the following interactive elements to your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
- Checkboxes in forms and surveys
- Sound clips
- 3D media
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Benefits of creating an interactive PDF
Here are some of the benefits of creating interactive PDFs over static PDFs.
- Increased engagement: Adding interactive elements like buttons, videos, hyperlinks, and checkboxes increases reader engagement and keeps them engaged. For example, if you’re creating marketing materials for a project, you can insert an introductory video directly into the document, creating a better flow for your prospects or investors.
- Higher Learning: Interactive PDFs allow you to explore content in marketing materials and educational resources in a non-linear way without leaving the document.
- Better information storage: Such PDFs help your reader better understand and retrieve useful information in a document.
- Improved data collection: Are you planning to embed forms or surveys into your PDFs? You can add checkboxes and quickly collect valuable feedback from the audience.
- Effective communication: You can add interactive email addresses, phone numbers and web addresses to ensure effective communication.
- Cost-effective: It streamlines your workflow and eliminates the need to distribute too many documents.
- Versatility: Interactive PDFs are useful in many industries and applications. The possibilities are endless.
Create attractive PDFs
Creatives and marketers often use static PDFs because they are quicker to create. Although it is a somewhat time-consuming process, creating engaging PDFs is worth it because your readers will still absorb the information. However, Adobe Acrobat is a paid app and requires an active subscription. Check out our separate guide if you want to get out of the Adobe ecosystem and use some of the best alternatives.
