Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe: Acrobat Pro and Photoshop

VGAP
Topic 2: Creating Adobe PDF Files
 Topic 2: Creating Adobe PDF Files

• Creating PDF Files with Acrobat

• Creating PDF Files from Different File Types (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Printing to PDF and Using PDFMaker
• Converting Web Pages to PDF
Overview of PDF Creation
• You can create PDFs from various file types, including Word documents, images, InDesign files,
spreadsheets, emails, and even scanned paper documents.
• There are multiple ways to convert files into PDFs, depending on the software you are using.

Using Adobe Acrobat

• Open Acrobat and select Create PDF, then choose your file.
• Drag and drop a file into Acrobat.
• Right-click a file and select Convert to Adobe PDF.
• Use Print > Adobe PDF in most applications.
Overview of PDF Creation cont.
From Microsoft Office (Windows Only)
• Use the Adobe Acrobat toolbar in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
• Print to Adobe PDF.
• Right-click the file and select Convert to Adobe PDF.
• Drag the file into Acrobat.

From Emails (Windows Only)

• In Outlook, use the Adobe PDFMaker option.
• Print an email to Adobe PDF.
• Right-click an email and select Convert to Adobe PDF.
Overview of PDF Creation cont.
From Web Pages
• Use the Create PDF tool in Acrobat.
• Print a webpage and select Adobe PDF as the printer.
• Drag an HTML file into Acrobat.

From Scanned Documents

• Use the Scanner option in Acrobat.
• Select Autodetect Colour Mode for best quality.

From Adobe Design Software

• Export from Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign directly to PDF.
• Print to Adobe PDF.
Overview of PDF Creation cont.
BALANCING PDF FILE SIZE & QUALITY
• PDFs can be optimised for small file size (for web use) or high quality (for printing).
• When creating a PDF, you need to balance file size and quality based on its intended use:
• For printing: Use high resolution for sharp images and text.
• For online use: Optimise for smaller file size to ensure fast loading and easy sharing.

• Acrobat offers preset options to adjust quality and size.

• To Adjust PDF Quality & Size:
• Use Acrobat’s conversion presets (e.g., high-quality print, smallest file size).
• Customise settings in PDFMaker, Acrobat, or Acrobat Distiller for more control.
• Scanned documents: Use Autodetect Colour Mode or predefined black-and-white/colour scanning
options.
Create PDFs with Acrobat
Using the Acrobat Menu
• Open Acrobat and select Create from the toolbar.
• Click Select a file and choose the document you want to convert.
• Select Create to generate the PDF.
• Save the file via File > Save As and choose a location.
❑ Tip: Advanced settings are available for certain file types (e.g., images).

Using the ‘Convert to PDF’ Tool

• Open Acrobat and go to All tools > Convert to PDF.
• Select the file and click Open—Acrobat converts it automatically.
• Save your PDF.
Create PDFs with Acrobat cont.
Drag & Drop Method
• Drag files into an open Acrobat window or onto the Acrobat app icon.
• Acrobat will attempt to convert the file to PDF.
• If the file type is unsupported, use another method.
❑ (Windows Only): Right-click a file and select Convert to Adobe PDF.

Convert Clipboard Content to PDF

• Copy text or an image (Ctrl+C or PrintScreen on Windows, Screenshot utility on macOS).
• In Acrobat, go to Create > Clipboard > Create.
• Save the new PDF.
Create PDFs with Acrobat cont.
Creating a Blank PDF
• Open Acrobat and select Create > Blank Page.
• A blank PDF is generated—ideal for simple one-page documents.
• To add a blank page to an existing PDF, go to Edit > Organize Pages > Insert > Blank Page.

Convert Multiple Files to PDFs (Acrobat Pro Only)

• Open Acrobat and select Create > Multiple Files > Create Multiple PDFs.
• Click Add Files or Add Folders to select documents.
• Set the output folder and filename preferences, then confirm.
❑ Note: Acrobat applies the last used settings automatically.
Create PDFs from Different File Types
WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT
• You can easily convert Microsoft Office documents (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) into PDFs using Adobe
Acrobat.
• Different ways to do it:
• Using the Acrobat Menu (refer to slide 7)
• Directly from Microsoft Office
• Using the “Convert to PDF” Tool in Acrobat (refer to slide 7)
• Drag & Drop Method (refer to slide 8)
• Batch Conversion
Create PDFs from Different File Types cont.
WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT
Directly from Microsoft Office (Fastest Method)
• Open the document in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
• Click File > Save As (Windows) or File > Export (Mac).
• Choose PDF as the file format.
• Select the save location and click Save.
❑ Tip: In Word, you can adjust settings under Options before saving (e.g., optimize for web or print).
Create PDFs from Different File Types cont.
WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT
Batch Conversion (Acrobat Pro Only) – Convert Multiple Files at Once
• Open Adobe Acrobat and go to Create > Multiple Files > Create Multiple PDFs.
• Click Add Files and select multiple Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents.
• Click OK, set output preferences, and confirm.
• Acrobat will generate separate PDFs for each file.
❑ Note: You cannot merge files into a single PDF with this method—use Combine Files instead.
Create PDFs from Different File Types cont.
WHICH METHOD SHOULD YOU USE?
Method Best For
Acrobat Menu High-quality, customisable PDF conversion
Direct from Office Fast, easy, basic conversion
Convert to PDF Tool Frequent use, better compatibility
Drag & Drop Quick, small files, no settings
Batch Conversion Multiple file conversions at once
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows)
• PDFMaker makes it easy to create a PDF with just one click.
• You can do this by either clicking the Acrobat PDFMaker toolbar button or selecting an option from the
Adobe PDF menu.
• PDFMaker is a tool that works inside software like Microsoft Office.
• When you install Adobe Acrobat, PDFMaker features become available in these programs, allowing you
to quickly convert files into PDFs.
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows) cont.
Converting Files to PDF Using PDFMaker
• Acrobat installs a PDFMaker toolbar and an Adobe PDF menu in applications like Microsoft Office.
• You can use toolbar buttons or the Adobe PDF menu to create PDFs.
• The Acrobat ribbon in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) provides PDF creation options.

Activating PDFMaker in Microsoft Office

• If the PDF toolbar is missing:
• Microsoft Office:
• Go to File > Options > Add-Ins.
• Manage COM Add-Ins and enable Acrobat PDFMaker Office COM Add-in.
• Restart the Office application.
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows) cont.
Steps to Convert a File to PDF
1. Open the file in its original application.
2. Click Convert to Adobe PDF in the PDFMaker toolbar or Create PDF in the Acrobat ribbon.
3. Choose a filename and location, then click Save.
4. (Optional) Enable View Result to open the PDF or Protect PDF for security settings.
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows) cont.
Creating & Sharing PDFs
• Share a PDF link:
• Select Create PDF and Share Link from the Home tab, Acrobat tab, or File > Share.
• Acrobat converts the file and generates a shareable link.
• Share via Outlook:
• Select Create PDF and Share via Outlook from the Home tab, Acrobat tab, or File > Share.
• Acrobat converts the file, generates a link, and opens Outlook with a new email.
• Send as Email Attachment:
• Select Convert to Adobe PDF and Email from the Adobe PDF menu.
• In Microsoft Office, use Create and Share in the Acrobat ribbon.
• Once converted, click Send File By Email in Acrobat.
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows) cont.
• You can also convert Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files to PDF while customising settings for each file.
• Changes apply only to the current conversion.

Convert Excel Files to PDF

1. Open the Excel file.
2. (Optional) Select specific cells to convert.
3. From the Acrobat ribbon, choose a Create PDF option.
4. In the PDFMaker dialog box, select a Conversion Range, then click Convert to PDF.
5. Choose a filename and location, then click Save.
6. (Optional) Adjust settings by clicking Options before saving.
Create PDFs with PDFMaker (Windows) cont.
Convert Word & PowerPoint Files to PDF
1. Open the Word or PowerPoint file.
2. (Optional) Select specific text/objects (Word) or slides (PowerPoint).
3. From the Acrobat ribbon, choose:
1. Create PDF
2. Create & Attach to Email
3. Create & Send for Review
4. In the Save Adobe PDF File As dialog, choose a filename and location.
5. (Optional) Click Options to adjust settings.
6. Choose a Page Range (Word) or Slide Range (PowerPoint) if needed.
7. Click OK, then Save to create the PDF.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer
• You can convert files to PDF by printing to the Adobe PDF printer from most applications.
• This method sends the file to Distiller for conversion using the current PDF settings.
• The Adobe PDF printer creates untagged PDFs, which may not be optimised for screen readers or
mobile devices.
• For nonstandard page sizes, a custom page size must be created.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
Creating a PDF via Print (Windows) Creating a PDF via Print (Mac)
1. Open the file and go to File > Print. 1. Open the file and go to File > Print.
2. Select Adobe PDF as the printer. 2. Select Save As Adobe PDF from the PDF menu
at the bottom.
3. (Optional) Click Properties/Preferences to
customize settings. 3. Choose a default or custom PDF setting.
4. Click OK to generate the PDF. 4. (Optional) Select whether to open the PDF after
creation.
5. Click Continue, then choose a name and
location for the PDF.
6. Click Save to generate the PDF.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
ADOBE PDF PRINTING PREFERENCES (WINDOWS)
• Printing preferences apply to all applications that use the Adobe PDF printer, unless changed within a
specific program.
• Access Printing Preferences:
• From Printers Window: Go to Start > Printers, right-click Adobe PDF Printer, and select Printing
Preferences.
• From an Application: Choose File > Print, select Adobe PDF as the printer, then click
Properties/Preferences.

• Printing Preferences vs. Printer Properties:

• Preferences: Controls PDF-specific settings.
• Properties: Contains general printer settings like paper source and layout.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
ADOBE PDF PRINTING PREFERENCES (WINDOWS)
Key Printing Preferences
• Conversion Settings:
• Select a predefined conversion setting or customize it in the Adobe PDF Settings dialog box.
• PDF Security:
• Reconfirm Security for Each Job: Set security each time a PDF is created.
• Use Last Known Security Settings: Applies the last used security settings automatically.
• Output Folder:
• Choose where to save the PDF or set it to ask for a filename every time.
• Page Size:
• Select a custom page size if needed.
• Replace Existing PDFs:
• Choose to Always Replace, Ask Every Time, or Never Replace an existing PDF.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
ADOBE PDF PRINTING PREFERENCES (WINDOWS)
• View PDF After Creation:
• Opens the PDF in Acrobat immediately after conversion.
• Add Document Information:
• Includes details like filename and creation date.
• Font Options:
• Use System Fonts Only: Faster PDF creation but may not include document fonts.
• Deselect this option to embed all fonts in the PDF (takes longer).
• Delete Log Files for Successful Jobs:
• Automatically removes logs unless there is an error.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
SETTING ADOBE PDF PRINTER PROPERTIES (WINDOWS)
• In most cases, Adobe PDF printer properties do not need changes unless you are configuring printer
sharing or security settings.
• Properties vs. Preferences:
• Properties: General printer settings (applies to all printers).
• Preferences: PDF-specific conversion options.

How to Access Adobe PDF Printer Properties

• Open Devices and Printers from the Start menu.
• Right-click Adobe PDF Printer and select Properties.
• Navigate through the tabs to adjust settings as needed.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
CREATING AND USING A CUSTOM PAGE SIZE IN ADOBE PDF
• Page Size vs. Paper Size:
• Page Size: The dimensions set in the document (e.g., U.S. Letter - 8.5” x 11”).
• Paper Size: The physical sheet used for printing (may be larger to fit printer marks or bleeds).
• To ensure correct printing, set the page size in both the document and the printer settings.
Creating a Custom Page Size (Windows) Creating a Custom Page Size (Mac OS)
1. Open Devices and Printers from the Start menu. 1. Open an application (e.g., Adobe InDesign) and
2. Right-click Adobe PDF Printer and select Printing go to File > Page Setup.
Preferences.
2. Select Manage Custom Sizes from the Paper
3. Go to the Adobe PDF Settings tab and click Add Size menu.
(next to the Page Size menu).
4. Enter a name, width, height, and unit of 3. Click + to add a new size.
measurement. 4. Enter the name, width, height, and margins.
5. Click Add/Modify to save the new custom page 5. Save the new page size.
size.
Using the Adobe PDF Printer cont.
CREATING AND USING A CUSTOM PAGE SIZE IN ADOBE PDF
Using the Custom Page Size
1. Open File > Print.
2. Click Page Setup.
3. Select the custom page size from the Paper Size menu.
Converting Web Pages to PDF
• You can convert web pages to PDF using Adobe Acrobat in two ways:
1. Using the Adobe Acrobat Browser Extension (quick and easy).
2. Using the Adobe Acrobat Desktop Application (more advanced options).

Convert Web Pages to PDF Using the Browser Extension

1. Open a web page in your browser.
2. Click the Adobe Acrobat icon in the browser toolbar.
3. Choose Convert Webpage to PDF.
4. Select a location, enter a file name, and click Save.
• Additional Options:
• Add to an existing PDF: Merge the webpage with another PDF.
• Create PDF Online: Use Acrobat's online services for additional features.
Converting Web Pages to PDF
Convert Web Pages to PDF Using Acrobat Desktop
1. Open Acrobat and go to Create > Web Page.
2. Enter the webpage URL or select an HTML file.
3. Choose how many levels of the website to include:
• Capture multiple levels: Select the number of linked pages to include.
• Get entire site: Downloads the entire website (Warning: Large sites may slow down your system).
4. Use additional settings:
• Stay on the same path: Download only pages within a specific section of the site.
• Stay on the same server: Exclude external links.
5. Adjust Advanced Settings if needed and select Create.
PDF Portfolios
• A PDF Portfolio is a collection of multiple files combined into one PDF.
• Unlike merging files into one document, a PDF Portfolio keeps each file separate while grouping them
together.
• This means you can open, edit, and manage each file independently.
• You can sort, preview, open, edit, and save these files in their original format, as long as you have the
required software installed.
PDF Portfolios cont.
• Key Features & Benefits:
• Keeps original files intact – Files remain in their original format and can be edited separately.
• Supports various file types – You can include PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, emails, CAD drawings,
and more.
• Easy to organize – Drag and drop to rearrange files and folders.
• Quick preview – View files without opening them in their native applications.
• Flexible sharing – Send a single Portfolio file, ensuring all components are included.
• Search and sort – Find files easily and organize them by categories.
• Print options – Print all PDFs in a Portfolio or only selected ones.
• Independence from source files – Any changes made in the Portfolio do not affect the original files.
• Reuse files – The same file can be included in multiple PDF Portfolios.

• Important: Always open PDF Portfolios in Adobe Acrobat or Reader for full functionality. Opening in a
browser or email app may not display all contents properly.
Create and Manage PDF Portfolios
Viewing and Sorting Files
• Open a PDF Portfolio to see a list of all files inside.
• Click a column name to sort files (click again to reverse the order).
• Right-click > Portfolio Properties to:
• Show, hide, add, or remove columns.
• Change the order of columns.
• Customize the file display order.
Create and Manage PDF Portfolios cont.
• A PDF Portfolio lets you combine multiple files into a single, organized PDF without merging them.
• You can easily add, arrange, edit, and remove files while keeping their original formats.

Creating a PDF Portfolio (Quick Steps)

• Open Acrobat → Go to File (Mac) or the Hamburger Menu (Windows) → Select Create > PDF Portfolio.
• Click Add Files → Choose files, folders, web pages, scanned pages, or clipboard items.
• Click Create → Your files are added, and a Portfolio window opens.
Create and Manage PDF Portfolios cont.
Adding & Organizing Files in a PDF Portfolio
• Add Files & Folders → Right-click inside the Portfolio window → Select Add Files, Add Folder, or Add
Web Content.
• Drag & Drop → Move files into the Portfolio workspace or a folder.
• Create Folders → Use the Create Folder icon to keep files organized.
• Rearrange Files → Drag files within a folder or move folders to different locations (folders stay in
alphabetical order).
• For best performance: Keep total files under 15 and file size under 50MB.
Create and Manage PDF Portfolios cont.
Adding Web Content & Multimedia
• Link to a Website → Right-click, select Add Web Content, then enter a URL.
• Embed a Video → Select Add An Embed Tag, paste the video’s embed code.
• Convert Multimedia to PDF → Right-click an MP3 or video file (MP4, MOV, etc.), then select Convert to
PDF.

Removing & Extracting Files

• Delete Files → Select files/folders and press Delete.
• Extract (Save) Files → Click the Extract From Portfolio icon, choose a location, and save.
Working with PDF Portfolios cont.
Adding Files and Folders
• Right-click in the PDF Portfolio and select Add Files or Add Folder.
• Drag and drop files or folders from your computer into the Portfolio.
• Create a new folder by right-clicking and selecting Create Folder.
• Best practice: Keep total files under 15 and total size below 50MB for best performance.

Removing Files and Folders

• Select the file/folder and press Delete.
• If you delete a folder, all files inside are also removed.
Working with PDF Portfolios cont.
Rearranging Files and Folders
• Drag and drop files within the Name column to:
• Change their order.
• Move files into folders.
• Move folders into other folders (if they’re at the same level).

Sorting and Filtering Files (Acrobat Pro)

• By default, files are sorted alphabetically.
• To change sorting:
• Right-click > Portfolio Properties > Sort by (choose a column like "Modified" or "Size").
• Set Ascending or Descending order.
Working with PDF Portfolios cont.
Opening, Editing & Saving Files
• Right-click a file > Select Open File (PDFs) or Open File in Native Application (non-PDFs).
• If prompted, allow the file to open.
• Make edits and save—changes will be reflected in the Portfolio but won’t affect the original file on your
computer.

Extracting Files from a PDF Portfolio

• Right-click a file and select Extract from Portfolio.
• Or drag the file out of the Portfolio window to save it separately.

Visit the link to learn more about publishing and sharing PDF Portfolios:
https://helpx.adobe.com/africa/acrobat/using/publish-share-pdf-portfolios.html
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