Adjusting PDF views Part 2

Adjusting PDF views Part 2

Set the page view and scrolling

To adjust the page layout and orientation in Acrobat, follow these steps:

  1. (Windows) Select the hamburger menu > View > Page display to access the page layout options.

    (macOS) Select View > Page display.

  2. Choose from the following page layouts based on your preference:

    • Single page view: Displays one page at a time, without any portion of other pages visible.
    • Enable scrolling: Displays pages in a continuous vertical column, allowing you to scroll through the document smoothly.
    • Two page view: Displays each two-page spread, without any portion of other pages visible.
    • Two page scrolling: Displays facing pages side by side in a continuous vertical column.
Note

If the document contains more than two pages and you want to ensure the first page appears alone on the right side of the document pane, select either Two page view or Two page scrolling.
Additionally, for Windows, select the hamburger menu  >View > Page display > Show cover page in two page view for or for macOS, select View > Page display > Show cover page in two page view for macOS. 

Page view for page layout and orientation
Single Page View, Enable Scrolling, Two Page View, Two Page Scrolling layouts

Rotate the page view

You can change the view of a page in 90-degree increments. This changes the view of the page, not its actual orientation. You can't save this change.

Rotate page view clockwise

  • To temporarily rotate the page view clockwise, from the right panel, select Rotate the document to the right (Shift + CTRL + Plus). Alternatively, for Windows, select the hamburger menu  > View > Rotate view > Rotate view right, Or for macOS, select View > Rotate view > Rotate view right.

Rotate page view Anti-clockwise

  • To temporarily rotate the page view, for Windows, select the hamburger menu  > View > Rotate view > Rotate view left, Or for macOS, select View > Rotate view > Rotate view left. You can’t save this change.

Tip

To save the rotation with the document, from the All tools menu, select Organize pages, and then from the left panel, select Rotate page right for clockwise 90° rotation  or  Rotate page left for counterclockwise 90° rotation.

Change the default page layout (initial view)

You specify the default initial view settings in the Preferences dialog box. See Set Preferences.

  1. (Windows) Go to the hamburger menu > Preferences, and then from under Categories, select Page Display.

    (macOS) Select Acrobat from the top left and then select Preferences. Then from the Preferences dialog box, select Page Display under Categories. 

  2. Open the Page layout drop-down list and select one of the available options: Automatic, Single Page, Single Page Continuous, Two-Up, or Two-Up Continuous.

Note

By default, the PDF opens with the page layout specified in Preferences. However, if a different page layout is set in document Properties (for Windows hamburger menu  > Document properties > Initial View, and for macOS, select File > Document properties > Initial View), it will override the Preferences setting. If you want to use document properties, make sure to save and close the document for the changes to take effect. Please note that Acrobat users have the ability to change the initial view, unless there are security settings in place preventing changes. However, Acrobat Reader users can't change the initial view.

Use split-window view

Split view allows you to divide the document pane into two panes or four panes, offering enhanced navigation capabilities.

In Split view, you can independently scroll, change the magnification level, or switch to a different page in the active pane without affecting the other pane.

Spreadsheet Split view is ideal for large spreadsheets or tables, where column headings and row labels remain visible while scrolling. Changing the magnification in one pane applies to all panes, and scrolling is coordinated between them.

  1. To create Split view:

    • To split the view into two panes, either select Window > Split or drag the gray box above the vertical scroll bar.

    • To split the view into four panes with synchronized scrolling and zoom levels, select Window > Spreadsheet split.

    • Adjust the size of the panes by dragging the splitter bars up, down, left, or right as needed.

  2. To adjust Zoom levels:

    • In Split view, click a pane to activate it and modify the zoom level for that specific pane only.

    • In Spreadsheet Split view, adjusting the zoom level will change the displays in all four panes simultaneously.

  3. For scrolling:

    • In Split view, click a pane to make it active and scroll to change the content of that pane exclusively.

    • In Spreadsheet split view, click a pane and scroll vertically to change the views in the active pane and the adjacent pane. Scroll horizontally to modify the views in the active pane and the pane above or below it.

  4. To restore single-pane view, choose Window > Remove split.

View a document in multiple windows

To create multiple windows for the same document in Acrobat Reader, follow these steps:

  1. Use the New Window command to open more windows. Each new window will have the same size, magnification, and layout as the original window. The new window opens on top of the original window and at the same page.

  2. When a new window is opened, Acrobat appends the suffix "1" to the original filename. Subsequent new windows are assigned suffixes incrementally, such as "2" for the second window, "3" for the third, and so on. This allows you to easily identify and differentiate between multiple windows of the same document.

  3. If you decide to close a window, the remaining windows will be renumbered sequentially. For example, if you have five windows open and you close the third window you opened, the remaining windows will be renumbered with the suffixes "1" to "4". This renumbering ensures consistent and organized window management.

  4. To open a new window, select Window > New window.

By using the New Window command, you can conveniently create and manage multiple windows for the same document in Acrobat Reader. Each new window retains the original window's settings, and you can easily track and close individual windows while maintaining sequential numbering for the remaining windows.

Note

This feature isn’t available when PDFs are viewed in a browser.

Close windows

  1. To close a window, for Windows, select Close X from the top right. For macOS, select Close from the top left. 

    It prompts you to save any changes. Closing a window doesn’t close a document if more than one open window.

  2. To close all windows for a document, select File > Close. You are prompted to save any changes before each window is closed.

Zoom in or zoom out a PDF

  1. From the right panel, select Zoom in   or Zoom out  .

Adjust zoom to specific views in PDF

You can adjust the zoom in a PDF to fit a specific height, width, or actual size or zoom to the page level.

  1. (Windows) From the upper left, select the hamburger menu   and then select View > Zoom.

    (macOS) From the upper left, select View > Zoom.

  2. Select any of the following as required:

    • Actual size: Resizes the page to its original zoom level.
    • Zoom to page level: Adjusts the page to fit the entire page in view.
    • Fit to width: Scales the page to match the window's width.
    • Fit height: Adjusts the page to fit the window's height.
    • Fit visible content: Zooms in to display all visible text clearly.
    • Marquee zoom: Allows you to enlarge a specific area of a PDF by selecting and dragging.
    • Dynamic zoom: Allows you to zoom in or out. Select the area you want to zoom and move the mouse to zoom in or out. 

Pin tools in the right tools pane

You can pin tools in the right toolbar for easy access. 

  1. Open a PDF in Acrobat. 

  2. From the right pane, select Display the page at 100% magnification above the zoom icon. 

  3. Hover over the option that you want to select. 

  4. When the tooltip Pin items to the right pane   appears, select the option.

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