Both Acrobat XI Pro and Acrobat XI Standard let you turn existing paper or digital forms into fillable PDF forms. You can distribute these forms using the Acrobat Tracker, which compiles a table of form responses and, if desired, a PDF file of all completed forms. For each form distributed using the Acrobat Tracker, Acrobat supports up to 500 responses.

Acrobat XI Pro now also lets you create new PDF and web forms* from scratch or professional templates using the new included Adobe FormsCentral desktop app. With Acrobat XI Pro, you can:

Create new PDF forms in minutes that anyone can complete using free Adobe Reader software
Build web forms* virtually anyone can complete with a web browser
Distribute* PDF and web forms using the FormsCentral desktop app
View PDF or web form responses in real time online, choosing from a table view or automatically generated summary charts*

* Requires an active account with the FormsCentral online service. Free and paid subscriptions apply.

Why is Adobe bundling the FormsCentral desktop app with Acrobat XI Pro?

The FormsCentral desktop app lets Acrobat XI Pro users create new PDF forms in minutes. Instead of converting existing forms to PDF and then turning them into fillable PDFs, you can quickly build the exact form you need. Use the FormsCentral designer to easily customize professional templates or design forms from scratch.

In addition, if you open a free or paid account with the FormsCentral online service, you can use the desktop app to build web forms and distribute and analyze your forms. FormsCentral significantly improves form reporting and analysis by letting you view and analyze responses in real time. You can easily search, sort, and filter a table of responses, and even customize the view for yourself or team members. Built-in formulas support fast analysis, or you can export the data to a spreadsheet or database. FormsCentral also generates charts automatically, giving you a summarized view of your information so you can spot trends instantly.

How does the FormsCentral desktop app in Acrobat XI Pro differ from the FormsCentral online service?

The FormsCentral desktop app and the FormsCentral online service provide the same powerful, easy-to-use tools for creating, distributing, and analyzing electronic forms. They are available for use and purchase in two different ways:

The FormsCentral desktop app is included in Acrobat XI Pro at no additional cost to let you build unlimited PDF forms from scratch or by customizing professional templates using an intuitive editor. If you would like to also create web forms or distribute forms and collect responses using the FormsCentral desktop app, you can open a free or paid account with the FormsCentral online service.
If you do not own Acrobat XI Pro, you can open a free or paid account with the FormsCentral online service to build and distribute forms online.

Is Adobe LiveCycle® Designer included in Acrobat XI Pro?

LiveCycle Designer software is now sold separately. Visit the LiveCycle Designer product page for details. Acrobat XI Pro users can use the new FormsCentral desktop app for form creation; customers who upgrade to Acrobat XI Pro are also eligible for a free upgrade to the latest version of LiveCycle Designer.

Who is eligible for a free LiveCycle Designer upgrade?

The following customers are eligible for a free upgrade:

Customers who purchased a prior license to Acrobat and have purchased an upgrade to Acrobat XI Pro
Customers who have an Adobe Maintenance and Support contract or purchased Upgrade Plan eligible for an Acrobat XI Pro upgrade
Active Creative Cloud Complete members whose memberships started before October 15, 2012

The one-time LiveCycle Designer upgrade is available in English, French, German, or Japanese. Eligible customers can choose which language they would like to receive. Visit the Customer Support Portal to request an upgrade.

How can I distribute my fillable PDF forms?

With Acrobat XI, you have three options for distributing fillable PDF forms. Simply click Distribute in the Forms panel of the Tools pane to see these options:

Email: Acrobat helps you distribute your PDF form as an email attachment, supporting up to 500 responses per form. When recipients complete the form and send it back to you, responses are returned to your mailbox. Acrobat creates a master response file containing all completed forms, plus a summary of your results in a simple table view.
Internal server: Acrobat lets you select a network folder or your company’s Microsoft SharePoint server to collect up to 500 PDF responses per form. Recipients need read/write access to your server to submit their responses. You can see the results in a simple table view by clicking Track in the Forms panel.
Adobe FormsCentral: Take advantage of real-time online reporting and analysis tools by distributing PDF forms using the FormsCentral desktop app included with Acrobat XI Pro. With your form open in the desktop app, click the Collect Responses Online tab. You'll be prompted to sign up for a free or paid account with the FormsCentral online service or log in to an existing account to let the online service collect form responses. Anyone who has Internet access can complete the form and submit their responses. A simple click on the View Responses or Summary Report tab in the FormsCentral desktop app lets you view their responses in real time.

What's the difference between free and paid FormsCentral online service accounts?

When you open a free Adobe FormsCentral online service account, you can distribute one PDF or web form at a time and collect up to 50 responses. When you open a paid account, the Basic subscription lets you distribute up to five forms at any given time with up to 500 responses per form, and the Plus subscription lets you distribute an unlimited number of forms with up to 5,000 responses per form. Terms of service may change. Visit the FormsCentral website for full pricing details.

How can I get others to sign documents using the EchoSign online service?

Acrobat XI is integrated with the EchoSign online service to let you easily send a document to others for signing, track the entire process, and store signed documents online. Simply choose Send For Signature in the Get Others to Sign panel of the Sign pane. You will need an active free or paid account with the EchoSign online service.

What's the difference between free and paid EchoSign online service accounts?

When you open a free EchoSign online service account, you receive basic functionality during a 30-day trial period. Paid accounts support more users and greater functionality. Terms of service may change. Visit the EchoSign website for full pricing details.

How can I learn to use the new features in Acrobat XI?

For more information and tutorials on how to use the new features and functionality in Acrobat XI, visit the Acrobat User Community and Adobe TV.

Is there a trial version of Acrobat XI?

Yes, you can download a fully functional, 30-day trial version of Acrobat XI Pro for Windows or Mac OS. The trial software is available in English, French, German, and Japanese, as well as in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.

Is the Acrobat XI Family 64-bit compliant?

Yes, Acrobat is a 32-bit application that can run and has been tested on 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows 7 and 8, Windows XP, and Windows Server® 2003 and 2008.

Does Adobe have tools to help IT departments with enterprise deployments?

Yes, many Acrobat XI tools and utilities are available to streamline enterprise deployments and help control IT costs. To learn more, visit the Acrobat IT resources page.

How does product activation work in Acrobat XI?

Activation is a required process by which Adobe validates that your software is genuine and being used as allowed by your product license agreement. It is intended to protect both your rights as a consumer and Adobe's rights as a software developer. Activation also helps confirm that the software you bought is not counterfeit.

You will not be able to use your software if it is not activated. Each single-user license grants rights for Acrobat XI to be installed on two computers at any given time. Acrobat XI products automatically attempt to activate over the Internet. During activation, no personal information is transmitted. See the Adobe software activation page and read this article for more information.

What protected viewing modes are available in Adobe Acrobat XI and Adobe Reader XI?

Similar to Protected Mode in Adobe Reader, Protected View is an implementation of “sandboxing” technology for the rich Acrobat feature set. In Acrobat XI, Adobe extends the functionality of Protected View beyond blocking write-based attacks that attempt to execute malicious code on your computer system using the PDF file format to read-based attacks that attempt to steal your sensitive data or intellectual property via PDF files.

Just like Protected Mode, Protected View confines the execution of untrusted programs (for example, any PDF file and the processes it invokes) to a restricted sandbox to avoid malicious code using the PDF format from writing to or reading from your computer’s file system. Protected View assumes all PDF files are potentially malicious and confines processing to the sandbox unless you specifically indicate that a file is trusted.

Learn more about the application security features of Acrobat XI.

How can I install the latest updates and security patches for Acrobat?

Adobe recommends that you always install the latest updates and security patches. Acrobat XI and Reader XI will notify you when new updates are available, or you can customize the settings so all updates are automatically installed. Acrobat XI tools are also available to streamline updates across enterprise deployments, helping to control IT costs.

Acrobat XI and Microsoft

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How does Acrobat XI work with Microsoft Office 2010 for Windows?

Adobe developed Acrobat XI to work seamlessly from within Microsoft Office 2010 for Windows. With Acrobat XI, you can:

Export PDF files as Microsoft Word files or Excel spreadsheets while keeping your layouts, formatting, and tables intact
Export PDF files as PowerPoint presentations with fully editable text, tables, objects, and master layouts (Acrobat XI Pro only)
Click a single button on the Acrobat task ribbon to create PDF files from within the most popular Microsoft Office 2010 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
Use the Acrobat task ribbon in Office to quickly email a PDF file, protect it with a password, set file usage restrictions, or send a file out for shared review
Use the Acrobat task ribbon to create a PDF and immediately run a preset Action to quickly complete common tasks, such as preparing a document for archiving or public distribution (Acrobat XI Pro only)
Import comments from a PDF file into the source Word document as markups that can be accepted or rejected with the Microsoft Word Track Changes tool

Note: One-button PDF file creation in Microsoft Office 2010 and the ability to import comments into Word are available only in Acrobat XI and X for Windows. To create PDF files from Office 2010 applications when using Acrobat XI for Mac OS or earlier versions of Acrobat, select Adobe PDF as the printer in the Print dialog box.

Does Acrobat XI integrate with Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Office 365?

Yes, you can easily work with PDF files if you have a Microsoft SharePoint server. Whether you’re a Windows or a Mac user, Acrobat XI lets you quickly access PDF files stored in your SharePoint library from any Acrobat Open or Save dialog box. Open PDF files from within SharePoint to view and collaborate on PDF documents. You can even check PDF documents out of SharePoint for editing, and then check them back in once you're finished.

You can also automate processes by hosting shared document reviews or data collection for PDF forms on your SharePoint server. In addition, you can use the improved Combine dialog box to access documents directly from online storage services like Microsoft Office 365 (use subject to Microsoft terms of service).

Do Acrobat XI and Reader XI support Windows 8?

Yes, both Acrobat XI and Reader XI have been tested and are confirmed to operate on Windows 8.

Do older versions of Acrobat support Windows 8?

Acrobat 10.1.4 and XI support Windows 8. Upgrading to Acrobat XI will help ensure compatibility with Windows 8 and access to the latest product enhancements. Enterprise customers with a Gold or Platinum support plan can contact Customer Support for upgrade tips and planning help.

Purchasing Acrobat XI

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When will Acrobat XI be available?: Acrobat XI Pro, Acrobat XI Standard, and Adobe Reader XI are now available worldwide.
How do I buy Acrobat XI?: Select a store to order Acrobat XI products, or contact an Adobe Authorized Reseller. To purchase Acrobat XI for your organization, learn more about Acrobat volume licensing.

Replacing Acrobat X Suite

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Why did Adobe discontinue Acrobat X Suite?

Adobe continually works to deliver exceptional products that meet market demand. After a detailed analysis of our product offerings and sales, Adobe decided to discontinue Acrobat X Suite as of October 15, 2012. Customers who want functionality similar to that provided in Acrobat X Suite should consider purchasing Adobe eLearning Suite 6.1 software. Acrobat X Suite customers are eligible to purchase Adobe eLearning Suite 6.1 for the eLearning Suite 6.1 upgrade price.

What do I replace Acrobat X Suite with if I’m looking for multimedia and communications functionality?

Customers who want the multimedia and communications functionality provided in Acrobat X Suite can purchase Adobe eLearning Suite 6.1. Acrobat X Suite customers are eligible to purchase the Adobe eLearning Suite 6.1 for the eLearning Suite upgrade price. This rich toolset includes the following components, many of which are new versions of products that were available in Acrobat X Suite:

* Available only on the Windows platform.

What if I have an Acrobat X Suite Maintenance and Support contract or Upgrade Plan?

Customers with an Adobe Maintenance and Support contract or Upgrade Plan will receive a copy of Adobe eLearning Suite 6.1 in English, French, German, Japanese, or Spanish. If customers have Acrobat Suite in a language version that is not available for eLearning Suite, they will receive the English version. Acrobat XI Pro and Photoshop CS6 Extended are available in additional languages; customers who would like either of these eLearning Suite components in another available language should contact Customer Support.

Upgrading and support

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What versions of Acrobat does Adobe currently support?: Adobe actively supports Acrobat XI, Acrobat X, and Acrobat 9. Per the Adobe Enterprise Support Lifecycle Policy, support for Acrobat 8 and Reader 8 ended on November 3, 2011.
I own a previous version of Acrobat software. Am I eligible for an upgrade to Acrobat XI?: For information about upgrading to a new Acrobat XI product, read the Acrobat XI Pro buying guide or Acrobat XI Standard buying guide.
What support options are available for Acrobat XI products?: Registered owners of the current version of Adobe Acrobat are eligible to receive person-to-person support on issues related to installation and products, with affordable per-incident support prices. Visit the Acrobat Help page for additional support information, including worldwide telephone support numbers, Knowledgebase articles, and tutorials — available free of charge. The Acrobat Help page also provides detailed information on common Acrobat issues.
How can I work with 3D PDF and geospatial PDF files?: Acrobat XI and Reader XI support 3D PDF files by enabling viewing and interaction with 3D data in the PRC and U3D formats. They also support measurement, analysis, and commenting functions for geospatial PDF files.

Customers interested in 3D PDF document creation should work with tetra4D™, Adobe's exclusive provider of 3D technology for Acrobat XI Pro. tetra4D offers a full suite of solutions that run directly inside Acrobat XI Pro, enabling users to combine the value of 3D CAD data with the benefits of PDF document management. With 3D PDF Converter™, you can easily import native 3D CAD data from the latest versions of CATIA, Pro/E, NX, SolidWorks, Revit, Rhino, and other leading 3D formats. Then use tetra4D's Animate™, Publish™, and Compare™ products to create complex animations; publish rich, interactive, and customizable PDF documents for work instructions, parts catalogs, and other technical publications; and compare versions of 3D PDFs to review document changes. Only tetra4D's products for Acrobat XI Pro enable you to turn on related measurement, sectioning, collaboration, and security features within free Adobe Reader. Learn more.

For geospatial solutions, customers may want to consider products from TerraGo Technologies or ESRI.

Adobe Product Improvement Program

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What is the Adobe Product Improvement Program?: The Adobe Product Improvement Program was introduced with Acrobat 9 and will continue with Acrobat XI. This program invites users of Acrobat XI and Reader XI to help Adobe design future products by providing anonymous information on how they use certain features and functions in the application.

Acrobat will automatically present you with a dialog box offering you the option to opt in to the program; the default is set to opt out. The dialog box will also include a link to a web page where you can learn more about the program. If you agree to participate, the data collection process is invisible to you and does not affect your experience or your computer's run time. After you exit Acrobat XI or Reader XI, anonymous data — such as operating system, browser type, menu options, and buttons selected — is sent to Adobe. By analyzing usage trends among large groups of unidentified users, Adobe can design future products that better meet your needs.
Do other software companies have programs like this?: Yes. Adobe is among the many companies that use customer feedback programs to enhance their products.
How is my privacy protected?: Adobe takes many precautions to help protect the collected and transmitted information from potentially harmful access. We collect data only for the specific product(s) listed in the Adobe Product Improvement Program dialog box, and the data is disclosed only according to the terms described in the Adobe online privacy policy. Data collected is stored or processed in the United States or any other country where Adobe or third-party partners operate. This program is not spyware and cannot collect information without your full knowledge or consent. The program takes only those actions described on this page and only if you give your permission. Since no personal identifiable information is collected as part of the Adobe Product Improvement Program, the anonymous data will not be meaningful to anyone aside from specific Adobe product teams.
Will a third party collect and analyze information on behalf of Adobe and possibly use the information for its own purposes?: No, there will be no third parties accessing data generated by this program.
Can participants in the Adobe Product Improvement Program stop participating after they have opted in?: Yes, we have made it easy for users to stop participating. Just go to the Help menu in Acrobat XI or Reader XI and select Improvement Program Options. When the dialog box appears, you can opt out.
Where can I learn more about the Adobe Product Improvement Program?: Read the full Adobe Product Improvement Program FAQ.

Acrobat XI and Adobe online services

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How can I use Adobe online services when working with Acrobat XI?

Adobe online services extend your Acrobat XI working environment to help you streamline and simplify your projects:

Adobe FormsCentral makes it fast and easy to create, distribute, and analyze forms. A desktop version of the online service is included in Acrobat XI Pro. Using the FormsCentral desktop app, you can create unlimited PDF forms for free from scratch or by using professional templates. If you open a free or paid account with the FormsCentral online service, you can also use the desktop app to build web forms and manage form distribution and analysis.
Adobe EchoSign makes it easy to get rid of paper signatures forever. If you open a free or paid account with the service, you can use the Sign pane in Acrobat XI to send documents to others for signature approval and track results online. Recipients can sign electronically without installing software or creating an EchoSign account.
Acrobat.com lets you store and access your files online from within Acrobat or Reader on any device when you sign up for a free account. You can also collect everyone's feedback in a single PDF file and let reviewers build on one another's comments in real time. Just select Acrobat.com as your preferred distribution method when sending a file out for shared review in Acrobat XI.
Adobe SendNow is an Adobe online service that lets you send and track large files — including audio and video — without the headaches of email size restrictions. Free and paid subscriptions are available.

Does Adobe offer online services for basic PDF tasks?

Yes, the following services are available online for monthly, yearly, and group subscription rates:

Adobe CreatePDF lets you create PDF files and combine multiple files into a single PDF document. You can access CreatePDF directly from the Reader XI Tools pane, upload a document using a web browser, or print files to PDF from any Windows desktop application.
Adobe ExportPDF lets you save PDF documents as editable Microsoft Word or Excel files. You can access ExportPDF directly from the Reader XI Tools pane or upload a document to the service using a web browser.

Standards and accessibility

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What version of the PDF specification does Acrobat XI support?

Acrobat XI supports ISO 32000, the open standard maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

What PDF-based standards does the Acrobat XI Family support?

Acrobat XI supports the creation and validation of these workflow-specific PDF standards:

PDF/A for archiving (ISO 19005): PDF/A-1a, PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2a, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-2u, PDF/A-3a, PDF/A-3b, and PDF/A-3u
PDF/E in Acrobat XI Pro for engineering (ISO 24517): PDF/E-1
PDF/X for print production (ISO 15930): PDF/X-1a, PDF/X-3, PDF/X-4, PDF/X-4p, PDF/X-5g, and PDF/X-5pg
PDF/VT in Acrobat XI Pro for variable data and transactional printing (ISO 16612-2): PDF/VT-1 and PDF/VT-2

What is PDF/A?

PDF/A provides specifications for creating, viewing, and printing digital documents for long-term preservation. Records managers, archivists, and industry-compliance professionals can use Acrobat XI to preserve and help protect final documents of record as self-contained files.

What is PDF/E?

PDF/E provides specifications for creating, viewing, and printing documents used in engineering workflows. Architects, engineers, construction professionals, and manufacturing product teams can use Acrobat XI Pro to facilitate the exchange of documentation and drawings with others in the supply chain, and to streamline review and markup of documents.

What is PDF/X?

PDF/X provides specifications for creating, viewing, and printing final print-ready or press-ready pages. This standard provides guidelines for PDF settings that affect critical aspects of printing, such as color space and trapping. Print professionals, graphic designers, and other creative professionals can use Acrobat XI to create and deliver predictable, press-ready PDF/X-compliant files.

What is PDF/VT?

PDF/VT provides specifications for creating, viewing, and printing files such as bank statements and business invoices used in the variable data and transactional printing industry. Professionals who work with large documents containing variable data can use Acrobat XI Pro to ensure that the files they’ve produced comply with this international standard.

Does Acrobat XI work in conjunction with any other PDF standards or initiatives?

Yes. Acrobat XI supports the creation and use of PDF in compliance with these additional standards and initiatives:

PDF/UA (Universal Accessibility): PDF/UA is an ISO standard (ISO 14289-1) that helps clarify PDF-specific technical requirements to ensure that conforming PDF ISO 32000-1 files are accessible and usable to all, including users who rely on assistive technology.
W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Adobe participates in the WCAG working group at the W3C to help develop the technology-independent WCAG 2.0 standard as well as advisory techniques to help authors and developers meet this accessibility standard.
PAdES (ETSI): PDF Advanced Electronic Signatures provides specifications to help ensure compliance with digital signature standards in the European Union. Adobe Acrobat XI supports PAdES Parts 2, 3, and 4.
PDF for healthcare (AIIM): The AIIM PDF Healthcare Committee provides best practice and implementation guidelines to help facilitate the capture, exchange, preservation, and protection of healthcare information.

Where can I learn more about standards?

See additional details about Acrobat and PDF standards and Adobe and industry standards.

Does Acrobat XI help provide document accessibility?

The Acrobat XI Family of products helps address the needs of both users with disabilities and authors of accessible content. Using Acrobat XI Pro or Acrobat XI Standard, virtually anyone can create accessible PDF documents that others can view using Adobe Reader XI. This helps users with disabilities more easily access and use PDF files and forms across multiple languages.

Using Acrobat XI Pro, Acrobat XI Standard, or Reader XI, users and authors can:

Customize accessibility preferences with an easy-to-use wizard
Read PDFs out loud using built-in functions or working with professional screen-reading software
Set high-contrast colors for better visibility
Enable large-type display by setting text to reflow through pages

In addition, authors can make PDF files more accessible by using Acrobat XI Pro to:

Add tags to control reading order and improve navigation
Verify and adjust reading order for pages or columns of text
Validate standards-compliant PDF documents, check for possible accessibility problems, and adjust files to meet accessibility standards
Take advantage of enhanced tools to support the creation of PDF documents that meet WCAG 2.0 and PDF/UA standards
Use the Make Accessible guided Action to more easily prepare, verify, and fix standards-compliant accessible PDF files

Learn more at the Adobe Accessibility Resource Center.

How has accessibility been enhanced in Acrobat XI?

Several enhancements in Acrobat XI Pro help make it easier to create accessible PDF content. They include:

The new Make Accessible guided Action to help you verify and fix document accessibility, such as adding alternative text to images and form fields
Enhancements to the Accessibility Checker so you can check if your document meets primary accessibility requirements — now including conformance with WCAG 2.0 and PDF/UA standards — and make any needed corrections more efficiently
Synchronized selection between the Tags panel and Content pane so you can toggle more easily between the two viewing modes
Improved Reading Order tools, with enhanced display options and the ability to set up to six heading levels

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Adobe online services are available only to users 13 and older and require agreement to additional terms and Adobe’s online privacy policy. Online services are not available in all countries or languages, may require user registration, and may be subject to change or discontinuation without notice. Additional fees or subscription charges may apply.

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