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Why is the "Delete" option greyed out when I try to delete a page?

Explains why the Delete option may appear greyed out when trying to delete a page in Foxit PDF Editor, and how to fix it.

Answer

The "Delete" or "Insert" option may be greyed out when trying to delete a page for the following several reasons:

  1. PDF file only contains one page.
  2. PDF document is opened under Protected View mode.
  3. PDF document is a PDF/A compliant file and is opened in PDF/A view mode.
  4. PDF document has restrictions and "Changing the Document" is not allowed.

 

1. PDF file only contains one page.

If the PDF file only contains one page, it's impossible to delete the only page because at least one page is necessary for a PDF file to exist.

2. PDF document is opened under Protected View mode.

Protected view mode is a read-only mode. In protected view mode, most features are disabled, in order to protect your computer from being harmed by PDF files originated from potentially unsafe locations.

The protected view feature is available since version 9.0.1. If the version that you're using is version 9.0.1 or a later version, you can check this.

Here're methods to turn off Protected View mode:
Method-1: Turn off Protected View mode via bubble message in upper right corner.
When you open a PDF file under protected view mode, a bubble message would appear at the upper right corner, as the screenshot below. Click on Enable All Features to turn off protected view mode temporarily for the file in current tab.


In some scenarios, such bubble message doesn't appear because option "Show the message which affects the next step" has been turned off in Preferences > General. In this situation, you can try the following method to turn off Protected View mode via Preferences.


Method-2: Turn off Protected View mode via Preferences.
To set up your application to never open PDF document in protected view mode, please navigate to File > Preferences > Security, select "Off" under Protected View, and click "OK" to apply the change.

3.The document is a PDF/A compliant document and is opened in PDF/A view mode.

By default, a PDF/A compliant document will be opened in PDF/A view mode, which is also not allowed editing to that PDF document. If you want to edit such PDF document, you need to turn off the PDF/A view mode.

Here're methods to turn off PDF/A view mode:
Method-1: Turn off PDF/A View mode via bubble message in upper right corner.
When a PDF/A compliant document is opened, a bubble message appears at the upper right corner, as screenshot below. Click on Enable Editing, and accept the change by clicking on Yes. Then you will be able to edit that PDF document.


Method-2: Turn off PDF/A view mode via Preferences.
If you want the setting to be applied to all files, you can make the change in Preferences. Please navigate to File > Preferences > Documents, change option "View document in PDF/A mode" to Never, and click "OK" to apply the change.

4. PDF document has restrictions and "Changing the Document" is not allowed.

The PDF document may have been secured by password protection and "Changing the Document" is not allowed.

First, please check the document restrictions: navigate to File > Properties > Security.

In screenshot above, this PDF document is secured by password protection and "Changing the Document" is not allowed.
In such situation, you need to gain the owner password from the provider of this PDF document. Then use the owner password to open this PDF file.

  • If it's required to input password when you open this PDF document, please close the PDF document, open it again and input the owner password to open the PDF document.
  • If you don't need to input password when opening the PDF document, or you don't want to close the PDF document, then you can try following instruction:
    a. Click Protect > Secure Document > Password Protect:
    b. In the Password pop-up window, please input the owner password of this PDF document. Then click OK.c. If the owner password is correct, then you will see a pop-up window with message
    "The document has already been secured.
    Are you sure you want to change the security on this document?"
    Please click "Cancel", which means not to change the security on this document but only access this document as owner.

Now, you have used owner password for this PDF document and get all the operation permission now. Then you can edit this PDF document.

 

Any further questions or concerns, please reach out to Foxit support Agent directly by submitting a ticket through the Foxit support page.