We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

The pre filled fields from downloaded pdf forms are blank; e.g.; prefilled pdf forms from insurance companies.

  • 5 replies
  • 11 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by twiggy145

more options

I download pre filled pdf claim forms from the web site of my insurance company. The fields are not pre filled with my personnal data ( name, address, etc) like it is supposed to. Furthermore, I cannot even type my own data in the blank fields. All of this works all right with another browser.

I download pre filled pdf claim forms from the web site of my insurance company. The fields are not pre filled with my personnal data ( name, address, etc) like it is supposed to. Furthermore, I cannot even type my own data in the blank fields. All of this works all right with another browser.

All Replies (5)

more options

The new built-in PDF viewer does not have the capability to do fill-in forms. Development is still underway on enhancements to the PDF viewer.

In the meantime, you will need a PDF application that can do fill-in forms (Adobe Reader and Foxit Reader are 2 free PDF applications that can fill-in PDF forms).

You can change Firefox settings to use another application's plugin to fill-in forms in Firefox instead of using the built-in PDF viewer as a default. Here's how to do that - https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/disable-built-pdf-viewer-and-use-another-viewer

more options

I updated Adobe to version X. I also updated the Adobe plug ins.

I changed the Firefox settings to use Adobe Reader outside of Firefox. This enabled me at least to type in my own data in the blank fields. But still, these fields are not being downloaded pre filled.

more options

Have you talked with your insurance company to verify that your personal information is pre-filled by them? Also ask them, how you are supposed to fill-in that information if the provided space(s) are not fill-in fields? Foxit Reader (free! and my preference vs. Adobe Reader) has a "typewriter" tool to fill-in non-fillable forms/spaces. In Adobe Reader, it appears that the PDF creator/designer must allow use of the "typewriter" tool when they create the PDF.

more options

Just discovered in Adobe Reader XI (X may be the same), to add text to a non-fillable area, do the following when the form is open in Adobe Reader (outside of Firefox -- the PDF form must be saved to your hard drive first, then opened in Adobe Reader not Firefox):

  • click Comment > choose the bold "T" in the Annotations section
  • a toolbar floats at the top where you can choose font, text size, etc.
  • Position your cursor on the form and start typing; reposition cursor to another area to add more text in that other area.
  • When done manually entering data outside of fill-in areas, press the ESC key on your keyboard.
    • If you enter text by this method in a fill-in field, when you ESC from the feature, the text entered (if in a fill-in field) will become "dimmed". I did not test to see how it prints in that instance.

Modified by TheOldFox

more options

Easy answer: the form is pre-filled with my personal data, it has since at least 2 years, and is still pre filled today when I use IE8. Unfortunately Mozilla Firefox 19 cant do it. Thanks anyways. I will wait for an improved version.