A fillable PDF with no buttons works, but it leaves people guessing. Where do they send it? How do they start over? A Submit button and a Reset button answer both questions. They are also among the least reliable parts of a PDF form, because many viewers ignore them. Here is how to add them, and how to design a form that still works when they fail.
What the two buttons actually do
A button in a PDF is a form field with an action attached. The two you will use most are:
- Submit a Form: sends the field values to a web address or email address, in a format you choose.
- Reset a Form: clears the fields back to their default values, either all of them or only the ones you pick.
Neither one is built into the file by default. You add a button, then assign the action.
Adding the buttons in Acrobat Pro
- Open the form and choose Prepare a Form.
- Pick the Button tool and click where you want it on the page.
- Give it a clear name and label, such as "Submit" or "Clear form".
- Open the button's properties and go to the Actions tab.
- Set the trigger to Mouse Up, then choose Submit a Form or Reset a Form from the action list.
- Click Add, set the options, and close the dialog.
Other desktop form editors follow the same pattern: place a button, then attach an action. The menu names differ, so look for "button", "action" or "behavior" in the field properties.
Choosing the submit format
When you set up Submit a Form, you choose what gets sent:
- FDF or XFDF: only the field names and values. Small, and good if the receiving system can read form data.
- HTML: field values sent like a web form post, for a server built to receive them.
- PDF: the whole completed file. Simple for a person to open and review, but larger.
Pick the one that matches whoever receives it. If a human reads the result, send the PDF. If a system imports it, send the data. Our guide to exporting PDF form data and importing it back covers the data side.
A mailto address is the easiest destination to set up, but it depends on the person having an email program configured on their computer. If they use webmail, nothing may happen.
Why the buttons often do nothing
This is the part most guides skip. Submit and Reset buttons rely on features that not every viewer supports:
- Browser PDF viewers and many phone apps may fill in fields but ignore Submit actions.
- Some viewers block actions that contact a server or run scripts. See PDF JavaScript security risks for why.
- A Reset button that works in your editor may do nothing in a lightweight reader.
Test the form in the viewers your recipients will actually use, not only the one you built it in.
Build a fallback
Because the buttons can fail, never make them the only way to return the form. Add one plain line of text near the button, such as "If Submit does not work, save the file and email it to forms@example.com." Use your own real address.
Also check that saving works properly in the viewers people use, since saving and emailing the file is the most dependable route.
Placement and design
- Put Submit last. It should be the final stop in the tab order.
- Separate Reset from Submit. Resetting wipes everything, so keep it away from the button people click most, and label it clearly. Many forms are better off with no Reset button at all.
- Make the button look like a button. Use a visible border, a fill colour and readable text.
- Use a short label. "Submit" or "Send form" is enough.
A quick test routine
- Fill in every field with dummy data.
- Click Reset and confirm everything clears, including checkboxes and dropdowns.
- Fill the form again and click Submit.
- Check what arrives: the right format, the right values, nothing missing.
- Repeat in a browser and on a phone.
If you only need a form to be filled and returned, the simplest reliable approach is a clean fillable form plus clear return instructions. Buttons are a convenience, not a guarantee. You can build and edit fillable forms in Docento.app in your browser, with your files staying on your device.
