Permanently disable JavaScript support in opened documents SOLVED

[Jensen Head]

There are JavaScripts in the documents I work with, but I don't need them. I work only with graphic-text archival documents without the use of interactive elements. Is there a way to turn off JavaScript support in the application so that when opening files with JavaScript, an annoying message

JavaScript PDF-XChange Editor
This document contains JavaScript. Do you wish to enable all JavaScript actions in this document?
Note: The document may not behave correctly, if they are disabled.
Suppress this message until this document is reopened

does not pop up? Otherwise, could the developers consider adding a "don't enable now and in the future, and don't ask again" response option?

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Jensen Head

To prevent JS from running, and from getting popups to do so, look to the applications preferences (Ctrl+K) under the "javascript" category. Then uncheck the "enable" and "show warning" checkboxes for JS:

image.png

Kind regards,

[Jensen Head]

Doesn't the "Show warning when JavaScript action executes" setting cause JavaScript to be executed without being prompted? It doesn't seem to be the same as "deny JavaScript execution and don't issue a warning".

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Jensen Head

Not quite, I had a long chat with the Devs about this, and the options will be seeing some change, the show warning option will present a warning when a document has Js that is tries to execute, giving you the opportunity to allow it, or disallow it manually, for that session. This is helpful because there could be times when a document actually requires JS to appear correctly, and actively seeing a prompt which you say "no" to before opening can help to showcase why it was required.

In the future, we will be changing the text of these options to make that more obvious.

Kind regards,

[WT_Tech]

This is a historic thread but also the closest response I can find to a new item:

After a recent update of PDF-XChange Editor (to v9.5 build 366.0), Javascript appears to be permanently ENABLED. i.e. Turning off Javascript has no effect and the Javascript is 'run' on startup each time. Here are the settings used which should turn off Javascript on startup:

image.png

This is proven by removing all checks (as per above - which still ran the Javascript). After opening I then deleted all document 'fields' which were called by the Javascript and also checked the 'Show warning when JavaScript action executes' tickbox shown above. After closing and re-opening, I get the following pop-up the warning...i.e. The JavaScript HAS executed but throws an error when attempting to find the now missing fields....

image(1).png

The appears to be a recent issue as turning OFF Javascript has worked fine for years until the recent update??

Any thoughts?

Thanks

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, WT_Tech

Thank you for the report, I have reproduced the issue and brought it to our Dev team directly. This should be resolved for the next release. I apologize for the trouble.

Kind regards,

[kumar]

Hi,
I need to disable JavaScript too but still want to get the warning message before JavaScript executes and I think this is a very important fix that needs to be released as soon as possible due to the security risks. That said, does unchecking "Enable JavaScript Actions" and "Show warning when JavaScript action executes", then will it disable JavaScript? Please confirm. This could be a temporary workaround solution until a fix is released.

Hoping then in the next release,
1. Enable JavaScript Actions - Unchecking this option will disable JavaScript
AND
2. Show warning when JavaScript action executes - Checking this option will show a warning message before JavaScript executes
Can you please confirm this is how it will work in the fixed release?

Thanks.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, kumar

Yes, unchecking both options will prevent JS from running (once these controls are working that is...), The Dev team has also confirmed that this issue is already fixed and will definitely be in the 368.0 build release, at the moment however, I do not have a timeline for when this will be available.
If show warning is left enabled, than yes, and JS attempting to run should cause a popup asking you to allow it to continue.

Kind regards,

[Jensen Head]

So, how exactly does the "Enable JavaScript Actions" setting work in PDF-XChange Editor 10.7.6, build 404?

If disabling it blocks all JavaScript, regardless of whether it's necessary for document rendering, then why isn't the "Show warning when JavaScript action executes" setting grayed out шт this case as meaningless/ineffective?

If the first setting doesn't work as I described, then it should probably be named differently so that its meaning more accurately reflects its function.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Jensen Head

I am sorry to say that the Dev team have been quite stubborn in this respect, and have so far not wanted to make changes to the presentation here. I agree that it is confusing, and I sincerely wish we could change this so the "show warning" option was available when enabled, instead of when it is disabled...

In any case, since that seems unlikely, there are currently 3 states:
1. Js "actions" will not run at all:

image.png

2. Js "actions" are disallowed unless you allow them to run via the presented prompt:

image(1).png

3. Js "actions" will be allowed to run without any prompt:

image(2).png

With that said, I brought it up one more time with the Dev team leader today, to try and get him to reconsider. I cannot promise anything, give the history of these options, but who knows...
[Update] - It looks like we may just remove the show warning option entirely.. to ease confusion and keep our product in line with expectations carried over from Acrobat.

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

It seems like this option only applies to Document scripts (?) If so, I'd like to add a suggestion that may make it clearer:

Instead of the section being called "JavaScript", name it "Document JavaScript" and provide a dropdown with three options:

• Disable (Document scripts will not run)
• Always Ask (Show warning before action runs)
  • (IMO this could be just "Ask" with a "Don't ask again for this document" checkbox on the dialog)
• Enable (Document scripts will always run)

Something like:

image.png

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Mathew

Your assumption there is correct that it is specifically document scripts. However I am sorry to say that the case is closed for now. The Dev team have removed the ask option entirely, matching Acrobat's functionality in their settings of the same name.

image.png

Unfortunately, the decision appears to be final and I cannot raise another discussion to change it. We will have to wait and see how it goes with the rest of our clients when the change goes live in 10.8.

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

Ugh Build 409: This is an upsetting backwards step. Now javascript just fails silently without giving the option to run it for specific documents (ie stamps). I very much dislike this change.

I must use pdf's from other people all the time and definitely don't want random document javascript to be able to run without me knowing about it. But I very much DO want to be able to use, for example, dynamic stamps. Now I get the choice of low security, or dynamic stamps. I have to revert to an older version.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Mathew

Thank you for vocalizing this opinion - I will make note of it and raise it with the Dev team.

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

Thank you for vocalizing this opinion - I will make note of it and raise it with the Dev team.

Thank you Daniel. For now I'll have to stick with build 404 (10.7.6) because it's an impossible choice to risk running all javascript on any file I open; or stop using dynamic stamps (and javascript functionality such as date fields in documents I do trust).

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Mathew

I'm sorry to hear it, but I understand. hopefully this will still see some change, at the very least I know we do have at least one other who has raised issue with the implementation regarding stamps specifically, with mention that acrobat does allow Stamp JS to work as normal, even if other JS is disabled in full. Hopefully we can offer that, but I would like to see us go back to the options from before (ideally in the dropdown menu format you suggested above).

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

Just to add a bit more background on this: For both the alert and the enable/disable of javascript PXCE thinks that the document that the stamp is being applied to is the document with javascript, not the stamp file itself. Thus I have to allow javascript in a document to use dynamic stamps on that document.

This is what shows on the document when I go to place a dynamic stamp: note that the file indicated has no javascript so the dialog is actually incorrect ("weldSymbols.pdf" is the dynamic stamp file that contains javascript)

image.png

So in my mind there are two issues:

• There currently (as of build 405) is no way to enable/disable javascript on a document by document basis.
• PXCE's dialog acts as if javascript that is running on stamps is running on documents. If you run console.println("Path to 'this':" + this.path) on a dynamic stamp, though, it correctly lists the path to the stamp.

[Sean - PDF-XChange]

Hi Mathew,

Thanks for the clarification on that - the team will take it into consideration when they review this issue.

Kind regards,

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello,

I have good news, In V11 we will be amending this functionality with relation to stamps - though it seems the two state handling will be remaining as is.

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

Thanks Dan.

That's a great improvement for dynamic stamps, although it still leaves me stuck at v10.7.6 (build 404) unless I decide to block all document scripts (or allow them all), right?

Mathew.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

Hello, Mathew

Actually
Even better news!
You just might be getting everything you've been asking for (also for v11):

image.png

Also, if you haven't seen it, but perhaps have some spare time - we do have a new "preview" release system on its way. If you are curious and may want to play with any newer functionality - you can apply by reading the post here, and sending us an email: viewtopic.php?t=49384

Kind regards,

[Mathew]

oh wow! Spectacular! You are all the best.

[Daniel - PDF-XChange]

[DIV]

The foreshadowed change to the wording and layout in version 11 looks like a nice tweak.

I have a question about the implementation of the warnings. In my currently installed version of Editor Plus (10.1.3) I recently disabled the "Enable JavaScript Actions" preference (under File > Preferences > JavaScript), and enabled warnings.

When opening a single document, I then immediately got a seemingly endless set of pop-ups asking me whether I want to "enable all JavaScript actions in this document" (emphasis added).

image.png

No matter whether I press "Yes" or No", the warnings keep coming, until I tick "Suppress this message [...]".
I guess that what could be happening is that each separate JS action that the document tries to run is triggering a separate warning. (Or maybe the actions are merely contained in script in the document, and not yet called?) However, unless the messagebox actually tells the user something more about the command being run, there is no way for the user to decide: "Oh, I should deny the first query, because it will reset the form, but I should allow the second query, because it will run validation of correct form of content in the form"

Furthermore, upon finally opening the document, no matter whether I had clicked "Yes" or No", I could not see any embedded JS through the menu Form > Document JavaScript (maybe it is stored elsewhere??).
Note well, however, that I believe that this document does contain some JS, because (i) it is a form issued by a large company, and (ii) I do not get warnings with other documents.

A more sophisticated approach in Editor (Plus) may be to consolidate to a single warning when initially opening the document? Conceptually I guess many users would consider that there is a start-up script that wants to run, and be less interested in how many underlying actions the script contains. Then separate warnings can still be shown after the document has been opened, and if further JS actions are triggered by user interaction.
Alternatively, if so many warnings are to be shown upon document opening, then can the proposed action either be summarised in the messagebox (e.g., "document display"?), or add a "More information" button to permit advanced users to view the literal script that wants to run?

P.S. I am about to update to the latest version (10.8.5.0), and will check in that version too.
UPDATE
Hmmm....
The installed update agent told me that the latest release is "10.8.5.0".
The main Editor / Editor Plus web page says that the latest release is "10.8.5.410" (which might mean version 10.8.5, build 410?). Likewise under the "End User Downloads" tab at Downloads.
But under Version History the latest release is "11.0.0.0", released 14 May 2026. Maybe we still have to register to get "preview" access, as mentioned in an earlier post, although to me if there is a "release" announced, and it isn't called "alpha" or "beta", then I would assume that all users can access it. By the way, the version "11.0.0.0" was not available under the "Developer Downloads" tab either.

[Mathew]

When opening a single document, I then immediately got a seemingly endless set of pop-ups asking me whether I want to "enable all JavaScript actions in this document" (emphasis added).

My thoughts on this:

• Checking the box to suppress future warnings on this document I think is the intended effect. That way you can decide on a document by document basis if you trust that document. In 10.7 they made the dialog a bit clearer.
• Scripts can be triggered by a variety of things in pdfs, including opening the document, form fields, page changes, closing, saving, changing layer (optional content), printing, etc.
• There's a bug that is supposed to get fixed in the next version, where an empty script can be assigned to an action, and that will still cause an alert.
• Version 10.8 did away with that alert entirely... Scripts are on for everything, or off.
• Version 11 is the most recent, and I think they disabled the updater because it was having trouble - so maybe when the next patch version 11.0.1 or something comes out it will be through the updater. I installed it by downloading and installing, which is not as seamless as the updater because I had to re-enter the registration number.