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RJBrug
RJBrug
March 6, 2026
Question

Default Icon Changed to Folder Icon

  • March 6, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 13 views

All my PDF default icons have changed to a folder with a 9 square grid in the upper right corner instead of the red Adobe icon in Windows 11 and Adobe is already my default program to open PDF files.  
How can I restore the original icon?  I have already tried switching to another default PDF reader and switched back to Adobe but no luck.

Please advise

RJB

This is the new unwanted default adobe PDF icon I have

 

    1 reply

    Meenakshi Negi
    Community Manager
    Meenakshi NegiCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    March 6, 2026

    Hi RJBrug,


    Thank you for reaching out, and sorry for the trouble caused.


    As the PDF icon changed to a folder, please try the following steps once: Right-click the file icon > More options > Properties > click Change to the right of "Open With" > select Acrobat > Apply > OK.


    If the issue still occurs, try reinstalling the application using the following steps:

    -Remove the application and run the cleaner tool (https://adobe.ly/4aTe1dB).

    -Reboot the machine

    -Install Adobe Acrobat from the following page: https://adobe.ly/3OUlBMv.

    - Once the application is installed, make it the default application for PDF.


    Let us know how it goes.


    Thanks,

    Meenakshi

      RJBrug
      RJBrugAuthor
      March 6, 2026

      Yes I did all that.

      What sort of worked was resizing my icons and refreshing.  This gave me the larger icon with the boarder and the logo inside of it but without any folders that same icon as shown above is peeking out.  It’s really strange.

      But I can live with the result if Adobe can.  Or maybe it should be looked into in case it has other negative implications.  Like what caused it to begin with?

      Thanks

      RJB

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