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Participating Frequently
Apr 27, 2024 10:03 PM UTC
Answered

How to stop Adobe Acrobat from Automatically Opening Downloaded PDF Files?

Hi Everyone,

 

I am currently Downloading PDF Files from my Gmail account to my Desktop.

Up until today, I was able to Download these files no problem.

 

Today however, everytime that a PDF Files completes downloading from Gmail to my Desktop, Adobe Acrobat Automatically Opens the file on my Computer.

 

This is Driving me MAD!

 

Is there any way to stop this from happening?

 

I've attached a file that I got from a Reddit post - where other people were having this issue.

It seems that in the past, that there was a check-box option in Acrobat Reader under Edit -> Preferences -> General  to turn off this annoying features. But this option is missing on my Acrobat Reader.

Steiner359Correct answer
Participant
Nov 4, 2025 3:01 AM UTC

So, the supposed "solution" (posted May 06, 2024) whereby you switch those Chrome settings back-n-forth did NOT work for me (and yes, I closed the browser and re-opened it before trying agian).

 

I did find a way, though (see the attached JPG image):  Go to Menu [top, left] > Preferences > General, and uncheck these 2 settings:

  • Always open PDFs from printer.
    • *(This was the one that did it for me, since I was using "Print to PDF" at the time.)
  • Always open PDFs saved from the web.

 

70 replies

Qui X
Participating Frequently
Apr 30, 2024 7:54 AM UTC

First, press Ctrl+K at Adobe Acrobat Reader Main menu. Go to general. And close the setting named (or something similar) "When PDFs are downloaded in the Chrome browser, they automatically open in Reader." This must work.

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/X
Participating Frequently
Apr 30, 2024 4:43 PM UTC

Hi,

 

I've attached an image of what I see when I follow your instructions.

Unfortunately I cannot see any option relating to Downloaded PDFs automatically opening.

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Qui X
Participating Frequently
Apr 30, 2024 6:30 PM UTC

?

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try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
Apr 28, 2024 8:23 AM UTC

This is a setting of your browser, actually. Which one are you using?

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Participating Frequently
Apr 28, 2024 9:10 AM UTC
Google Chrome
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try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
Apr 28, 2024 9:27 AM UTC

You can change the default action here: chrome://settings/content/pdfDocuments

 

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