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jeanette_0508
Participant
August 1, 2025
Answered

Re: Adobe Reader constandly "Not Responding"

  • August 1, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 418 views

How do I get to the preferences when I cannot get Adobe Reader to open? I am running on a MAC. The problems started when Adobe updated to the new version where they constantly want me to buy the reader. I cannot buy it. I just want to read my documents, not modify them.

    Correct answer Souvik Sadhu

    Hi @jeanette_0508,

     

    Thanks for the response.

     

    For the recent file list not updating, it should be fixed with the new update (25.1.20xx)

    Would you mind updating the app to the latest version and let us know how it goes?

     

    To do so, go to Menu > Help > Check for Updates.


    Regards,
    Souvik.

    3 replies

    Souvik Sadhu
    Community Manager
    Souvik SadhuCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    August 1, 2025

    Thanks, @jeanette_0508, for the response.

     

    Did you, by any chance, disable Document Cloud Services?

     

    Also, how are you opening the documents? Is it through email, a web browser, or by double-clicking a file on your local hard disk?

     

    Coming to your second question, if you click the checkbox to the left of the filename, you should see a "Remove from Recent" option to the right panel. 

    Let us know if this is not what you see.

     

    Regards,
    Souvik.

    J
    jeanette_0508Author
    Participant
    September 4, 2025

    Thank you for your reply. I apologize for it taking me so long to respond. I missed seeing your email.

    1. I am opening the document by double-clicking on the file on my local hard disk.
    2. When I click on the checkbox to the left of the filename, I do see a "Remove from Recent" option on the right. When I click on that option, it removes all the files listed in Recent, not just the one I selected.
    Souvik Sadhu
    Community Manager
    Souvik SadhuCommunity ManagerCorrect answer
    Community Manager
    September 9, 2025

    Hi @jeanette_0508,

     

    Thanks for the response.

     

    For the recent file list not updating, it should be fixed with the new update (25.1.20xx)

    Would you mind updating the app to the latest version and let us know how it goes?

     

    To do so, go to Menu > Help > Check for Updates.


    Regards,
    Souvik.

    Souvik Sadhu
    Community Manager
    Souvik SadhuCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    August 1, 2025

    Hi @jeanette_0508,

     

    Hope you are doing well. 

     

    Adding to what Tariq suggested above, would you mind trying out a few steps and let us know if it helps:

    1. Close Acrobat Reader.

    2. Go to location: ~/Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE

    3. Remove all the files in the folder.

     

    Once done, open Acrobat Reader > skip the log in. 

     

    Then, go to Acrobat > Preferences > Security (enhanced) > disable "Enable Protected Mode at Startup."

    Next, go to Acrobat > Preferences > Documents > change the number for "Show documents in Recent List:" to 5 or lower.

     

    Now, restart the application > sign in to the app > try again.

     

    Let us know how it goes.

     

    Regards,
    Souvik.

    J
    jeanette_0508Author
    Participant
    August 1, 2025
    Thank you for your reply. I followed your instructions to go to location /Library/Application Support/Adobe/OOBE. However, there was no folder named OOBE.

    Next, I followed your second set of instructions. I opened Acrobat > Preferences > Security (enhanced) > and disabled "Enable Protected Mode at Startup." Then, I opened Acrobat > Preferences > Documents > and I changed the number for "Show documents in Recent List:" to 5.

    I restarted the application and signed into the app. I was able to sign in quickly this time. However, there were zero documents listed in the Recent List.

    I opened two files to put them back in the Recent List, signed out of the app, signed back into the app and the Recent List is empty again. Why is the Recent List empty? In the past this has happened every time Adobe made updates to the Reader but that was the only time they disappeared completely.

    Also, this may or may not be related.... there used to be a way for me to delete a single item from the Recent List. Since the last update Adobe made to the Reader, I have been unable to delete a single item. The only thing that shows on the lower right of that screen is an option to delete all items in the list.

    Thank you again,
    Jenny Holmes
    T
    Tariq Dar
    Legend
    August 1, 2025

    Hi @jeanette_0508, 

     

    Thanks for reaching out, and sorry for the trouble. 
    You had commented on a two-year-old discussion. Your question has now been moved out of that discussion and posted as a new standalone post.  

     

    You may use the Acrobat cleaner tool: https://adobe.ly/45eo34L to uninstall Reader and reinstall it. And let us know if that helps. 

    Best regards,
    Tariq | Adobe Community Team

    J
    jeanette_0508Author
    Participant
    August 1, 2025
    I uninstalled and reinstalled before and it did not solve the problem. Thank you for your reply.
    Jenny Holmes
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