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A
Anonymous
September 16, 2015
Answered

Windows 10 - cannot open pdf files in Reader DC

  • September 16, 2015
  • 9 replies
  • 279165 views

     Hello, I have recently upgraded my company notebook to Windows 10 from Windows 7. I have been using Acrobat Reader XI without problems. Since I upraded, opening PDF files always ends with no response. After opening pdf file, there is only busy icon for few seconds and then nothing (not even a blink of a new window / frame). I have already tried several methods:

  • Uninstalling Reader XI with advanced uninstaller application. Reinstalling it with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
  • Complete uninstall of Reader DC with AdobeAcroCleaner_DC2015. Then reinstallation > unsuccessful
  • I have also tried updating Reader DC to latest version, then using itself repair mechanism (Help > repair installation) >  same result

     When I open directly Reader DC (either shortcut or *.exe), it executes normally and it allows me to open probably almost any PDF file as in the past. But if I trie to open any PDF file, it does nothing. After checking processes table via task manager I found out that there are two processes running in the background "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (32 bit)". It is +2 after trying to open another PDF file / Reader DC.

     I have also experienced this same problem on different machines. It is quite annoying, given the fact I do not want to use native Windows reader...

My current state:

HP ZBook 15, i7-4800MQ, 16GB RAM

MS Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC - Czech (15.008.20082)

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer AadeshSingh

All Adobe processes were closed (even the one for auto update) and same behaviour - ends up with 2 frozen processes in the background.

I also tried to open same PDF files on other computer - working perfectly on Windows 7 with Reader XI. It is not a problem of corrupted file, believe me (I am software engineer). It is generally with every PDF file.

Tomas


Hey tomasnav,

Open Reader, navigate to Edit menu -> Preferences -> Security Enhances & disable the Protected mode.

Check f it brings any change.

Regards,
Aadesh

9 replies

V
Vishnubhai71
Participating Frequently
June 10, 2020

Windows cannot find the Adobe Reader exe file even when I open the folder, find the program icon itself, right click on the icon and "open" it. Have uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times. Tried compatibility troubleshooter. Not working. Windows also "cannot find" a pdf file when clicked on. Urgent problem.

D
DAQ41
Participant
June 10, 2020

OK so I am having the same problems.  I posted this earlier today

" It started as failure to open PDFs;  I uninstalled and reinstalled AR DC, still PDFs on emails in MS Outlook would not open. Then I tried to open PDFs in Documents folders - got a message "Windows cannot find [file name clicked on]. Make sure you typed the name correctly then try again".  I got the Adobe Cleaner which cleaned up and uninstalled AR DC;  reinstalled it again from Adobe website.  Still cannot open any PDF anywhere with AR DC.  But can open PDFs perfectly OK with Avast Browser and Google Chrome.  Then found I cannot even open AR DC as a free standing program by clicking in program list, and right clicking does not offer an 'open' option.  So completely stuck!  Help please.

Installed on Dell Inspiron using Windows 10 Home, build 1903, OS 18362.836"

I have tried pretty well everything in these posts (some not available on my Windows 10 or AR DC version, but nothing works.  HELP!  I am not techy so cannot bury deeply into program files.

 

A
Anonymous
June 24, 2020

I have the same problem too - when I clicked on any PDF files in the latest Windows 10, Adobe Reader DC just opened and closed the application. I tried to un-install and re-install Adobe Reader DC, re-boot the system and still not working. Please help.

 

Also, the cleaner website does not down loads anything after I clicked 'accept' the terms of use. 

 

Please send me an email (at william_chan1228@pacbell.net) on how I can fix this problem or let me know when Adobe will be having a fix available for this. Thanks.  (June 24, 2020)

antoinetted84477614
antoinetted84477614
Participant
November 10, 2018

I am also having this issue. Earlier this year I installed Windows 10 on my laptop and all my PDF files saved prior to the install cannot be opened. I get the following message

Adobe Acrobat Reader could not open the file because it is either not a supported file type of file has been damaged.

I have tried the above suggestions, when I go to Edit Menu my Security Proprieties not highlighted and not accessible.  Any other suggestions?

TIA

erice41308866
erice41308866
Participant
July 9, 2018

I am getting this error message when trying to open in outlook.

Please wait... If this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of the document, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of document. You can upgrade to the latest version of Adobe Reader for Windows®, Mac, or Linux® by visiting http://www.adobe.com/go/reader_download. For more assistance with Adobe Reader visit http://www.adobe.com/go/acrreader.

I tried deleting adobe from task manager that did not help. It did say 32 bit in task manager and I have 64 bit. I went to adobe and it automatically installed so I do not know why it said 32 bit in task manager.

AnandSri
Community Manager
AnandSriCommunity Manager
Community Manager
July 9, 2018

Hello Erice,

Sorry for the delayed response and inconvenience caused. Are you not able to view PDF file in Outlook or on a web browser or in Adobe Reader?

Are you getting the error message mentioned in the following Adobe article: PDF won’t display. Please wait … If yes, please try the suggestions mentioned in the article.

By default, this integration of PDF preview is automatically enabled within Microsoft Outlook when Acrobat is installed. Make sure that the PDF preview is enabled.

Are you using freeware Adobe Acrobat Reader or the paid version Adobe Acrobat Pro/Standard? What is the dot version of Acrobat/Reader installed? To identify refer to Identify the product and its version for Acrobat and Reader DC

What is the version of the operating system installed?

Have you tried opening the PDF file directly into Adobe Reader/Acrobat? Is it specific to one PDF or with all the PDF files?

Let us know how it goes and share your observation.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

mamoonas79816993
mamoonas79816993
Participant
March 27, 2018

Hello,

I have windows 8 operating system. I have the similar issues as others. I am not able to open the reader nor the file. I tried closing all the adobe processes from task manager still no change. When I click on the reader or the document nothing happen.

I tried uninstalling and then reinstalling. It worked the first time after restarting the computer and then stopped working again.

Any suggestions or solutions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for taking the time out to read this.

dleuri
dleuri
Participant
March 27, 2018

Ok, So we experienced exactly the same problem (Spinning Icon and No reader opening)

Renaming the file:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\AcroRd32.exe" into anything actually solves the issue.

I renamed it to AcroRD321.exe for example

When choosing the default program to open PDF with, browse to the new .exe and it keeps working fine.

    valeriiap66263601
    valeriiap66263601
    Participant
    October 2, 2018

    I had the same issue for a few months now - could not open any .pdf file at all, only in the browser. It was enough for me until now, but I needed to put my signature so I had to find out a way. Renaming the file surprisingly helped! Thanks for the suggestion!

    K
    keiths34062406
    Participant
    November 21, 2017

    I was intermittently having problems opening PDF files and getting the following error message (Windows Application Error 0xc0000022) after the last major Windows 10 update to level 1709.  Tried falling back to the previous level without success.  Also was having problems with slow system and slow internet access using my Firefox browser.  Using Task manager found that system performance was in the tank with disk utilization intermittently saturated at or near 100% for long periods.

    Finally resolved the issue using Microsoft Utilities built into Window 10.  Apparently I had some "System Driver" database corruption that was corrected when the Drivers were reloaded.  To run the troubleshooter and reload the corrupted Driver(s) and other issues, do the following:

    Start>Settings>Update & Security>Troubleshoot>Hardware and Devices>Run the troubleshooter>Apply this fix

    This process fixed both of my PDF and system performance issues.

    I
    Ike_Perez1
    Participant
    December 26, 2019

    I had similar problem and running the troubleshooter option fixed it.  Thanks!

    R
    richardo3359015
    Participant
    August 10, 2017

    I have the same problem and the security and protection didn't work along with the task manager either.

    E
    egipps
    Participant
    August 17, 2017

    Me too.  I've tried everything I can. Uninstalled, reinstalled.  Get 'Acrobat failed to load Core DLL' message.

    B
    beverley2112
    Participant
    September 27, 2017

    me too, have spent 4 hours on live chat with microsoft who remote accessed my laptop, the problem is with Adobe, I cannot even open it to amend preferences :-(

    V
    vishnu
    Participant
    November 7, 2015

    I cannot open acrobat reader dc at all so I cannot do the recommended steps: Open Reader, navigate to Edit menu -> Preferences -> Security Enhances & disable the Protected mode. How do I get Acrobat DC to operate?  I have called Adobe but they do not provide live technical support for Acrobat Reader. The best I could do with them was email a query to one of their communities, which a manager told me was Adobe employee technical support. They are supposed to reply by email but it has been 1.5 hours with no reply. If you can help I'd appreciate it.

    Ann

      Z
      zerozero1
      Participant
      October 2, 2016

      If your inm this situation if you FIRST go to task manager and delete all running instances of Adobe, THEN try to open a PDF, it will, or at least it does here, open. BUT, you must change the preferences (above) to ensure adobe can work in the future, without goiung to task manager each time

      AadeshSingh
      Community Manager
      AadeshSinghCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      September 17, 2015

      Hi tomasnav,

      What exactly happens when you try to open the PDF file in Reader, do you get any error code or error message?

      Check if you are able to open the PDF in web browser, just drag & drop the PDF on the web browser.

      Regards,
      Aadesh

      A
      Anonymous
      September 17, 2015

      Hi Aadesh,

      As I have written before. When I try to open PDF file in Reader, nothing happens - neither error message nor any other information. Only the "Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (32 bit)" process running in the background (info from windows task manager). No interaction with user from Reader.

      To second question - yes, PDF files are normally opening in web browsers (Edge, IE 11, Opera, Firefox tested)

      It was just yesterday when I had exactly the same issue on another laptop with MS Windows 10 x64.

      Regards,

      Tomas

      AadeshSingh
      Community Manager
      AadeshSinghCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      September 17, 2015

      Hey tomasnav,

      Please close all the Adobe process from the task manager & then again try to open it in Reader.

      Also, try opening the same PDF files on some other computer, maybe on your fiends computer to check if its opening.

      Regards,

      Aadesh

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