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anony12345_
anony12345_
Participant
February 13, 2026
Question

Acrobat DC and Reader on Windows Server 2022

  • February 13, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

Environment:

  • Windows Server 2022 Standard (RDS)
  • SentinelOne installed
  • Need Adobe Acrobat Reader for unlicensed users and Adobe Acrobat Pro for licensed users on the same server.

Problem Summary:

We are trying to deploy Adobe Acrobat Pro alongside Adobe Acrobat Reader on our environment. We currently have Reader 32bit installed, however, Acrobat Pro installation via enterprise MSI file in the download package consistently fails.

 

The Acrobat Pro MSI installation rolls back with error 1603 / Return value 3. We have used the adobe Cleaner Tool as well before trying to install Pro with the .msi, but still 1603 error comes up. Installing the .exe leads the unlicensed users to a sign in loop asking to sign in (if popup is closed then the PDF closes too). What is the best way to deploy both reader and Acrobat Pro/standard version on the server?

Any guidance on best practices for this setup would be appreciated!

    1 reply

    A
    Community Manager
    Anshul_NautiyalCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    February 16, 2026

    Hi ​@anony12345_ 
    Thanks for reaching out and sharing your requirements. On RDS/Server environments, Adobe recommends deploying only one base product, preferably Acrobat Pro, and managing access through licensing and sign-in controls rather than installing Acrobat Reader separately, as installing both Reader and Acrobat together can lead to conflicts and MSI installation failures. Please ensure Reader is fully removed before installing Acrobat Pro, deploy using the latest Acrobat enterprise installer, and verify antivirus or security exclusions (SentinelOne), since endpoint protection commonly contributes to Error 1603 during installation.

    I would recommend running the CC Cleaner Tool again and then restarting your server. Once completed, temporarily disable SentinelOne and ensure the installer account has administrator rights. After that, you can follow the steps outlined in the documentation below to install Acrobat applications:

    https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/VirtualizationGuide/remotedesktopservices.html

    Let us know if the issue persists and we can assist further.

    Regards,
    ^AN

    anony12345_
    anony12345_Author
    Participant
    February 16, 2026

    Thank you very much for your reply! We are able to have either adobe acrobat application or Reader on the server but not both. If we have Acrobat, we are able to do the reduced mode, however, we need to have the ability to create/copy annotations which Reader provides over the reduced mode of Pro. Is there no possible way to have both applications (Acrobat & Acrobat Reader) within the same server environment? Could you please recommend best course of action to make this possible? We have a number of licensed users, and we want the unlicensed user to have reader so they can create/copy/paste annotations from one pdf to another/

    A
    Community Manager
    Anshul_NautiyalCommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    February 16, 2026

    Hi @anony12345_

    Thanks for the additional details. With current Acrobat releases, Adobe uses a 64-bit Unified Acrobat model, where a single base installation provides capabilities based on the user’s entitlement and sign-in state. This is why maintaining separate Reader and Acrobat Pro installations side-by-side is not recommended and can lead to installation conflicts or unexpected behavior. Check this doc:https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/kb/acrobat-64-bit-for-enterprises.html

    The recommended approach is to uninstall the existing 32-bit Reader and deploy the latest Unified Acrobat enterprise installer on the RDS host, then manage access through licensing and configuration policies. Licensed users will have full Acrobat functionality, while unlicensed users will operate in Reader mode within the same installation.

    For RDS environments, it’s important to ensure user profile data (including HKCU and licensing cache) persists correctly, and to follow Adobe’s Remote Desktop Services guidance for profile and performance tuning. Check this doc: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/VirtualizationGuide/remotedesktopservices.html

    If unlicensed users are missing annotation or commenting tools, this can be related to licensing state, document permissions, security settings, or policies that suppress sign-in prompts. It would be helpful to review any FeatureLockDown or related policies to confirm they are not restricting functionality unintentionally. Check this doc: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/index.html

    If you can share whether FSLogix or another profile container solution is in use, and whether any specific Acrobat policies have been configured, we can help recommend the appropriate configuration approach.

    Hope this helps. Let us know if you need further assistance. 

    Regards,
    ^AN

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