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Participant
September 12, 2025
Question

Can't print PDF from Adobe Acrobat in Reader mode

  • September 12, 2025
  • 4 replies
  • 428 views

Hello,

 

In our environment, we have set up the registry to enforce Adobe Acrobat to run in a reduced mode (acting as Adobe Reader):

 

--

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown]

"bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx"=dword:00000001

--

 

With this configuration clients can't print PDF files using this command:

--

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" /p /h "C:\SomePath\Doc.pdf"

--

No error will be displayed, the application will just open and remain minimized.

 

 

If we change the application settings:

--

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown]

"bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx"=dword:00000001

"bProtectedMode"=dword:00000000

--

Then we can print without any problems.

This setting is not secure and cannot be used in our environment.

 

What should I set to make printing using the command Acrobat.exe /p /h "C:\SomePath\Doc.pdf" work?

 

Kind regards,

Lukas

4 replies

Participant
September 15, 2025

If I use this command:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" /p "C:\SomePath\Doc.pdf"

...I can view the print dialog and then can print.

 

JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 15, 2025

Sorry, but the title of the article is confusing.

 

[RE-MOVED TO THE ACROBAT PRO DISCUSSIONS]

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Participant
September 15, 2025

@JR BoulayI understand and thank you for the return.

JR Boulay
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 13, 2025

[MOVED TO THE ACROBAT READER DISCUSSIONS]

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Participant
September 15, 2025

@JR Boulay Why did you move to the Adobe Reader section when it concerns Adobe Acrobat installation/usage? The problem is related to Adobe Acrobat settings.

creative explorer
Community Expert
Community Expert
September 13, 2025

@lukas_4432 

It sounds like the Protected Mode setting, which is a key security feature, is preventing the /p (print) command from working correctly when Acrobat is forced into reduced mode. To fix this, you need to allow printing via the command line without disabling Protected Mode entirely. If you add an exception to the registry that specifically allows the print action to bypass the protected mode's restrictions for command-line functions. This keeps your system secure while allowing the necessary task to be completed. You can achieve this by adding a new registry key that permits the command-line flags.

m
Participant
September 15, 2025

@creative explorer Thank you for your idea. 

 

Printing occurs through the command line, but it prints from a temporary location (users Temp folder) that cannot be added to exceptions (You cannot set a Temp directory as a privileged location as doing so presents a security risk - see https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AppSec/trust.html#privileged-locations).

 

Or is this not the right direction for the setup?