I am getting an error message that says: unable to find adobe pdf printer or acrobat distiller printer. I don't have any Adobe programs on my computer. How can I fix this error.

Hi Sandy — a system restore is pretty drastic, and there's still a simpler explanation: something launching at startup is still referencing the Adobe PDF printer. Two quick checks:

1. Make sure Adobe PDF isn't your default printer: Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners — set "Microsoft Print to PDF" (or your real printer) as default. Windows can probe the default printer at startup.

2. Check Task Manager > Startup apps for anything Adobe-related and disable it, and open Task Scheduler (search for it in the Start menu) — under Task Scheduler Library, disable any Adobe entries set to run at startup or logon.

Restart once more and let me know: does the popup appear right at Windows startup, or only when you open a particular program? That detail will narrow it down fast.

Ran the Cleaner tool again and I am still getting the pop up :(

I have done those things as well.  

We don’t have an Adobe printer and I have used the Cleaner tool.  

Thanks for the extra detail, Sandy — that changes the picture. If the popup persists after uninstalling everything, there's likely a leftover Adobe PDF printer still registered in your system that something keeps probing.

Two things to check:

1. Remove the leftover printer: on Windows go to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners, and if you see "Adobe PDF" listed, select it and click Remove. On macOS check System Settings > Printers & Scanners.

2. If that doesn't clear it, run the official Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner tool (https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html) — it removes leftover driver and printer registrations from incomplete uninstalls.

Let me know if the popup is gone after that, or if it's coming from a specific app when you do something in particular.

Hi Sandy! That error is expected when no Adobe software is installed — the Adobe PDF printer and Acrobat Distiller are installed together with Adobe Acrobat, so they don't exist as a standalone download.

If you just need to create PDFs, your operating system already has you covered: in any app's print dialog, choose "Microsoft Print to PDF" on Windows, or on macOS click the PDF button and choose "Save as PDF". Adobe documents the Adobe PDF printer here: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/desktop/create-documents/create-pdfs/print-to-pdf.html