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 — yes, I got your last reply, thanks for the detail! Since the Adobe items in startup apps are already disabled and there are no Adobe services running, that actually narrows it down: the popup is most likely being launched from one of these remaining spots:

1. Startup folders: press the Windows key + R, type shell:startup and press Enter — remove anything Adobe-related you find there.

2. Registry: press the Windows key + R, type regedit, and check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (and the same path under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) for Adobe entries.

3. Microsoft's free Autoruns tool (part of Sysinternals) lists everything that launches at startup in one place — the fastest way to catch leftovers.

Also double-check the rest of the Task Scheduler Library for any other Adobe entries besides the Uninstaller one you disabled, since the popup also fires at random times during the day.

Let me know what you find!

I just wanted to check in and see if you had received my last reply.  And to see what your thoughts were for us to get rid of this ghost pop up.  

Thanks for sticking with it, Sandy! Since the popup fires at Windows startup and you've already cleared the Adobe items in Task Scheduler, here are the other places Windows can auto-launch something — check these two next:

1. Startup apps: press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager, go to the Startup apps tab, and disable anything Adobe-related.

2. Windows services: press the Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Look for Adobe services (e.g., Adobe Genuine Software Integrity Service, Adobe Acrobat Update Service), right-click each one > Properties, set Startup type to Disabled, and stop it.

Then restart once more. If the popup still greets you twice at boot, tell me — the next step would be checking the Startup folder and the registry Run keys, which we can walk through too.

Good catch on that Adobe Uninstaller task, Sandy — something firing at startup is exactly what would trigger this popup, so disabling it may well be the fix. Has the popup come back since you disabled it? If it's gone after a restart, we've found the culprit.

If it's still appearing, check the rest of the Task Scheduler Library for any other entries with Adobe in the name (for example, an Adobe Acrobat Update Task or AdobeGCInvoker entry) and disable those too, then restart and let me know what you find.

Sorry I didn’t realize you had replied.

Under printers and scanners I don’t see anything that says Adobe.

Under the Task Scheduler Library I see Adobe Uninstaller (and I clicked on disable).  As I scroll down I see something that says Launch Adobe CCX Process.  Status is listed as Ready.  And the Triggers it says at 8pm every day.  I am not sure what that does.  Should I disable that one as well?

I get the error twice as we first turn on the computer but through out the day for no rim or reason.  I could be in a program, I could be on the internet.  And first thing in the I am turning the computer on and see it.

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.