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ScottPalmerchuck2
Participant
March 31, 2020
Question

PDF file opens minimized and can’t maximize

  • March 31, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 14978 views

Starting today when I open a PDF file it opens minimized. When I click on icon on the bottom of the screen it will not maximize. I also tried to right click on the icon and select maximize but the file will not open. What is strange is that I can hold the mouse over the icon and I can see the file but it's very very small. 

How can I fix this problem. 

    4 replies

    R
    RaceHome
    Participating Frequently
    February 19, 2026

    I figured it out. I hovered over the DOT. I Right-Clicked the DOT and a Double-Arrow appeared. I clicked the Double-Arrow and the window expanded to normal. That was frustrating. I hope this helps someone else in the future.

    I tried to put it back in the terrible mode, so I could post a screenshot, but I can’t figure out how to do it...and I’m fine with that.

     

    K
    kevin_6682
    Participant
    August 7, 2025

    I "open" Adobe Acrobat, it shows up in my Taskbar as running (appears with dot under it) but the window is now completely "shrunken"
    - instead of a window with a document visible, it appears as shrunken down only a toolbar, and the toolbar
    - worse, that toolbar is now just a three dot menu

    I can't tug on any boundaries to make it bigger (it seems really to be just a toobar for a hidden window, and toolbars, unlike windows, can't be resized)

     

    if I try to select it using alt-tab all the other apps' windows are normal but this one is not (just the app icon and document name)

      R
      RaceHome
      Participating Frequently
      February 19, 2026

      It’s ridiculous that Adobe even allows this to happen. I have the same problem. Since nobody else has posted a fix, I had to find a workaround on my own. Even rebooting my system didn’t help. While a PDF document is open (but I can’t see anything but this ridiculous dot or the ridiculous little toolbar), I hover over the Adobe Acrobat icon, then a little popup appears above the Adobe icon. I right-click my mouse and I click the “Maximize” option. This puts the Adobe Acrobat in FULL SCREEN mode. Minimizing it, so I can manually adjust the window size, puts it back in the same original mode that’s unusable, so I can only use Adobe acrobat in FULL SCREEN mode. That’s going to be my work around until I figure something out.

      R
      RaceHome
      Participating Frequently
      February 19, 2026
      I highlighted the DOT.

      I figured it out. I hovered over the DOT. I Right-Clicked the DOT and a Double-Arrow appeared. I clicked the Double-Arrow and the window expanded to normal. That was frustrating. I hope this helps someone else in the future.

      I tried to put it back in the terrible mode, so I could post a screenshot, but I can’t figure out how to do it...and I’m fine with that.

      J
      Joe24068179jddd
      Participant
      April 16, 2022

      Two years later I'm encountering the same issue this morning. Nothing I've tried seems to resolve the issue. I have resorted to using a browser to view my pdf files. I 'd greatly appreciate any help.

      Luke Jennings3
      Community Expert
      Luke Jennings3Community Expert
      Community Expert
      April 16, 2022

      There are at least 4 places where the pdf initial view setting can be applied, in the pdf, and in the Acrobat page display & accessibility preferences. Here is a link to more details:

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/page-layout-properties-not-saving/m-p/12584577#M457355

       

      J
      Joe24068179jddd
      Participant
      April 16, 2022

      Thanks very much for responding. My problem is that I can't get to the application's menus as everything is minimized - selecting file > Properties is therefore not possible.

        AkanchhaS8194121
        AkanchhaS8194121
        Legend
        March 31, 2020

        Hey there,

         

        I'm not exactly sure of your workflow, but I can surely relate it to Adobe Acrobat or Reader PDF viewer. Are you using any one of these app to open your PDF file?

         

        May be your PDF isn't opening at its Actual Size. Rather than opening file, Open Acrobat Or Reader (whatever you have)>File>Open>select file and check.

         

        What's the % you see in the menu bar? Set it to 100% and Actual Size. 

         

        Once done, Navigate to Edit>Preferences>Document and Select "Restore last view setting..">OK>Reboot App.

         

         

        Does it make any difference?

         

        Thanks,

        Akanchha 

         

         

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