2023 New Acrobat GUI is TERRIBLE

[michaelm17591477]

The new acrobat GUI is terrible. That floating quick access bar is in the way and cannot be moved...WHY? 

Just leave it alone. I had to go back to the original using the file menu.

[Bhawna29481033c2ab · Accepted solution]

Hi @michaelm17591477 

We believe you are talking in interest of Quick toolbar which is sticky in nature.

We are glad to announce that we have taken up this feedback and will be shipping Quick toolbar as draggable bar in upcoming update of Acrobat.

Regards,

Bhawna.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com · Accepted solution]

You can revert to the classic GUI interface by following the instructions here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/acrobat-2023-how-to-revert-to-classic-gui-user-in... 

[kimg15554818]

Totally agree!  I also disabled the new look design.

[basset horn]

I could not believe what I was seeing on opening it up after a holiday break. I thought I had opened the web interface by mistake or something. I would agree with all the naysayers here and additionally query how anything with such poor use of white space would ever make it through any assessment process. Extraordinarily poor design and enough to make me look elsewhere. Happily, I now know I can revert - but for how long?

[Amal. · Accepted solution]

Hi @basset horn 

Hope you are doing well. This issue is addressed with the latest version of Acrobat (23.06.20320). Please update the application from the help menu> Check for updates and reboot the computer once.

Let us know if you experience any trouble and need more help

Regards

Amal

[basset horn]

Thanks for your response. It's more the design of the interface that I have issues with rather than the functionality. I will persevere as no doubt newer features will come to the new version and perhaps it can be improved in terms of appearance and usability.

[Gopa C]

It's still an atrocious interface, and not at all useful for doing the kind of work I do with Acrobat, which usually entails reading lots of notes from the editorial depratment, and often cutting and pasting them into indesign. You've made this nearly impossible. I can't even see the names of my files properly! Professional users DO NOT USE ACROBAT ON A PHONE! If tyou'e wanting to attract the TikTok crowd, make another app for them. Don't mess with the desktop application. Or at least try and make it usable.

[Bhawna29481033c2ab]

Please find Quick tool as a draggable component in the latest versions of Acrobat!

[timcoco]

Completely out of touch with the end user. Adobe will probably bring back the old interface but charge you to get it. 

[timcoco]

I just install Kofax Power PDF. Cost less works better. 

[Jian33068914xiv8]

Totally agree! I don't know why the designer collapses all functions into one button but leaves such a big space on the side bar. The collapsing is not intuitive either. I really miss the design in the last version! 

[Melwyn34602278wel2]

I agree. The new Adobe Acrobat Pro interface is terrible, just terrible. I can't find anything, nothing is labelled properly, nothing makes sense, it forces me to click and swith between options when I'm trying to do tasks - long document editing takes hours longer than before. It's much harder to navigate around the document. Everything about the new interface is bad. I hate it. 

Honestly, if I had never had exposure to the old Acrobat and this was my first exposure, I'd label it as hopelessly inefficient and would not buy it. And if I am forced to continue to use the new layout, I will recommend to the CEO that we drop our subscription and buy an alternative product. It's just that bad.

[dtv614]

I could not agree more! It looks like they want back to something from 1990! I literally thought I downloaded the wrong software. It's antiquaited and hard to find the tools. Please change it back!!!! 

[Abambo]

I could not agree more! It looks like they want back to something from 1990! I literally thought I downloaded the wrong software. It's antiquaited and hard to find the tools. Please change it back!!!! 

By @dtv614

1990? You did not research your dates. The PDF format was introduced in 1992 only. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDF#:~:text=Portable%20Document%20Format%20(PDF)%2C,%2C%20hardware%2C%....

As the new interface is not yet fully functional, you can revert to the old interface. I therefore do not understand all those grievances. But if you really want to make your voice heard, you should consider upvoting the suggestion in uservoice concerning the new UI.

[dtv614]

@Abambo I'm not specifically referring to PDF's, I'm referring to the interface itself. It does not look modern to me. It looks like they went backward, not forward. I know you can change it back but much like I deal with QuickBooks on a daily basis, eventually you cannot change it back. So I am voice my OPINION in hopes they choose not to make this a permanent change. 

[Abambo]

We are here with Acrobat, and as Acronat reads PDF files… I never liked the big candy crush tiles of Acrobat X. So this interface is refreshing. 

Let your voice heard. 

[Sci34892460egxw]

Yep it is AWFUL. In Windows it no longer takes the Accent color making it impossible to grab the active window quickly when you are in dark mode - coz you cant see the top or the edge of the active window against other inactive windows (for Adobe, dark mode is good for your eyes sat in front of a screen all day!). And you moved all the tools. And you can't open multiple files in seperate windows Meaning you cant read the full file name of the doc you are viewing. The only saving grace is been able to revert to the previous version.

[Glenn349644091jp7]

I really want a standard Windows interface like Acrobat 9, Photoshop or Illustrator. Just keep a stock standard UI with drop-down menus like all other programs..... But Adobe thinks office users are stupid and wanted to make a cutesy UI to handhold people, creating a huge mess. It has been terrible for years. 

[Abambo]

Just keep a stock standard UI with drop-down menus like all other programs..... But Adobe thinks office users are stupid and wanted to make a cutesy UI to handhold people, creating a huge mess. It has been terrible for years. 

By @Glenn349644091jp7

Well, Microsoft Office is the best example for a standard Windows application with dropdown menus. 😉

Change back to the old UI, if you prefer that. Acrobat 9 is long gone.

[C_d_M]

Truly awful! Contrary to every other app (including Adobe’s) on a computer, the save button is on the far right? Someone, please tell me how this is a step forward. The supposed "solution" to enable moving the Quick Toolbar shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the problem they created: the Quick Toolbar COVERS CONTENT. Again, how is this an improvement? Please, Adobe, I beg you to never allow anyone from the Acrobat UI design team anywhere near the other Adobe applications! Acrobat has always been the most ill-conceived software UI (for an amazing application) in the history of human beings. Nay, the history of the universe.

[Abambo]

 Acrobat has always been the most ill-conceived software UI (for an amazing application) in the history of human beings. Nay, the history of the universe.

By @C_d_M

I've seen worse... in this universe.

[Robejohn Studio]

Just have to add my two cents (even though I doubt Adobe cares), but... I hate the New Adobe interface. Tried it twice. And disabled it twice. My team and I spend a lot of time commenting on PDFS - your new comments bar (floating or not) is absolutely horrible. Unintuitive to find the tool you need. Impossible to rearrange the tools in the order I want them - to prioritise the ones I use most. Impossible to delete the sign and fill tools (who needs them in the comments bar?! ) Just really unpleasant, unintuitive and user-unfriendly. Was this designed by people who actually use Acrobat, or an AI?

[default7lvrj93osvp1]

A horrible interface, nothing logical or makes any sense. Also the programme became so cumbersome, putting a comment, or updating properties of any comment tool is impractical, yet takes time in processing. Something is wrong with the update/patch in full. I am so sorry for the Project Manager and team behind this unfriendly headche new interface.

[rjones888]

First, Thank you Adobe for allowing us the option to Disable New Acrobat! I wasted 15 minutes trying to figure out where things were the first time I encountered the New Acrobat.

Second,  Why would you move the navigation panes to the right and the tools to the left which is completely opposite of Microsoft products? Were Acrobat users really demanding these changes? I see absolutely no good reason for making those changes.

I use Acrobat to make accessible PDFs so the fact that all of those tools are hidden is absolutely frustrating.  I hope New Acrobat will disappear completely or that I can participate in your next usability study.

[LongTimeUser]

I whole heartedly agree. Since I want Adobe to continue to understand how bad their newish UI is nearly a year later, I have yet to meet a person who wants to or has found useful the new UI. Minimalist design works for information access devices such as phones, and tablets. If you are serious about getting work done you are not using a tablet or phone. In true productivity devices, the words "minimalist design" is a keyword for do not buy.

[Jim38367450luai]

My old version of acrobat was removed and a newest version installed with new horrible GUI. I want to have the old GUI. There is no option under the hamburger to "disable new acrobat". This is very frustrating. 

[Jim38367450luai]

Just was "upgraded" from XI to Acrobat 24.2.20854.0  It's unbelievable how awful the GUI is. My productivity is adversely impacted. I wish I could good back to XI and have it work properly on Win 11. I can't believe anyone that has Acrobat for some time likes this GUI.