Acrobat closes immediately

[toddb22573228]

After installing Adobe Acrobat standard DC, when opening the program it opens for a split second and closes immediately. I can not activate the application with user name and password because it closes to quickly and wont stay open.

[Adorobat · Accepted solution]

Hi toddb,

As per the issue description mentioned above, you are facing issue with Acrobat on the machine, is that correct?

Try the troubleshooting steps given in the following forum threads:

Acrobat Reader 11 closes immediately, won't open pdf's

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC closes immediately after opening under user profile.

Let us know if you need any help.

Shivam

[Divine_glamour0101]

truly the absolute worst help. both links are dead. joke of a company

[susanm81742391]

Hello,

Adobe is closing automatically when I open an adobe file. I tried the solution above. I have no identified reader listed under Adobe XI and there is no Eula exe. Also, I have identified adobe as my default program, although the file opens in windows explorer unless I open with adobe. Please let me know the solution.

[Marty25661166q1yz]

did you figure it out?

[Radu30879414ld4e]

I've ran into this problem where Adobe Acrobat would open, then immediately close. I've managed to fix it so I'm sharing my fix on threads relating to this problem hoping it'll help others.

My issues was this:

I opened the app from CC (or from opening a PDF). The app would open but close after about 3-5 seconds. I did this for a few times and saw that in the bar at the top of the window, there was a "Sign In" button, right where the account usually is in my other CC apps. Before closing, a small window appeared to pop up in the middle of the screen, but it just disappeared in an instant. Then the app would close, even if it managed to open any PDF I wanted.

What I tried:

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling. 

I tried this fix: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-closes-after-launch.html but it did nothing. Plus it's a weird fix for Adobe to suggest, but anyway.

Then I came upon this thread: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-crashes-on-windows-os.html

Here, Solution 4 guided me to try opening "acrodist". When opening it, the same small window popped up in the middle of the screen, this time staying opened and indicating an error with my account, and an error code 205, with a prompt to contact support.

When searching for a fix for error code 205, I found this thread: https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/fix-licensing-error-205.html

Another seemingly weird fix, but I tried it anyway. And this worked for me. If you do try it, here are the steps:

1. Press WIN-R and type in CMD

2. Type in the text below:

for /F "tokens=1,* delims= " %G in ('cmdkey /list ^| findstr /c:"Adobe App "') do cmdkey /delete %H

3. Hit Enter/Return

4. Wait for all the text prompts to stop. Then try launching Acrobat. This worked for me. 

I find it wild that 1. this is a problem that has been persisting for so many years, 2. That Adobe doesn't implement an automatic fix for a seemingly basic "just clear the auth tokens when you install/reinstall" feature that breaks a core app on their suite we pay a literal ton for. 3. That none of the support here on the community forum correctly identified and pointed to this absolutely basic fix, instead recommending wild things like deleting app preferences or running "tools" that don't seem to work in most cases. 

[scotts37156486]

Sorry, did not work for me

[Luis3698276667dw]

Hi, I faced the same problem and managed to solve it super easily. I can't belive it was so obvios. I just deleted Adobe from my computer and downloded another software (Foxit reader). Now it works perfectly! 

[Triecky]

Even though this didn't work for me, to execute that line of command, some may need to change "Adobe App " to "Adobe"

[Simon23228768ca5t]

Check which other computers you are running the software on (of have it assigned to) Try using Adobe Distiller and it will allow you to sign out of those devices. This worked for me after I had tried all other suggestions.