Acrobat DC extremely slow and often "not responding" for 30 seconds

[TechByter]

For approximately the past two months, Acrobat DC reports "not responding" for about 20 to 30 seconds when I open it. This happens again when I open any PDF document (even one with just a single page). It happens again when I select any of the tools (Edit, Combine, Organize, etc). It also happens when I try to drag or rezize the application window.

Machine Resources:
Processor 11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-11950H @ 2.60GHz 2.61 GHz
Installed RAM 32.0 GB (31.7 GB usable)
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Edition Windows 11 Pro
Version 21H2
OS build 22000.739
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.22000.739.0

The post acrobat-dc-extreme-slow-on-windows-10/m-p/12118085 points to how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-default/td-p/4792082 with instructions to clear %appdata%\Adobe\Acrobat\[version], so I presume this would be C:\Users\willi\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\DC\ on my computer.

I renamed the directory and restarted Acrobat. Performance improved slightly. The "not responding" periods are now about 15 seconds. Still unacceptable.

The next step is then described here: cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html. 

1. I ran the log collector tool. AdobeLogs_20220630_111841_237-win-GS.zxp in in a LogCollector directory on the Desktop.
2. No files are pending upload.
3. "Close Adobe Desktop Service and Core Sync in Task manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (macOS)."
   Neither of these is listed on the Task Manager's Processes tab, nor are they on the Services tab. I cannot proceed with this step.

Being unable to perform step #3, I have not continued.

Is anybody else seeing this problem? Has anyone managed to resolve it? Thanks!

[TechByter · Accepted solution]

AN UPDATE

Given the total lack of response, this is apparently a problem that nobody else sees, so I have uninstalled Acrobat DC using the standard procedure outlined here: uninstall-reinstall-acrobat.html.

I then restarted the computer and reinstalled Acrobat DC from the Creative Cloud Desktop app. During the installation, "Progress is slower than usual. Working on resolving issue ..." appeared. Task Manager reported the setup process was using an excessive amount of system resources.

Acrobat DC opens much faster. It still reports "not responding" in situations where I never saw this previously, but performance is now acceptable. Performance isn't what it should be on a computer with an i9 processor and 32GB of RAM, but at least it's now functional.

[mshubert · Accepted solution]

Whoever said "this is apparently a problem nobody else sees" is absolutely bonkers. When trying to find a fix, it is obvious this issue is EXTREMELY common!!! 

Anyway, I tried all the solutions I could find (cleaner tool, repair, uninstall/reinstall, etc) and NOTHING worked. Every single PDF I opened took forever to open.

I did finally find a solution that worked! Go to "Security (Enhanced)" in Preferences and uncheck the "Enable Protected Mode at startup" and set "Protected View" to "Off." 

[boprcsoftware · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the suggestion, however Protected Mode was already disabled, so enabled this, restarted Acrobat and then disabled again, this seems to have fixed the slow startup issue. 

[Randy27261267d1ib]

Unfortunately these suggestions have not helped my situation -- same problems described by TechByter as mentioned above. One extra bonus is that my Acrobat window randomly changes appearance similar to a Windows 7 look -- see the attached images.

BTW, I'm using Acrobat Pro 2022.003.20310 64-bit downloaded using the Creative Cloud Desktop app.

[ls_rbls]

Hi,

Try applying the last optional update that was pushed on January 2023:

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/release-note/release-notes-acrobat-reader.html

[Randy27261267d1ib]

Thanks for the suggestion. Unforntunately, it only seems to to have helped for only the first 2-3 files then Acrobat is now back to all the same problems. Since I use Acrobat as one of my primary apps, this is more than an inconvenience.

[ls_rbls]

Is this happening to a particular set of PDFs or with every PDF that you ooen with Acrobat?

Do you get the sameWindows 7 decoration frame if you open those same files with a web browser or another PDF viewer?

From what you've described this looks like a different issue from the original topic.

Altough Windows 11 do have some features that allows to retro-decorate windowing themes like those of Windows 7.

The main question is, if it happens only with Adobe Acrobat or with any other program that can render PDFs.

That said, it is worth noting that some PDFs may contain embedded preferences ettings, such as viewing and reading and how pages will be displayed ( to include navigational panes opening automatically when the file is viewed for the first time, for example).

If you can share a file that shows the Windows 7 decoration when opened with Adobe Acrobat  I can take a look and see if the same hapoens on a Windows 10 computer.

[Randy27261267d1ib]

This "Windows 7 look" issue was just another strange thing happening to Acrobat. It appears to happen completely at random on the Windows 11 machines here -- not on the Windows 10 machines. And only when the pdfs are opened in Acrobat.

The main problem is that Acrobat continues to be Not Responding for easily 30sec every time I open a pdf, edit or in any way alter the pdf (eg, Preflight fix).
I have tried all the suggestions above -- all with no lasting effect. At best, Acrobat will operate correctly for only a few files after some fix like un-installing/re-installing but then goes back to the same behavior. Mostly, the fixes suggested simply have had no effect at all.

[ls_rbls]

This is as challenging as difficult to figure out.

I'm gonna have to get in a Windows 11 computer and try to reproduce the issue.

Would you able to share one of those files with no sensitive data on it ? 

Also, I forgot to ask earlier if Microsoft Edge web browser 

is the default PDF handler in your Windows 11 machines or Adobe Acrobat?

[Dave__M]

I see that 'Windows 7 look' from time to time as well (Windows 11 home).  Jeez!
Dave

[SteveTHWong]

Use IS-rbis's link above and installed the Nov 2023 patch solved my slow start problem.  Thx so much for helping.

[ls_rbls]

The 64bit version download from the Creative Cloud app seems to be faulty.

I'd suggest to test with Acrobat 64-bit version but manually downloaded and installed from a separate Adobe download source.

It almost looks as if there is an issue with how the CC app writes to or has an issue distributing old libraries 32-bit libraries in WOW6432Node susbsytem.

In fact, there is a way to install 32-bit apps and programs on Windows 11. In which case, worsct case scenario, I've been recommending users who are experiencing these erratic behaviors on Windows 10 and 11 to install the 32-bit version of Acrobat or Microsoft get up to speed during this 64-bit only migration.

But in any case, you can uninstall the 64 bit version from the CC app, and you'll need to run the AcroCleaner tool before you re-install Acrobat(64-bit) from a stand alone download source.

If you contact Adobe support, they may be able to assist you with this procedure remotely.

[Randy27261267d1ib]

I went through all the suggestions, including installing the 32 bit version.
At first, things seemed to work for a few pdf files then everything reverted to the same problems.

Lots of time wasted, lots of jobs that don't get done on time, lots of frustration.

BTW, the Windows 7 look reappears as well, but it can be "turned off" if I click on either the "Home" or "Tools" tab. However, doing so will also cause a "Not Responding" freeze.
Awesome.

[marcodestabile]

Thank you very much, it was driving me NUTS

[elliottMN]

This issue was driving me CraZy and your solution has resolved the issue for me. Thank you for your post!

[Idrisoulmane]

This fixed the issue !! pay for subscription at adobe and get laggy apps, use cracked versions always works better. "-_-

[Buyright31173216kwm3]

Thanks for your help on this. It seems to work as before. Again thank you

[Marie Quashnock]

Wow that worked! Thank you.

[anthWS]

Here's a puzzle... how come at the top of this thread there's a "jump to answer" link and it doesn't jump to THIS answer?!

[Turrican101]

I had the same problem. Deactivating protected mode helped, but the new UI is somehow quite buggy and shows sometimes Win7 aero elements instead of Win11 UI.

[Frank Burgum]

Disabling "Enable Protected Mode at starrtup" improved the launch time of Adobe Acrobat from 30+ seconds to less than 1 second.  Thyank you very much!

[dana_5723]

That worked for me too - this solution is a lifesaver as I was going crazy with delays of several minutes every time I hit any commands in a file!

[JenniferBH]

Sorry, I'm so late to the party here.  I've run a Windows 10 HP, I have the 'spinning circle of doom' multiple times today, for more than a half-hour.  I've poked around my Windows System and my Acrobat account pages and don't see any "preferences" settings.  When you wrote "Go to 'Security (Enhanced)' in Preferences ..." was that on your OS or through your Adobe account?  Any help would be terrific!

[mshubert]

Go to the hamburger "menu" top left and go to Preferences. Under the section "Security (Enhanced)", set protected view to OFF.

While looking for this, I noticed that at some point that Adobe automaticallly turned "enable protected mode at startup" back on. (Protected View is still off.) And I have had NO ISSUES with slowness and spinning wheels. So it appears the culprit is PROTECTED VIEW and not the other..

Here's some information on those settings from Adobe: https://helpx.adobe.com/reader/using/protected-mode-windows.html

[Marco38119240olza]

Thanks for the tip. Unfortantely I will need to wait for Adobe to patch their product. The organization I work for has extremely tight security and the infosec team would probably not allow us to disable this en-masse 

[cookie_]

Thank you so much, you saved an entire office building and IT department headache with this suggested fix!

[Integratorman]

This worked immediately! I wish that I had done this first!

[boprcsoftware · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the suggestion, however Protected Mode was already disabled, so enabled this, restarted Acrobat and then disabled again, this seems to have fixed the slow startup issue.