Acrobat DC User Interface: Way to Change Theme? (Too Bright)

[AcrobatDCUser]

Just installed Acrobat Pro DC -- an first thing I notice compared to my typical darker themes (Windows, Office, and even previous Adobe product versions) is that the user interface is extremely bright. It's like surfing bright webpages, and hard on the eyes.

Is there any way to darken the UI (Themes, etc.) ?

[ctgizmo]

Do Adobe employees use this? Has Adobe responded to these complaints? I have long-term concerns. Are we stuck with the new terrible "My Little Pony" DC version (if we update, I rolled-back to XI)? I can't imagine Adobe employees using this.

[futureeden]

ctgizmo wrote:

Do Adobe employees use this? Has Adobe responded to these complaints? I have long-term concerns. Are we stuck with the new terrible "My Little Pony" DC version (if we update, I rolled-back to XI)? I can't imagine Adobe employees using this.

I have raised this isse with Adobe via their request a feature service - suggesting that some kind of dark theme and alternative 'classic; shell feature added. This was about a month ago, not heard a single thing from them....  *Sighs. I don't know anyone who uses it everyone I speak to has rolled back.... I used to manage a software team of 12 developers and I literally have no idea how this ever passed any sort of Beta testing let along any kind of official global release.... total madness??

[vinkcreative]

I never reply, but this interface is so terrible i needed to post a comment here. I'm using all of adobe software day in and out for like 10hrs a day. But this UI is so terrible, within 10 minutes rolled back to XI pro!

Please Adobe, never do this again! Go shame yourself.

[Guest]

I am very disappointed to see the new GUI, but I am absolutely appalled by the lack of customization.

To be productive, I need to:

1. Change the background color (current color is too bright)
2. Change the menu entry color so I can read the entries
   1. Between the bright background and the light grey font, I see a lot of eyestrain and headaches in my future.
3. Disable the Tools pane. Like most people, I work in multiple applications and I can't afford to lose the screen real estate.
   1. I keep turning it off and it keeps coming back. Shift + F4 might become my favorite command.
4. Can't disable the floating toolbar at the bottom. Why would I want a big black bar blocking my view when I'm trying to do something?
5. Can't change the icon size on the Tools pane. I have to scroll through the icons unless I maximize the window. Adding favorites to the Tools panel is a workaround.
   1. I guess that's why they keep shoving the Tools panel in my face. They let me customize the part of the UI I don't want...
   2. BTW, I'm actually OK with swapping out Document pane for the Tools pane. I just want to make it useable.

I'm so sick of Metro/Stupid User/Mobile GUI in desktop apps. Fork the GUI if you feel the need to be trendy. I have work to do, and my productivity takes a big hit when I rant on the forums.

I'm really glad that I'm an occasional Acrobat user, because the eyestrain is ridiculous. Maybe it is time to file an ADA complaint because they discriminate against people with vision limitations.

[sdspieg]

I was told by customer support that "Nishant K: Stephen, Acrobat Pro DC is the latest version in the Acrobat family. It has completely replaced the Acrobat Pro XI, so you will only get the option to install the Acrobat Pro DC." Is this true??? Because this is a WORSE UI debacle than Microsoft and Metro. Like the previous person said – I use this for work, and am now forced to use a demonstrably inferior (AND less efficient – many more clicks required to get to what you need) interface that’s not even customizable! Where is the petition to sign?

[ctgizmo]

That is not correct. You can uninstall Acrobat DC and reinstall XI. Here's the link...  Acrobat DC uninstalled Acrobat XI | How to get Acrobat XI back

[aeronb11762414]

This is what happens when Adobe forces everyone to a subscription model and so many people just jump on board without fighting back. Now Adobe can just push out whatever kind of trash they want with little resistance. They are getting their subscription payments either way. In my opinion, software subscriptions kill innovation and are bad for everyone involved.

[steveb40496766]

Agreed, the new contrast ratio is way too light.  for us that work on screens 8 to 16 hours each day, this is painful.

Please allow adjustments to backgrounds and toolbars

[Allta Media]

A couple of things to address points brought up earlier in this thread:

1. The new Acrobat DC UI can respond to high-contrast modes, with new icons customized for light or dark backgrounds details at: Acrobat DC and Reader DC accessibility update « Adobe Accessibility
2. The display state of the right-hand pane is now sticky (collapsed or open) with the July update of Acrobat DC. Details at: Acrobat Help | New features summary.
   In Reader DC, this is a preference under Edit > Preferences > Documents.
3. You can dock/undock the heads-up display under View > Show/Hide > Page Controls.
4. If anyone is interested, here is some background on the UI redesign titled Reimagining Acrobat: An Interview with Design Director Jamie Myrold.

[aeronb11762414]

As long as a new installation of the OEM version of Acrobat DC continues to require an Adobe Account for activation, it is DEAD IN THE WATER as far as I am concerned. This is way too much hassle for my organization. And no, the volume license edition is not a solution to that problem. It costs significantly more money that the OEM version, and I am not going waste time jumping through hoops to build some kind of custom deployment template to remove the Adobe account requirement. I noticed that Dell is once again offering Acrobat XI through OEM in addition to DC. That is very telling.

[cbenci]

I can't believe this hasn't been addressed yet.

This UI is the worst I have used in a long time. Please add the option to change the colour scheme.

Adobe, it's ok to admit you made a mistake with this.

[guitarjorge24]

I just sent them a feature request. Maybe if more people send them one they'll actually do something?

[anotherdog]

If they had concerns about customer satisfaction would they have left this broken interface in place? Nope its a Monopoly. They can serve slop now and ignore complaints.
not even a promise to look into it. I am disgusted, yet I must continue to use.

[chrism75485596]

I second all the comments here that this new look / UI is absolutely TERRIBLE!!!!.. and how do I get the list of recent documents "page" to stop popping up after each document I close out of.

Serious failure - you took a decent interface and made it SUCK. Bad, bad, bad.

[zenz49856264]

I signed up to comment just to tell your UI developers that "New look" usually means "We broke something that worked fine"..

OK Initial fury over..

Acrobat reader DC (version 2015.09.20069 installed 2 Nov 2015)

I found the following settings might help to reduce wasted white space

Press CTRL-H to enter read mode. This is a quick way to close all the extra stuff; but is not a permanent fix.

edit>preferences>general>open documents as new tabs in the same window (UNTICK) - this will put the toolbar up on the same level as "Home/tools".

edit>documents>restore last view settings when reopening documents(TICK) and Open tools pane for each document (UNTICK)

Toolbar can be customised by right clicking on it to remove un-wanted items.

You can also completely remove the Home/Tools/Toolbar by removing some of the software components; though this is a bit drastic:

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/1817184

http://cloudsurvivalguide.com/removing-cloud-adobe-reader-dc-acrobat-customization-wizard/

[c.pfaffenbichler]

"New look" usually means "We broke something that worked fine".

Good one.

[ssar]

Agree. The Acrobat Reader DC UI is way too bright and makes it very difficult to judge colours onscreen & to read a document as there is little to no differentiation between a white page background and the outside of the page.

[Thomas Swidler]

I just completely uninstalled it and using my Acrobat 11 Pro. I am so not in favor (not just the color) of that whole user interface. First I looked on the forum to see if I can change the UI including where the save as etc buttons are then I gave up and uninstalled.

[stevemarcus1]

I hate you Adobe. I just hate you so much.

[CEESE]

How did this get passed user testing? This isn't a preference its a usability issue, the white interface dominates and distracts from the PDF I'm working on and makes it hard to focus on PDF content.

[ReactionAtWork]

Just another user here hunting for my sunglasses before I can use Acrobat DC. This nasty looking program is such a backwards step it's hard to believe that Adobe ever passed it. It looks like a beta-layout example, not a finished product.  Do not even dare to hope that Adobe read these forums - they don't. Fill in the feature request form like I did (Feature Request/Bug Report Form), although judging by years of experience with this lazy Adobe company, none will EVER be actioned. All those fools who signed up to CC have helped Adobe become even worse, since they no longer have to do any work at all to keep their fat monthly pay checks rolling in.

[c.pfaffenbichler]

although judging by years of experience with this lazy Adobe company, none will EVER be actioned.

As for Adobe’s bug fixing history: Bugs have gotten fixed, not all bugs naturally, but some (at least with Photoshop I have observed that, but then there is a separate Forum for Photoshop bug reports and feature requests that is being monitored by Adobe personnel).

As long as the Illustrator team can boast not having fixed a known bug for more than a decade, though, it seems fairly difficult to defend Adobe’s performance in that regard.

[paul_tech]

SERIOUSLY ADOBE???

Adobe Acrobat DC????

What were you thinking?!

Focus! focus! focus!

End rant.

[cbenci]

Eight months on and, I dare say, many feature requests from users and this UI is still a big buttoned white mess.

Every other program in the Creative Cloud suite defaults to a darker theme which I have embraced - so why the insistence on an overly bright UI for Acrobat? Sure, make Acrobat Reader a Fisher Price Toy for the masses if you think it makes sense, but please don't patronise Acrobat Pro users.

Please fix this Adobe, enough is enough.

[stevemarcus1]

So I finally got a hold of someone at Adobe and voiced my, and most people's, concerns regarding the new UI, useless changes, and overall headache that DC has caused. The Adobe rep thanked me for alerting them of the issues we are having. I asked them why the changes were made in the first place and was told that since Adobe has a monoply in the business, they really don't care about what the customers think or feel. They said that Adobe has realized that it is pointless to invest any money in improving the product as "customers have nowhere else to go".... it actually makes sense; funding any development doesn't really increase any revenue, so it's pointless to improve the product. They are also further cutting costs by hiring brainless app developers that can't find jobs they are more qualified to do as fast food restaurants aren't hiring.

He once again thanked me for my concerns and assured me that Adobe doesn't give a flying fk what we think.