Acrobat pops up a blank window every time I exit my web browser

[Andrew Koenig]

I'm on Windows 11 with all current updates.

Whenever I exit a browser window (Microsoft Edge) Acrobat has started launching an empty window. It doesn't even say that it's an Acrobat window, except that it has a little "Home" icon on it, and when I click that, a normal Acrobat window pops up.

It just started doing that this evening. I tried doing a system restore to a time before it was happening and nothing changes. So I think I must have set some obscure option somewhere, but I have no idea where to look.

Any suggestions?

[AnandSri]

Hello @Vibrant_Dusk01AC

I hope you are doing well, and we're sorry for the trouble you had.

Please ensure you have the latest version of Acrobat installed on the machine: 25.001.20643, Optional update, Aug 25, 2025. Check for any pending updates from the Menu > help > check for updates, install the updates, restart the app and the machine, and try again.

For testing purposes, go to Menu > Preferences > General > Uncheck:

• Show online storage when opening files

• Show online storage when saving files

• Click OK, restart the app, and check.

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Anand Sri | Acrobat Community Team
Meet Acrobat Studio

[Old Charles]

I'm having the same issue but when opening the browser. Happens on Chrome and Brave as well. Acrobat it's up to date.
I've tried the procedure you suggested but the issue persists.

[Andrew Koenig]

First, please note that I have changed my Adobe Community profile from Vibrant_Dusk01AC to my real name.

I am indeed running 25.001 20643.

Since sending my original note, I have found that I can make the symptom go away by going to Edge's "Manage Extensions" page and disabling the Adobe Acrobat PDF extension. For testing purposes, I re-enabled it, and then, as you suggested, I went to the Preferences->General page. I found that "Show online storage when opening files" was already unchecked but "Show online storage when saving files" was checked, so I unchecked it.

After that, I reenabled the Acrobat PDF extension and tried again. The problem seems to have gone away.

So I rechecked the "Show online storage when saving files" and tried again. The problem still seems to be gone.

This makes no sense to me. I'm going to restart the machine and look at everything again. Meanwhile, perhaps you can give me some idea of why changing the options and then changing them back should make the problem stop happening.

[Andrew Koenig]

I think I may have spoken too soon. Now, regardless of the settings of the "Show online storage" options, when I exit an Edge window, I get a "spinning wheel" pointer for a few seconds, and then a window pops up and goes away so quickly that I can't see what's in it, if anything. As before, disabling the PDF extension makes this behavior go away.

[AnandSri]

Thank you, Andrew, for sharing all the details. 

We’ve tested the behavior in our in-house environment, but could not reproduce it. To help our product team investigate further, could you please share the following details:

• A short screen recording of the issue.

• Please provide the browser versions you are using. Does the problem occur in Microsoft Edge or any other browser, or only in one browser?

• Please provide the specific PDF URLs (s) where you see this behavior. You can share the PDF URLs with me via direct/private message. Please click on my profile name and select message.

These details will help us narrow down the cause and work toward a resolution.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[Andrew Koenig]

I'll try to get a recording. Meanwhile I can answer your other two questions:

1) Edge is the only browser that I use, and the problem is clearly associated with the Acrobat add-on.

2) PDF URLs do not seem relevant, because the problem occurs when I launch an Edge window and exit immediately without even opening any files.

[Andrew Koenig]

Here's a video for you. You'll see that at 0:10, after I've closed the window, I get the spinning-wheel pointer, and then at 0:12 a window pops up and vanishes too fast to see. Then I open and close an Edge window again. This time, a blank window pops up at 0:30, and when I click the home icon in its upper left corner, it reveals itself to be an Acrobat window.

BTW I have tried completely uninstalling and reinstalling Acrobat, to no avail.

[bud_4006]

I have the same issue.

[helpful_artist2287]

I have the same issue since yesterday, but I don't use Edge. My browser is Google Chrome with the Acrobat extension installed. The "blank" Adobe Acrobat window keeps popping up every few minutes, really annoying.

[helpful_artist2287]

I uninstalled the Adobe Chrome Extension yesterday, and the issue stopped after that. Could be a coincidence, but I'd rather assume it's the extension that causes this. Maybe someone else can confirm? 

[AnandSri]

Hello @Andrew

Thank you for sharing the video, we are trying to get the issue replicated at our end.

@Andrew Koenig, @bud_4006, and @helpful_artist2287

Please share the following details for further investigation: 

For windows, you can do the following:

1. Open the task manager
2. Open details panel (last second icon/tab)
3. You will see a table
4. Right-click on any column name (like CPU)
5. Click on "select columns" from the menu
6. Check "command line" in the opened window

Now you can see the command line for any running app
Perform the workflow that resulted in a blank Acrobat window
Look for the Acrobat.exe process in the task manager. There will be multiple processes
Copy the command line column value.

Collect the console logs/network logs that appear when the PDF is loaded, and you get a blank screen. (Right-click on any element or blank space on the page that you want to inspect)

Steps: Open Inspect Element and paste the PDF URL. Share all console logs and n/w logs sorted by status.
Here are screenshots shared as well for reference:

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[Andrew Koenig]

I don't know what you're talking about when you refer to "the PDF URL." As I said earlier, I can make the problem occur by launching Edge and then exiting Edge, without looking at any PDF files at all. That means that there is no PDF URL to inspect.

Meanwhile, here is what I see when I follow your instructions about the Task Manager.

[Andrew Koenig]

On Edge, I don't have to uninstall the extension to stop the issue; it sufficies to turn the extension off.

[AnandSri]

Hi Andrew!

Thank you for shairng the detailed information. I have sent you an email on the Adobe ID(email) that you have used to log in to the community. Please check your email inbox, and kindly share the requested information.

Regards,

Anand Sri.

[jlcherry]

I have been getting the same thing as well. I bet it's from a new update. The same update that gave us the annoying Gen AI side panel that opens each time I use Acrobat. I wish I could remove the Arcobat Chrome extension I have since the pop-up window is annoying, but at the same time, the extension is very useful.

[PravalJain]

Apologies for the inconvience. This issue is fixed in the latest update. Release notes - https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/continuous/dccontinuoussep2025sec.....

Please do a "Help -> Check for updates" to update to the latest version and let us know if you still see issues. If you disabled the Acrobat extension in Chrome or Edge due to this issue, you can re-enable it. 

[Old Charles]

Checked for updates, Acrobat is up to date. Problem persists...

[PravalJain]

@Old Charles  - Can you share snapshot of the About Box once (Help -> About Acrobat) ? 

[Old Charles]

[ravinderg62643219]

Hi @Old Charles 

Ideally it should update to latest version which Praval mentioned. Would it be possible for you to share AdobeARM.log from your temp ( C:\Users\<user name >\AppData\Local\Temp ) folder to check why its not updating for you.

Regards

Ravi

[PravalJain]

@Old Charles - Looks like Acrobat updater is not able to find the latest update, which is version 25.001.20672. You can download it manually from AcrobatDCx64Upd2500120672.msp. Once you download it just double click on it and follow the steps to install the latest patch. 

[Old Charles]

Done, seems to be fixed, thanks!

[EmSi.Studios]

I am having the same issue since last update to Acrobat via Creative Cloud.  Win 11, all updates. Version 2025.001.20643 64-bit.