Acrobat Standard XI crashing shortly after launch

[robsons1995]

the issue started today, window 10 PCs, Adobe XI launches then closes within a few seconds. 

Anyone else experienced this today? Wondering if its a Microsoft or Adobe update. 

[MHaywoodTN]

I am also having this issue, all on Windows systems. It appears a Windows Update has caused this but I don't know which one.

Reader 11.0 has been stable for years and now is crashing on all my users systems.

Acrobat 11.0 is also crashing but not as often.  The only thing I could do it install Reader DC and Acrobat is at least stable to preform some functions but not many. 

[robsons1995]

We have taken a look at windows updates but none have applied within the last week, we have had office updates.

We found reinstalling XI fixed the issue but have several addons that then need reconfigured.

Strange that the issue appeared today.

Thanks for the reply.

[MHaywoodTN]

Robson1995 - I just checked 10 systems, all of them had KB4552152 & KB4549951 Installed on the 15th-16th.

This is leading me to think one of thses has caused the issue here.

[ls_rbls]

This question has been addressed and answered many times in the forums.

See my reply to another  Acrobat XI user: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/abode-pdf-reader-version-11-0-20-highlight-colour-issu...

[robsons1995]

I appreciate there is a lot online about this already, but my question is if anyone else has recieved this error today. I am trying to find out why this happened, it may be easier to 'undo' the cause than fix the issue.
Not the best solution but if we are to move to the latest version this will need planned properly and tested with users and the various other third party addons we use with Adobe.

We are on the latest version of XI albeit its an old version! A reinstall and painful reconfig of our addons resolves the issues.

[MHaywoodTN]

LS_RBLS, I have read that post this morning when all this started at work. Its chaos here.

I have over 50 systems that are not working at this moment. Each one of them are using 11.0 for the last 3 (three) years.

It seems to have started Thursday Evening or Friday Afternoon. I guess all the systems did an update install over the weekend. Something has to have changed this weekend to cause this. If it was just my system or an isolated issue, but not all the systems in the building.  

[ls_rbls]

Yes, you're right. But this problem, even as much as your old and unsupported version doesn't receive anymore fixes, patches or support from Adobe, is not particular to the Adobe Acrobat application.

This is a Micrososft issue as you posted.

Are you also posting this concern in the Micrososft .Net forums?

See here:

 https://www.reddit.com/r/SCCM/comments/g3o1bu/fair_warning_either_kb4549951_or_kb4552152/

You see more here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4549951/windows-10-update-kb4549951

What is the exact windows 10 version that you have? 

You have to look also into Micrososft migration guidance and what updates took place recently and globally in those computers.

If these 50 computers are participating in a network, and are administered via GPO, you have homework to do.

But the fact remains, that the only update that seems to resolve issues for your unsupported version is to manually apply that update after renstalling..

Use one computer to test. Click Help --> Repair installation. That doesn't work, use the Adobe Cleaner and Repair Tool to completely remove old traces of the software. Then re-install your software and apply the update that I linked.

If this doesn't work, because of something that could be related to  the suspected  Microsoft updates, and you cannot afford downtime, then I strongly suggest to use a restore point.

That is actually the quickest fix to keep your guys producing. Then analyze what could've happen in a sperate computer.

[ls_rbls]

HERE  USE THIT TOOL: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/947821/fix-windows-update-errors-by-using-the-dism-or-syste...

[ls_rbls]

Optional : https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50034

[ls_rbls]

Hey guys,

Just checking if you were able to resolve this issue.

A few days ago three other users found a solution.

So please ignore my last replies in this thread and join the following discussion in the link below. It actually resolves the issue with an unconventional approach:

 https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/acrobat-xi-keeps-crashing/m-p/11072610#M252255 

See if it helps.

[MHaywoodTN]

I had not seen this update ls_rbls so thank you for this link.

I am testing it now as this was still causing me some issues.

Many Thanks!

[ls_rbls]

You're welcome.

[defaulthug6gu7tlxi9]

I am running into this problem as well, but the link above shows that it is archived and I cannot access the unconventional approach to the solution.  Is there another link or can this one be shared again? Thanks.

[Test Screen Name]

Put on 11.0.23

[Incorrigible5EA9]

I am curious about this issue as well. I have a few clients that are having that issue. All are on Win 10 Pro 20H2.. Will test and run in compatibilty mode for Windows 7 to see if it stops crashing. Will keep you updated.

[Incorrigible5EA9]

So after running Adobe Standard XI on the exact environment previously mentioned..

Environment:

Windows 10 Pro Version 20H2

I ended up Changing the compatibility mode to run in Windows 7 and it seems to have fixed the issue. I opened, edited, and saved multiple PDFs without it crashing.

Please Advise these changes and see if this has also helped for you all. Thanks!

[RowdyGinger]

thanks I tried this. Set to XP, seems to work. 

[CS-32]

I had the same issue just now with Acrobat X. It consistently crashed after 20 seconds or so, which led me to wonder if it was some kind of network callout. Sure enough, I turned off my internet, opened it, and it didn't crash.

I checked with Wireshark. It appears Acrobat makes a callout to "acroipm.adobe.com" and immediately crashes afterward. After remapping this domain to 0.0.0.0 with my 'hosts' file, it works fine, even when online:

# stop Adobe Acrobat from crashing
0.0.0.0   acroipm.adobe.com

Note this is a fix for Acrobat X, but it may work for XI. Also, it's a little techy; so if you're uncomfortable editing your 'hosts' file, you may want to see if an alternative solution works instead.

Help on editing the 'hosts' file

[Kavehs7]

God send, thank you.

[Tom31669211cism · Accepted solution]

I tried everything else before I found this. This is the only fix that worked for me. It's also the easiest fix. 

[default73kaolt8ozdc]

This seemed to have worked for me in May, 2024.

[default73kaolt8ozdc]

...but the link above on how to edit host file doesn't work. I used this link: 

https://www.howtogeek.com/784196/how-to-edit-the-hosts-file-on-windows-10-or-11/

[CS-32]

Thanks for pointing that out @default73kaolt8ozdc! That's a great link too!

I'd edit my answer if I could (that'd be nice).. howtogeek removed the ../howto/.. part from their paths.

Here's the original 'edit hosts file' link, corrected:

https://www.howtogeek.com/27350/beginner-geek-how-to-edit-your-hosts-file/

[MyLoudKids]

I just used this, and it seems to have worked for me. I used it with:

Windows 11 

Adobe Acrobat XI 

As of June 2025 

I used the https://www.howtogeek.com/784196/how-to-edit-the-hosts-file-on-windows-10-or-11/ link to understand how to edit a host file. 

Thanks guys!