Adobe Extension for Microsoft Edge

[MrTech86]

Hello,

I am in the IT department at my company and we decided to streamline our computers with less software, so we removed Adobe Reader from our image an rely solely on Edge PDF viewer with the Adobe extension for extra features. 

Within the past couple weeks, we noticed we can no longer see the Adobe extension features when opening local PDF files. We have the settings boxes checked to Open PDFs with the extesion and to "Allow access to file URLs" within the extension settings. Not sure if this is a bug or a direction that Adobe is going with their Extension. It does specifically say in the details of the extension that there is "Support for opening local PDF files in extension." 

We have tested this extensively on domain joined computers and non-domain joined computers. 

Please let me know if any one else has had this issue or if there is a fix coming in the next version of the Extension.

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @MrTech86, 

Sorry for the troubled experience, and thanks for reaching out. 
You haven't mentioned what the default application on the OS level is to open PDF files. And what happens if Edge is set as the default app to open PDF files when you double-click on a file? And what happens if you open a file directly from Edge or drag-and-drop a PDF into Edge? 

If possible, would you please share a video recording of what is happening at your end? 

Lastly, share the Edge version number and Extension version available on your devices and the number of users affected.  

~Tariq

[MrTech86]

Edge is the default app for PDFs. We are using Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2. Edge version 136.0.3240.76. Adobe extension version 25.5.1.0

Attached is a video showing that opening a local PDF does not show the Adobe extension options. 

I have removed the Adobe extension and reinstalled. Toggled several options on/off to see if anything changes.

[MrTech86]

Forgot to add this....

We have several hundred users that have been instructed to use the Edge browser with added functionality of the Adobe Extension. We are adding more users every day over the next few months to this method of viewing PDFs. 

Thanks.

[ls_rbls]

++Adding to the topic

Hi @MrTech86 ,

When using the Acrobat extension on MS Edge with Adobe Reader as the default PDF app, it acts more like a lightweight PDF app that connects to Adobe Online Services via the browser.

This means its functions are limited to viewing, reading PDFs, filling forms, signing documents, sharing, and printing them.

If you have removed Acrobat Reader from the setup, does this imply that there is also no licensed version of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (full desktop paid-for licensed version) on those machines?

This is a significant point to consider, especially in a enterprise network environment.

If your clients don't have Adobe Reader or  Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, and they are using MS Edge as their default PDF viewer, depending on the Adobe Acrobat  extension will be solely limited to the default native PDF viewing capabilities that are shipped with that web browser. 

This will require them to be signed in on Adobe Online Services with an Adobe ID to have access to some very limited free features.

My recommendation is, if those clients have Adobe Acrobat Pro DC installed, you may safely remove that extension and change the PDF settings in MS Edge to use Internet Explorer Mode.

This change is key  for accessing File URLs and prevent possible conflicts (like you've observed).

Using both Internet Explorer Mode and the MS Edge Acrobat extension can create problems, as the setup might default to Adobe Online Services instead of offering the complete desktop experience of Adobe Acrobat in MS Edge web browser.

By making this adjustment, the Acrobat PDF extension used will come from Internet Explorer's Acrobat Helper and the Acrobat PDF Maker Toolbar add-ons, allowing users to have the full desktop experience on MS Edge, similar to working in a standalone environment with the complete desktop version of Acrobat Pro DC.

[MrTech86]

@ls_rbls 

Correct, the majority of workstations do not have a paid license for Adobe Acrobat. It is not a necessity for all of our users to have the full license.

Pertaining to the enterprise network environment...we are frustrated that Adobe did not have a good method to update their Reader client apps over the years which now lead to significant security risks. Yes, they did update their app, but it was not an automatic update for typical users. To update the client app, there needed to be administrative intervention or deployment of a newly patched version every month or so. 

For several months we have been using the Edge browser combined with the Adobe Acrobat extension (no Adobe Acrobat app installed) to meet the needs of the users who do not have a full license or an Adobe account. The extension was working fine without any logons. Something changed with the May update to the extension or Edge patches that stopped the extension from working at all. 

I have also tested by signing up for Adobe Acrobat Pro license, but that does not change how the extension works either. 

I was hoping @Tariq Ahmad could get to the bottom of this issue after sharing my video. Any update?

[MrTech86]

Here is an example of the extension working with a PDF on the web. These are the features we had while working with local PDFs.

224047.1.3_AI Welcome - Extension Doc_Dark

[Tariq Ahmad]

Thank you for tagging me, @MrTech86.
Sorry for the troubled experience. Product engineering has now been informed of this issue, and the bug has been logged. 
 

As soon as I have an update that I can share publicly, I will keep this discussion updated. 

~Tariq

[MrTech86]

We have found the Adobe extension for Chrome to be capable of working with local files.
The extension is version 25.5.4.0, updated on May 26 (that is, yesterday).
Meanwhile, Adobe extension for Edge stays in version 25.5.1.0, last updated on May 7. We are guessing an update to Edge is soon to be released? Do you know? @Tariq Ahmad 

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @MrTech86, 

Yes, an update has already been rolled out. Check if the extension has been updated.

And if in case the issue is reproducible, please let us know if that is still the same. And share the browser and extension version installed at your end.

~Tariq

[MrTech86 · Accepted solution]

I can confirm that I was able to manually remove and install the newer version of the extension, 25.5.4.1, and it is working again with local PDF files. Thank you for pushing this change through, much appreciated. @Tariq Ahmad 

[Tariq Ahmad]

Glad to hear that. 
Thank you for your patience and support.

~Tariq