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DaveAtMacEwan28462020
Participant
January 23, 2025
Question

Combine Files Context Menu item missing from File Explorer in Windows 11. How to restore it?

  • January 23, 2025
  • 3 replies
  • 7688 views

Every post I've found for this issue is nearly 10 years old and references older versions of Acrobat so I have to ask again.

I have two scenarios.

1. A user has Acrobat Pro installed, but is missing the combine files item entirely.
2. I have Acrobat Pro installed but can only get the Combine Files option if I select only files that are local to my computer, any file that shows the Cloud Only Status for OneDrive will prevent the menu item from showing up.

We have tried
- uninstalling and reinstalling and repairing
- Editing registry keys
- Re-registering .dll files
- I've even asked chat GPT and CoPilot fir help and they've been utterly useless.

This feature works perfectly fine for both scenarios above on my user's old WIndows 10 laptop so what do I have to do to make this work properly on her new Windows 11 laptop?

Thank you.

    3 replies

    B
    beth_2480
    Participant
    August 19, 2025

    This seems to now be the case with the new update that was just pushed on Sunday, is there a fix as of yet or is this the new design? 

      K
      KinoTongan
      Participant
      August 20, 2025

      I agree. After updating our acrobat DC, we don't have the combine files on right click menu anymore. 

      Adobe, any help on this please? thanks

        S_S
        Community Manager
        S_SCommunity Manager
        Community Manager
        August 21, 2025

        Hi @KinoTongan,

         

        Thanks for reporting this, and sorry for the delayed response.

         

        I would like to understand the workflow you are trying to use.

         

        When you select files to combine, are some of the files located in a cloud drive, or are all the files on your local storage?

        This could be a major reason why the option does not show up.

         

        Also, please ensure that Acrobat is updated to the latest version (25.1.20630) for the best experience.

        To do so, go to Menu > Help > Check for Udpates.

         

        Look forward to hearing from you.


        Regards,
        Souvik.

        Eric Dumas
        Community Expert
        Eric DumasCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 25, 2025

        For cloud files, can you try to:

        • select the files 
        • Right-click on one of the selected file
        • Select 'Always keep on this device'
        • Once the synchronisation is complete (all the selected files show a green check mark instead of a cloud)
        • Try to combine them again.
        T
        talented_Fountain6117
        Participant
        July 22, 2025

        Nobody addressed the first scenario above:  "1. A user has Acrobat Pro installed, but is missing the combine files item entirely."

         

        That is basically my situation. I have Acrobat XI Standard on a Windows 10 computer.  FUp until a few days ago, I had the "Combine files in Acrobat" option in my right-click context menu.  Yesterday, it disappeared:

         

         

        How can I get it to again show in my context menu when I right-click selected files?

        C
        casey_7788
        Participant
        August 19, 2025

        Wow.  So, it turns out that the solution is quite easy.  Just go to the Help menu and select "Repair Acrobat Installation":

        After Acrobat repairs the installation, it restarts your computer.

        And now, the context menu once again displays "Combine Files in Acrobat...":

         

         

         


        Hi, Im using win 11. I had same issue with combile files option disappered from file explorer, i did a repair adobe which fixed it.

        But after 2 days now again i'm facing same issue with adobe. I couldnot see combile files. But this time repair, modify adobe didnot help. 

        Can you suggest why is this happening and a permanat way to fix this

        Thanks

          S_S
          Community Manager
          S_SCommunity Manager
          Community Manager
          January 25, 2025

          Hi @DaveAtMacEwan2275033,

           

          Hope you are doing well. Sorry for the trouble.

           

          I checked on this with the dev team, and this is what they had to say: "Cloud-only entities are "virtual things" in the file system. So, our extension doesn't really see them and thus can't work with them."

          Also, about the Windows 10 scenario, would you mind sharing a screen recording where you have selected ONLY cloud files (with no local files in the selection), and you get the option? This will help me take this up further with the devs.

           

          Hope this clarifies your question.


          -Souvik

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