File Explorer-Combine Files not selecting showing all selected files

[defaultjrhx2dc50p54]

Windows 11 Enterprise, 23H2 OS build 22631.5472 and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2025.001.20531.  I have a folder containing 28 PDFs.  I select all, right click and choose "Combine Files in Acrobat".  Acrobat will open into the Combine Files menu and it will only show a subset of the PDFs that I had selected, not all of the PDFs I had selected.  All files are local on the computer, not out on a network or cloud drive.

It is not always the same subset.  Sometimes it is 10-25, sometimes 12-27.  Now, If I select all, right click and choose "Show More Options", I then have two "Combine Files in Acrobat" listed.  Either choice will then show all 28 files in the Combine files menu in Acrobat

I have tried tons of the suggestions for when the Combine Files option is not present when right clicking, such as 

-regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat Elements\ContextMenu64.dll"

-Deleting the UserPrefs folder out in C:\Users\MyUsername\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\DC folder

-In Acrobat, navigate to Edit > Preferences > Security (Enhanced). Uncheck Enable Protected Mode at Startup

-Repair Acrobat installation

-Restoring original preferences through Windows registry. Navigate to the following location: Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat[DC/2017/2020]. Right-click on the DC folder, choose Export and save the backup file locally on your machine.
Delete the [DC/2017/2020] folder in the Registry Editor. Relaunch Acrobat and it will recreate the key in the registry location.

Anyone have any other ideas?

Thanks

[ls_rbls]

Hi @defaultjrhx2dc50p54 , 

I noticed that all of your file names are numbers.

Using numbers, special or reserved characters (such as some symbols, to include blank spaces) in file names,  is not considered a good practice in computing when employing file name conventions.

The same is true for Folders or Directory names, specifically when trying to perform batch actions with large groups of files on Windows, such as renaming files, saving as, moving or copying to another subfolder (or even in the same current folder where the batch action is executed from). 

Would it make any difference if you just prefix the filenames with a character, such as a letter?

For example, a1.pdf,  a25.pdf, a38.pdf  ... and so on.

If you must keep those PDFs files named with numbers, check if there are any restrictions in the current folder that could be enforcing conflicting file locks or read-only file attributes.

If that would be the case,  try to manually move or copy the files to different folder. 

If none of my suspisions are correct, did you verify if some of the PDF files themselves have any type of security restrictions (i.e. encryption)?

[defaultjrhx2dc50p54]

They were originally named using PHI info such as patient name, ID #, but for the sake of taking screenshots and revealing PHI info, I renamed them all using a number and to be able to better see visually, when one or more files were not present.  Thank you for the reply though.

[defaultjrhx2dc50p54]

And none of them have any security restrictions.  

[ls_rbls]

Interesting.

I've come accross this problem often too on a personal computer, which is weird.

I am wondering if it has to do with files that are being shared by others in a network environment (or accessed though mapped shared drives). I will assume that you have an IT department or an administrator?

If so, maybe they need to take a look at your current user account, and see if there is any Group Policy enforced... I am running out of ideas.

[alexandern81251936]

seems to be an Win11 issue.
when you click "more options" in the context menu, you find another option "combine files with Acrobat". In my test the right one is the upper one.
Combining files fom Acrobat stillworks fine.

[ardian_]

According to Adobe Support, running the AcroCleaner tool should resolve the issue. The problem should then be resolved.
AcroCleaner — Acrobat Desktop Tools and Utilities

[alexandern81251936]

I had already contact with Adobe Support: reinstalling and cleaning do not help.
They are analyzing my logs now, maybe there is a patch soon

[ardian_]

Super! Thanks for your feedback! We'll see what comes of it...

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hello, 

Sorry for the troubled experience, and thank you for reaching out and sharing your observations. 

I am checking internally with the team about this, and once I have updated, I will keep this discussion updated. 

One question: has this issue started recently,, or was it happening all along?

~Tariq

[ardian_]

Thanks for your support, we have only seen this recently and I'm not sure if it's just a WIN11 problem.

Best regards

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @defaultjrhx2dc50p54 and @ardian_, 

Thank you for your patience. Our product team has been able to reproduce this issue, and a bug has been logged for this issue. 
If we need any assistance in capturing logs or any additional information, we may contact you via the email registered on Adobe Community. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. 

~Tariq

[John Runyen]

Any update on this? Is there a version we can go back to where this works correctly?

We need to be able to rely on this feature.

 - John

[S. S]

Hi @John Runyen,

No updates as of yet. 

Work is in progress on the ticket. 

We will update the thread once we hear back from the team.

Regards,
Souvik.

[alexandern81251936]

I was told by Adobe support that issue will get fixed in the August release

[S. S]

Thanks, @alexandern81251936, for the information.

I do not have an exact date to commit to, but yes, the work for this is in progress.

Regards,
Souvik.

[alexandern81251936]

The new patch 2500120623 was released Aug 11th, but it did not fix the issue.

The combine command disappeared from context menu, the command under "more options" does not work
When trying to combine from Explorer, Acrobat is opened, but nothing happens.
I hope Adobe will fix this soon.

[S. S]

Hi @alexandern81251936,

Thanks for your kind understanding and patience on the issue.

The team is working on it to get the fix live at the earliest.

Regards,
Souvik.

[MJ-AE]

We are having the same issue and have not been able to resolve it. However, we have found that if you "add" the files to adobe, this error does not occur. 

To Add the Files to Adobe:

Step #1: Open Adobe and your folder with the files side by side.

Step 2: Click on the tab, “Tools” in the top left. Then click on Create PDF on the right tool bar.

Step 3: A new page will appear, click on Multiple Files, Combine Files, then Next.

Step 4: A file explorer will open with your files.

Step 5: Click the box beside Name and all your files will be highlighted. Then ensure that the File name: bar is populated and click open.

Step 6: Ensure all your files were imported and then click combine. Look at the bottom right-hand counter to confirm that the total files match the count of files you intended to combine.

Annoying that if fails with no error, and there is no file count until you start the combine process. I have tried in both new acrobat and classic, results so far are like you describe above.