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julieb26452343
Participant
April 9, 2015
Answered

File preview thumbnails aren't working for Acrobat DC files in Windows Explorer

  • April 9, 2015
  • 60 replies
  • 246822 views

I just upgraded from Acrobat XI to Acrobat DC on Windows 7, and now any new PDFs I create display with a generic PDF icon rather than a thumbnail preview of the file.  Files created in Acrobat XI are displaying correctly (see screenshot).  Is anyone else experiencing this and is there a resolution?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer AshuMittal9644438

    Yeah, this is still what I get!


    Hi djbilly

    This was fixed in our update released yesterday. Make sure you are on the latest update by visiting Help > Check for updates.

    Next, to enable thumbnail previews go to Preferences > General and then select Enable PDF thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer.

    Thanks,

    -ashu

    60 replies

    Show previous replies
    Hani.sawiress
    Hani.sawiress
    Inspiring
    April 23, 2015

    This is very weird .. Adobe is now following Microsoft policy which is (launching a new version not related to the old one - make the use lost)

    but Adobe deals with artist maybe the artists are looking for what's new in their work and approach .. but certainly they don't want to change their tools from version to another every day. specially when the new tool is downgrading their expectations.

    another point Adobe have to deal with: the artists have a "Eidetic memory" they deal with designs (icons, Thumbnails) more than a just silly file name.

    Acrobat is ignoring that important point they disable .PSD .AI .PDF .EPS thumbnails over windows explorer ... and guess what!! they disable it over the file opening dialogue in the associated software. -for what reason?- for technical issues !!!!

    who cares about technical issues .. Adobe deal with technical issues and we deal with our Money we pay in that software.and we can wait until solving that "technical issues"!!

    the problem is Acrobat DC have stopped my third party software that shows all .PSD .AI and .PDF thumbnails over explorer, like MysticThumbs and Adobe PDF fixes!!! simply we say in such situation (They never mercy and Don't let other mercy)

    we don't have to accept what ... Their technical issues certainly will reflect to or financial issues.

      J
      juan3572
      Participant
      April 20, 2015

      "We had to remove the thumbnail preview functionality from Acrobat and Reader DC for technical reasons. We know there are users who value it but certain design considerations forced us to make this change."

      I just purchase Acrobat DC.

      Due to "Customer Service" reasons,  Adobe immediately must find a solution to this issue.  With out the preview, I am lost into hundreds of .pdf files.

      There is not reason for me to purchase this program and have to install "Foxit Reader" in order to make it functional. 

        D
        Deus1234
        Participant
        April 20, 2015

        Installed Foxit reader. WOW!

        Deleted Acrobat DC..........

          bacomino
          bacomino
          Participant
          May 7, 2015

          Great Job : Uninstalling is sadly the best solution !!!...

          Here's adobe's thinking way :

          - Users have been shouting loud that they want thumbnails for pdf files for many years, how should we fix this ?

          - Let's remove thumbnails ! Our new design is financially so more important than user experience...

            pixelpushingvectorvixen
            pixelpushingvectorvixen
            Participating Frequently
            April 17, 2015

            I was reeeeally hoping this was something I could fix with a setting. Adobe, the removal of the previews is going to make my job a WHOLE LOT slower I have to upload many scanned documents every day and having to open every single one to see what it is before I upload (because the file names are automatic and meaningless from the scanner) is going to be a major problem. Please fix this!

              RiesG
              RiesG
              Known Participant
              April 17, 2015

              The remark of Anubha of april 9 made me very angry...'amazing new look'. Think you're funny??

                G
                greggt29292538
                Participant
                April 16, 2015

                Lack of Thumbnails has increased my work time finding correct files.  I used to be able to visually scan a file filled with dozens of thumbnails and find the correct file quickly.  Now I must read the description on each. This "upgrade" is a step back.  This flaw needs to be fixed !

                  T
                  timothyjonking
                  Participant
                  April 16, 2015

                  Found a work around in Windows 7, install Foxit Reader and associate PDFs with it on the install, it will bring back the thumbnails. Then after the Foxit install right click a PDF and choose Acrobat DC as your default program, the Thumbnails will stay and open in Acrobat. Sucks we have to install anther program to get this feature.

                  Adobe you really need to fix this.

                    J
                    joernki
                    Participating Frequently
                    April 16, 2015

                    thimothy, this works for me, too!

                    though the thumbnails are only in square design... former acrobat versions showed them in the right rectangulars...

                    but now i can see what the files bare...

                    but i agree: THIS IS THE WORK FOR ADOBE TO FIX THIS!

                      damienf88
                      damienf88
                      Participating Frequently
                      April 14, 2015

                      This is a massive drawback, and it is frankly unbelievable that a company such as Adobe allow themselves to do such things.

                      A warning before upgrade would have been more than welcome.

                      Who's going to pay for user time wasted on such an issue?

                      Abhigyan Modi - Thanks for your insight but when can we expect a fix?

                        D
                        djbillyd1
                        Participating Frequently
                        September 3, 2015

                        It's really not that unbelievable to me anymore. "New and Improved" just means "We suck and you can't do anything about it!". It's much like the "convenience fee" when you pay a bill online. While they no longer pay anyone to process the payment, you have to pay them for the privilege of...,not paying anyone to process the payment!

                          J
                          joernki
                          Participating Frequently
                          April 10, 2015

                          i have the same problem and discussed that already here:

                          Re: Missing Thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer

                          i'm the opinion nowadays this is a "no go" to have no thumbnail previews especially when you are working as a professional like CrsK said...

                          to see only the "amazing new look of your PDF icons" is an anachronism!


                          in my case i have no thumbnail previews anymore because a parallel installation of the reader DC to acrobat DC killed them all - the old ones from former acrobat versions, too!


                          i don't know what "technical reasons" you had... but i already made a feature request to get them back in an update!

                            A
                            Anonymous
                            August 6, 2015

                            joernki     Apr 10, 2015 4:24 AM  (in response to julieb26452343)   

                            "...i'm the opinion nowadays this is a "no go" to have no thumbnail previews especially when you are working as a professional like CrsK said...

                            to see only the "amazing new look of your PDF icons" is an anachronism!"


                            I'm a professional and both myself and my clients value thumbs for quick identification especially with X number of revisions. After all we work in a VISUAL MEDIUM do we not? If one believes thumbs are a bad idea, or 'unprofessional'..by all means they should be able to prevent thumbnails for that document on saving.


                            Should be optional enough said.


                            Hm Foxit is indeed looking more attractive with each adobe release.

                            Anubha Goel
                            Community Manager
                            Anubha GoelCommunity Manager
                            Community Manager
                            April 10, 2015

                            Hey julieb26452343,

                            The new icon for PDFs created by using Acrobat DC seems to appear like this only (as a generic PDF icon)

                            PDF files that were created using Acrobat XI represent the same icon as it used to be earlier.

                            It is not a problem and you can just enjoy this amazing new look of your PDF icons.

                            Regards,

                            Anubha

                            C
                            CrsK
                            Participating Frequently
                            April 10, 2015

                            Well that's no good, if you are like me and have over 4,000 PDF files for job previews, you can't see which job is which quickly. Manually opening every document to see what it is is very tedious and tremendously time-wasting.


                            Will there be a fix coming for this? I need to see the preview in the thumbnail view of windows Explorer.

                              amyf54129454
                              amyf54129454
                              Participant
                              May 27, 2015

                              Chris, Julie : We had to remove the thumbnail preview functionality from Acrobat and Reader DC for technical reasons. We know there are users who value it but certain design considerations forced us to make this change.


                              This should be fixed pronto!  Why would Adobe sacrifice functionality for design considerations?  Huge mistake.  It's made my job a gazillion times harder to do.  I don't have admin rights to make changes to my computer at work, so the workarounds can't even be installed.  Very frustrated.

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