Files are automatically opening to Acrobat Pro instead of Reader

[mmayer85]

Just in the past week I've been having an issue with all of my PDF files opening to Adobe Acrobat DC instead of Adobe Reader DC. Everything is set for Adobe Reader to be the default program and I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling Reader. I'm on the latest update of Windows 10 as well as the latest updates on both Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat. The only way I can open a file in Adobe Reader is to open the program first and then 'Open' a file from within the program. The right-click shortcuts on the taskbar icon don't even work. They just open in Adobe Acrobat.

This is a big problem for another user that logs onto this computer once a week who doesn't have Adobe Acrobat DC (not allowed to) installed on their profile. Any PDF they open tries to open in Acrobat and gives him an error message. It won't even open in Adobe Reader which he does have installed on his profile. I can't figure out the source of this issue. See pictures to show defaults all set correctly.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Mmayer,

As you have mentioned above the PDFs open in Acrobat even if the Reader is set as default program. This is an as designed behviour. 

If you are an Acrobat subscriber and the application is installed on the same machine, the PDF will open in Acrobat by default even Reader is set as default program to open PDF. 

Hope the information answers your question.

Let us know if you need any help.

Regards,

Meenakshi

[mmayer85]

I've had both installed for over a year and switched the default program to Adobe Reader for just as long. It's always opened in Reader by default and opened in Acrobat when I choose to until about a week ago. Something has changed. The other user who doesn't have Acrobat on his profile but has Reader has the same issue only it tries to open files in Adobe Acrobat without it even being installed and it gives him an error message. Something has changed in the past week which I could only figure was an update of some kind, either by Adobe or Windows.

[scott_free]

There is a solution here.

Under General in Preferences there is a [Set as Default PDF Handler] button in both programs. It was NOT on in Acrobat PRO. It was in Reader, but underneath it had an option "Always Open PDFS in Adobe Acrobat DC."

[Nigel5FA7]

Unfortunately now that just opens instructions for how to do it in Windows Apps / Default App. Which doesn't work. (2021 versions)

[Nigel5FA7]

Found it: If you sign OUT of Acrobat DC, the default app as Reader works.