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How can I install Acrobat Pro and Reader on same device?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
February 12, 2022
8 replies
78221 views

Hi - I have been a CC subscriber for years, so haven't had the need for Acrobat Reader in some time. I have a client I'm designing a fillable form for, and would like to be able to view it as she will see it using Reader - so that I can walk her through the steps. If I attempt to install Reader, it automatically detects that I have Pro already installed and won't proceed. Is there a way to have both apps installed and active at the same time?

Correct answer JennA1101

I was actually able to get around it by uninstalling Pro, downloading and installing Reader, then re-installing Pro.

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Dimtiri30756384zayz

Participant

For anyone looking for a work around in 2025

Install Adobe Reader 32bit. Launch Adobe Reader and accept the EULA prompt
Zip the folder "Acrobat Reader DC" located in C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe
Install Adobe Pro
Delete the now residual folder "Acrobat Reader DC" in C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe
Unzip the "Acrobat Reader DC" file to in "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe" to restore the files that Adobe Pro removed.
Now you should have C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC restoring the orginal path and files for the 32 bit version of Adobe Reader
Next launch the EULA manually "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Eula" and click on teh accept button.
Now click on Acrord32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\Acrord32" to launch Adobe Reader 32 bit.

You should be to launch Adobe Pro from the Desktop IF the user has a an Adobe lic. We had to do it this way cause not everyone has an Adobe lic and it was waste IT resources to install Adobe Pro for those upgrade. This way all we have to do is just assign them a lic in the Adobe Console and not have to touch their computer to down software.

Nope they do not conflict with each other. Been running like this on our side for 2 years now.

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Greg231600055k3j

Participating Frequently

The only solution I have come up with is to stop throwing away good money with Adobe and it's useless product design team. I will use Docusign instead of Adobe Sign, then I can install Adobe Reader or any number of other apps that can read and sign PDF docs on multiple computers. Adobe cares nothing quality of their products. From every interaction I have had with their staff (and refusal to interact with cleints by forcing useless bots as the only way to directly interact with them), I can only conclude that they are deperately hoping that someone will just put them out of business already!

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Scott26710045szg2

Participant

I have literally wasted tens of hours just trying to install pro. I add the proper license to the user, they get the email, create their account and click the link FOR PRO, that IS what the link says, IT EFFING says PRO. And EVERY effing time, they take me the Reader version. It is infuriating... I am so done with Adobe, if I could fire them, I would.

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OCCIO32650754dgon

Participant

See if this solves your problem: 64-bit Unified App Installer — Acrobat Desktop Windows Deployment (adobe.com)

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defaultv7cz0mex0t3t

Participant

In the past I was able to have both Reader and Acrobat Pro on my machine. This no longer appears to work, even if I downloaded the 32-bit version of Reader. All it did was install the McAfee software (which I did NOT want) with no option to not download and install it! It does not appear to have occurred to Adobe that people might need to test their pdf documents on Reader after creating them with Acrobat. I suspect I see this disreagard for the need to test in many of the bugs in Acrobat Pro (such as the Replace function inserting the new page superimposed with a rotated copy of the page as well).

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Harmonious_Moonlight5C37

Participant

It would be helpful if Adobe considered the needs of their customers. Why would you want to annoy paying Acrobat DC users by preventing them from using a free application? I can't test what users will encounter with Shared PDF reviews - an already flawed process made worse by a recent change that removes all comments when you delete a review file from Adobe Tracker. Couldn't find that in any product release notes either.

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Grant27983943tbi2

Participant

As usual the people trying to use the product are second priority behind competing with Microsoft.

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jueblu

Participating Frequently

what still might work = parallel installation of the 32-bit-version of Adobe Reader and older (full) Acrobat versions. download availabe: https://get.adobe.com/de/reader/otherversions/

jamesgranell

Participant

Having a similar issue. I have Adobe Acrobat DC Pro (via Creative Cloud license) under my user account on PC, and my wife also has a user account on the PC, but it does not let me install Adobe Reader for her to open PDFs, but forces me to either start a 7-day trial for Acrobat Pro, or force me to install/use a 3rd party app. I did attempt to install the stand-alone (32bit) Reader app, but once I attempt to use it on my PC user account, it upgrades to the full version and all aspects of reader are upgraded.

I have tried to search various places for any means to have it so Adobe Acrobat can be Reader on the one PC account, and pro on the other user account. I feel this has been possible on a Mac, and with previous versions of Acrobat when Reader and Pro were able to coexist on the PC, but do not any more.

Sonion

Participant

I'm a home user on Windows 11 and have Adobe Acrobat PRO. My wife and I both share the same desktop computer and use Acrobat to digitally sign documents. In order for this to work, we have our own Adobe IDs and in the past I used to sign in to my PRO and she signed in on the Reader. But now since I can't install both, I've been forced to install the older Reader 11 to use for my wife to sign documents, but the signature can only be stored locally because Reader 11 doesn't support Adobe ID sign in. She can't digitally sign documents with my PRO version because, of course, her ID doesn't have the PRO license and it forces the application to close. I'm furious about this and considering switching to an alternate PDF program

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OCCIO32650754dgon

Participant

Try this... 64-bit Unified App Installer — Acrobat Desktop Windows Deployment (adobe.com)

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Edward29107619bemr

Participant

Should not need to do this. My solution is canceling my subscription with Adobe. Going to do that right now...

JR Boulay

Community Expert

See this related topic:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/cannot-install-acrobat-reader-with-acrobat-pro/td-p/12742576

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe

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kam4i

Participant

Be kind... well, be kind and stop having us create accounts just for user voice too. Obviously, you don't want to really hear from folks, but would rather put us through hurdles to keep things quiet so you can report to the higher-ups that things are so good that there aren't many complaints.

So let this be my input that I agree with the inanity of not being able to install reader for testing forms.