How to Keep Tools Pane Minimized by Default When Opening PDFs?

Hi everyone,

Is there a way to keep the Tools pane minimized by default when opening PDF files in Adobe Acrobat (Reader or Pro)? Every time I open a new document, the right-hand Tools panel is fully expanded and takes up a large portion of the screen. I have to manually minimize it each time, which becomes frustrating when working with multiple documents.

I've looked through the preferences but haven't found an option that controls this behavior. Ideally, I’d like Acrobat to remember my last layout or allow me to set the Tools pane to stay minimized unless I open it manually.

Has anyone found a workaround or setting for this? Any registry edits, scripts, or plugin suggestions would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!