How to remove Acrobat Reader Shortcut from desktop permanently?

[Gregor281891648svt]

Hi all,

after updating itself the acrobat reader recurringly recreates its desktop shortcut, which is annoying. How can I reconfigure the application to prevent that? Windows 10 OS

Thanks a lot!

G:

Hallo zusammen,

ständig (vermutlich nach jedem Update) erstellt der Acrobat Reader automatisch eine Verknüpfung auf dem Desktop. Wie kann ich das dauerhaft deaktivieren (Windows 10)? Ich finde keine passende Einstellung im Programm.

Danke für eure Hilfe.

G.

[AkanchhaS · Accepted solution]

Hi @Gregor281891648svt 

Thanks for reaching out.

If you delete the shortcut manually after installing or right-click delete, it will be restored after patch/repair.

It would help if you used Customization Wizard to Customize the Acrobat installer (before installing) to not create the shortcut. 

• Download Acrobat Reader from https://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/ Extract MSI installer. Following these steps: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/how-do-i-obtain-an-offline-msi-installer-f... 
• Once done, Customization Wizard to Customize the Acrobat installer (before installing) to not create the shortcut.  https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/shortcuts.html#:~:text=Remove%20a%20shortc.... 

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

Akanchha

[AkanchhaS · Accepted solution]

Hi @Gregor281891648svt 

Thanks for reaching out.

If you delete the shortcut manually after installing or right-click delete, it will be restored after patch/repair.

It would help if you used Customization Wizard to Customize the Acrobat installer (before installing) to not create the shortcut. 

• Download Acrobat Reader from https://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/ Extract MSI installer. Following these steps: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/how-do-i-obtain-an-offline-msi-installer-f... 
• Once done, Customization Wizard to Customize the Acrobat installer (before installing) to not create the shortcut.  https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/shortcuts.html#:~:text=Remove%20a%20shortc.... 

Hope this helps!

Thanks,

Akanchha

[Gregor281891648svt · Accepted solution]

Hi Akanchha,

thanks a lot for your quick response, the provided solution and the linked resources. I followed your guide and I do now have the reader installed without the shortcut at the desktop. I am really happy with the result but I must say there are several actions to start in order to get rtid of the shortcut. However for now it seems to work and that's all I wanted.

For others having the same request in the future here is a short summary of what I had done:

- make sure you have 7zip or winrar installed in your computer, if not install it

- download the desired reader install package from the enterprise resources https://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/

- open the downloaded *.exe using 7zip or winrar and extract it to a temp folder

- download the adobe customization wizard https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/basics.html

- open the previously extracted *.msi file in the temp folder using the customization wizard

- make the desired changes, remove the shortcuts options as shown in https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Wizard/shortcuts.html#:~:text=Remove%20a%20shortc...

- save the changes to the package using file -> save in the customization wizard main menu

- run the setup.exe in the temp folder an watch the installation. done.

[AkanchhaS]

Thanks for confirming that @Gregor281891648svt 

Glad to hear it has worked for you. We also appreciate your efforts in posting your workflow. That would certainly be helpful for other users as well.

Let us know if there's any further assistance is required.

~Akanchha 

[Pete37309614441q]

All software installation is managed centrally at my company. I cannot run the installer. How can I remove the desktop shortcut? This should be a simple deletion. I do not understand why Adobe has made this so awkward.

[Mike35497488gnun]

Hi, I'm hoping this comment on an old post is seen.
It's great that an installation customisation package can be used to remove the desktop icon.

But what about the millions of users who don't use enterprise packages or who don't have the savvy to download and customise an installation package?

When someone deletes a shortcut, it is a deliberate expression of their preference. To override that every time Adobe updates feels to us like anarchy. It would be so wonderful if Adobe could give us a checkbox during installation, like so many other software programs do, allowing us to say no to the desktop shortcut. Permanently.