Installing Adobe READER on Remote Desktop

Report · May 01, 2025

I haven't revisited this topic in a while, but here goes.

Is it possible to install Adobe Reader on a RDS server and have it function correctly for the end users? I tried to do this a couple of years ago and Adobe would not function correctly and I had to uninstall it.

I would much rather have it installed and working as the default PDF reader instead of Edge.

If there is a step-by-step document, I would apprectiate it.

Thanks in advance.

Jeff

Report · May 01, 2025

Hello Jeff!

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out.

Yes, it is possible to install Adobe Reader on a Remote Desktop Services (RDS) server and have it function correctly for end users. Here are some key steps and considerations for installing Adobe Reader on an RDS server:

System Requirements: Ensure that your server meets the system requirements for Adobe Reader. Supported environments include Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2008 R2. See this article for more info: Remote Desktop Services — Acrobat Desktop Virtualization Guide
Profile Management: User profile data should roam with the user to ensure a consistent experience across sessions. This can be achieved using folder redirection or other profile management tools.
Installation: Download the latest version of Adobe Reader.
Use the Adobe Customization Wizard to configure the installation package. This tool allows you to disable features that should not be accessible to end users and accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) on behalf of all users.
Install the package on the RDS server using the command line with appropriate parameters to suppress language selection, disable the updater, and suppress registration.

For a detailed step-by-step guide, you can refer to the Windows Virtual Deployment Overview, and Admin Guide.

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.