Updater option disappeared from Acrobat Pro DC preferences

[alexprepress]

In Acrobat Pro DC Preferences, the last item in the list should be Updater. For one of our users, this item is not there. Similarly, in the Help menu, 'Check for Updates...' isn't there.

The Creative Cloud app also said Acrobat was up to date, but it wasn't – it was two versions old. I got around this by using CC to uninstall and then reinstall Acrobat, so the latest version (2021.007.20099) is now installed. However, the Updater option (and Check for Updates...) are still missing.

Before reinstalling I tried quitting Acrobat, removing the com.adobe.Acrobat.Pro.plist file from ~/Library/Preferences and then relaunching, but it didn't make any difference.

Any help would be appreciated. Using macOS 11.6.

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi there,

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that the check for updates and updater option is missing from the preferences.

Please try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here - https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...

You may also try to create  a new test user profile with full admin rights or enable the root account in Mac and try using the application there and check.

If it still doesn't work, please remove the application using the Acrobat Cleaner tool - https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html  reboot the computer and reinstall the application using the link - https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

Regards

Amal

[alexprepress]

Hi Amal

Thanks for this. I've already tried resetting the preferences as you describe, but it didn't make any difference. Our users are not allowed to have admin accounts, so I can't do option 2. Lastly, the Acrobat Cleaner Tool says it doesn't work with CC apps – this user's copy of Acrobat pro was installed via CC, so I presume the tool won't work.

Can you suggest what we can try next?

Regards

Alex

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi Alex,

Sorry for the dealy in response. The Acrobat Cleaner tool is used to remove the Acrobat application from the system so you may proceed with the tool to remove the application from the system and then reinstall the application as suggested earlier.

Thanks

Amal

[alexprepress]

Hi Amal

I've used the Acrobat Cleaner tool, restarted and reinstalled Acrobat from the link provided. Unfortunately, there is still no Updater section in preferences, and no option to check for updates in the Help menu. I've also tried uninstalling Creative Cloud, but that made no difference either.

Alex

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi there,

We are sorry to hear that. Please try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights or enable the rrot account in Mac and try using the application there.

Also try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here - https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-defau...

Regards

Amal

[Man284719810arn]

Amal,

Adobe arrogantly removed the Updater option! Furthermore, disabling the update Task Schedule entry and Windows service doesn't work because Adobe re-enables it again. How obnoxious.

[Serene_nature15C3]

Hi @Man284719810arn 

Hope you are doing well and sorry to hear that.

Would you mind confirming if you have Acrobat Pro or Acrobat Reader application?

The updater option is available in Acrobat Pro. Go to Edit > Preferences > Updater

Also, please go through the help page https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/automatic-updates---acrobat-reader.html for more info.

Regards

Amal

[Man284719810arn]

It's the Adobe Reader application and the option to update has been umceremoniously removed. As I live in a remote area, my internet speed is very slow so with Adobe Updater kicking in without my knowledge, it maxes out my internet bandwidth, and interrupting my work. These kind of updates should be OPTIONAL and not enforced a la equally obnoxious Microsoft Win 10/Win 11. It's totally arrogant and it drives me up the wall. I am a software engineer myself and we would never treat our customers with such arrogance. We give them a choice if they want to update and in fact some of our customers prefer not to update, for various reasons.

I have also removed the Adobe Updater in Task Scheduler and removed the Adobe Updater windows service but in true Adobe arrogance, it somehow adds it back in and I can't be bothered to hunt around Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer to find the app or service that adds it back - I know there is one somewhere that is doing this. Take it from me, this kind of behaviour is very unpopular for technical minded people. For now, I have uninstalled Adobe Reader and now using Libre Office Draw. I will only reinstall Adobe Reader if there is an option to block updates without going through hoops such as editing registry keys or blocking it in firewalls.

[Another Tim the IT Guy]

Scheduled Tasks and services that recreate one another? I have worked on viruses that do that...
In our case, I am working on a Citrix server master image which will only be online while I run updates on it. It would be really nice if Adobe still had update options in Help, Preferences or About. It would also be nice if manually kicking off the update scheduled task would actually update acrobat - at the moment, I am trying to get from 2024.003.20054 to 2024.003.20112.