We shouldn’t have to pay to view PDF’s we have been using for 20 years.

[KGunther]

After recommending PDF's as a sustainable archiving format for many years, paying Adobe to read these docs moving forward is not a fair business practice.  

[Test Screen Name]

Why would you pay Adobe when there are countless different people making PDF readers at all sorts of prices including free? Adobe continues to offer Acrobat Reader free as they have for 20 years and more. They also sell PDF related products of course, and if you want one of them you need to pay. Like always.

[KGunther]

Each time I tried to open my newly created PDF yesterday, a window opened giving me two choices, either a 7 day free trial or a $100+ per year subscription.  When I closed the window, my PDF closed.  Am I missing something?  

[Test Screen Name]

You downloaded a trial version of Adobe Acrobat Pro. That is much more than PDF viewer - it also can make and edit them. Adobe's web site can be confusing. If you used Acrobat Pro to make the PDF, then you may want to consider buying it. If you don't want to keep this premium software, then you MUST do ALL THREE OF the following

1. Uninstall it.

2. If you gave a credit card, you will have to pay for the year once your 7 days are up. CANCEL what you paid for using your account details. UNINSTALLING DOES NOT CANCEL YOUR COMMITMENTS.

3. Install the free Acrobat Reader instead http://get.adobe.com/reader

Bear in mind the free Reader will NOT make PDF files for you.

[KGunther]

Thanks for your response.  Please walk me through how my Canon scanner only scans to PDF, stitch, custom or photo, no Word doc choice?  Need I buy another $12 monthly subscription to scan my legacy documents?   

[Test Screen Name]

Your Canon scanner software can make PDF, which is nice. Whether it offers other choices is something to take up with Canon. You do not need Acrobat to scan to PDF and you may follow the three steps I posted to resolve the specific issue you first reported. UNLESS you specifically want features of Acrobat, that is: it’s your choice whether to buy it. 

[KGunther]

Thanks for the help. We've come a long way from the first Portable Document Format files.  I'll read up on the new programs.  

[BrandonLW]

This didn't work for me. And the frustrating thing is, some of my PDFs will open and some wont. I cannot discern the difference between why some do and some don't. They were modified on the same dates but one open and the other doesn't. Uninstalling adobe acrobat and reinstalling the free version downloaded thru the link posted above does not solve the problem. I still get an error message. I cannot view my files.