Skip to main content
G
gkarasik
Participating Frequently
June 29, 2015
Answered

what's starting acrotray.exe?

  • June 29, 2015
  • 5 replies
  • 270327 views

Hi,

I've just installed Acrobat DC on a number of Win7 machines, and I can't stop AcroTray.exe from starting when the computer restarts. I can stop it via Task Manager, but it still restarts each time the PC restarts. I've looked in the usual Startup places (Startup folder, registry CURun and HKLMRun, Services applet), but I just can't find where it's starting from. Does anybody know what's kicking it off and how to stop it from starting when the PC starts?

GaryK

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer digitalcoffee7526170

I feel kind of stupid now but I just figured out what in the hell is going on.....   ... bangs head on desk!

So do you have 3 Acrobat menu items when you right click a file? 2 Convert & 1 Combine option?

I do.

Well every time you right click any file/folder AcroTray.exe will launch to help you either convert or combine a pdf.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR THE AVERAGE WINDOWS USER!  EXPERTS ONLY!  

So fire up regedit go here HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers and here HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

Go to the adobe folder and modify the "value data" entry by adding a "-" in front of the bracket and it will disable it.

Example would be change this {A6595CD1-BF77-430A-A452-18696685F7C7}  to this -{A6595CD1-BF77-430A-A452-18696685F7C7}

Problem Solved!

5 replies

_cowboy
_cowboy
Participant
May 26, 2016

Here is a good way to do it: Disable Adobe AcroTray.exe from starting at boot

    digitalcoffee7526170
    digitalcoffee7526170Correct answer
    Inspiring
    July 23, 2015

    I feel kind of stupid now but I just figured out what in the hell is going on.....   ... bangs head on desk!

    So do you have 3 Acrobat menu items when you right click a file? 2 Convert & 1 Combine option?

    I do.

    Well every time you right click any file/folder AcroTray.exe will launch to help you either convert or combine a pdf.

    I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS FOR THE AVERAGE WINDOWS USER!  EXPERTS ONLY!  

    So fire up regedit go here HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers and here HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers

    Go to the adobe folder and modify the "value data" entry by adding a "-" in front of the bracket and it will disable it.

    Example would be change this {A6595CD1-BF77-430A-A452-18696685F7C7}  to this -{A6595CD1-BF77-430A-A452-18696685F7C7}

    Problem Solved!

      G
      gkarasikAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 23, 2015

      Brillian! NFW!

      GaryK

      G
      gkarasikAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      July 8, 2015

      I don't know who marked this answered, but it hasn't been. I don't mind if acrotray.exe starts and runs when necessary, but it's starting on it's own even though I haven't tried to use Acrobat. Nor for me does it seem to be "essential" as I am able to stop it and use Acrobat successfully when acrotray.exe is not running. Stopping the process individually on hundreds of machines every day is not a practical option. I don't want it running "just in case." I want it not to run unless necessary for a particular Acrobat function. My users rarely use Acrobat; having acrotray.exe running all the time is a waste of memory and CPU cycles. It cannot be stopped in the usual places--Run/CURun in the registry; or via MSConfig; or via a service because it is not present in any of those places. Nor is deleting acrotray.exe nor modifying the name, say to acrotray.bak, a good alternative as acrotray.exe is, apparently, sometimes necessary.

      The question, which has not been answered, is: How do I prevent it from starting when the PC starts?

      GaryK

        digitalcoffee7526170
        digitalcoffee7526170
        Inspiring
        July 23, 2015

        I have the same problem on Windows 7 Pro and AcroTray.exe version 15.8.20082.15957.

        I have removed any kind of auto start setting for AcroTray.exe and the dam thing still launches when ever it wants to.

        For absolutely no reason AcroTray.exe will be running in the background.... makes no sense to me.

        I am almost to the point of renaming the file so it can't start ever again.

        This never happened until I upgraded to Acrobat DC.

          G
          gkarasikAuthor
          Participating Frequently
          July 23, 2015

          I tried renaming it. I got errors using Windows Explorer. Apparently it's tied in somehow.

          AadeshSingh
          Community Manager
          AadeshSinghCommunity Manager
          Community Manager
          June 29, 2015

          Hi Gary,

          "acrotray.exe" is the Adobe Acrobat Distiller helper application. It is used as part of the full Adobe Acrobat product to convert documents into PDF files. Its runs in background as it provides your feature to convert files to files to PDF using other applications like MS office. However you can follow the steps mentioned by Rahul to stop it.

          Regards,

          Aadesh

            G
            gkarasikAuthor
            Participating Frequently
            June 29, 2015

            Thanks Aadesh,

            It is not present in MSConfig/Startup nor in HKLMRun nor CURun nor Programs/Startup nor Tasks. AcroTray.Exe is no in the Registry. I don't know what's starting it. Acrobat itself runs fine and does everything I need it to do without AcroTray.Exe running, so I would like to stop it permanently. I have tried renaming the executable (Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 2015\Acrobat\AcroTray.Exe), but that causes errors. Do I need to uninstall Distiller?

              A
              Anonymous
              June 29, 2015

              Acrotray.exe is an essential process used for the pdf conversion workflows.

              If you don't want to use it then you can stop the process. Acrobat invokes this process automatically if you try to use any of the conversion workflows so it cant be disabled permanently except uninstalling Acrobat and using Reader instead to view the pdf files.

              Regards,

              KJ

                RahulTyagi_
                Community Manager
                RahulTyagi_Community Manager
                Community Manager
                June 29, 2015

                Hi gkarasik,

                I would recommend you to try again using the following procedure :

                1. Go to start menu -> Press win+ R

                2. type 'msconfig.exe' and hit enter.

                3. A pop-up window will appear, now click on the start-up tab and you will probably see 'AcroTray' entry as shown in the following image, if you see such an entry, uncheck it, Click Apply and then OK.

                It should resolve the issue and AcroTray process shouldn't show up again, everytime you restart your system.


                Regards,
                Rahul

                  G
                  gkarasikAuthor
                  Participating Frequently
                  June 29, 2015

                  Thanks, Rahul, but it's not present in MSConfig.

                  Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
                  Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices