Acrobat crashing on launch - Invalid plugin detected

[Muneer5CF5]

In our enterprise, few users (60+) are facing an issue while launching  the shortcut Adobe acrobat reader DC, "Invalid Plugin detected. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC will quit".

As mentioned in the Adobe technical forum, downloaded the latest patches from vendor site and installed the same. issue was still persist.

later we had used the Adobe utility removal to cleanup the corrupted installation files. Rebooted. Installed the latest version. issue was still persist.

Finally just renamed the plugin folder from this location, C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\plug_ins and launched the shortcut. it is working as expected.

After successfull launch, changed the folder from plug_ins_rename to plug_ins. launched agian, no issue persist.

Could you please help me to understand why the exisitng plugin files (before deletion) were not working. how do we fix this for large number of users. is there any automated fix for wider deployment?

[Sanherib]

Thank you for this detailed solution, I had exactly the same problem with the newest version of Adobe Acrobat DC 64 Bit (22.001.20169). After a new installation of the desktop app due to another strange reason (corrupted random access memory) I had no troubles for a week, but suddenly this evening the ominous error message appeared several seconds after opening a PDF file. Using your instructions I was able to detect like you the two saboteurs "EScript.api" and "IA32.api". After moving them in a Temp folder the tiresome overlay is finally extinct.

[Ernesto21953642mwl3]

Thanks! this worked it very well.

I couldn´t change the name to plug_ins.  So I changed it to plug_ins1 and after that everything worked fine.

[dimitriv48508847]

Currently this is running around like covid again. Possible issue, that many might have: 

https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB95265

[TamirB]

Even after update 22.003.20314 

That say this was fixed 

4391109: Reader showing Invalid plugin detected error after Jan release Update

I get the same error today so this fix didn't fix the problem 

[TamirB]

Is there any was to leave the 

1. EScript.api

2. IA32.api 

in the Plug_ins and to find a workarond that works without remove them ?

[v.rapp]

For the record - I just experienced this error while opening one particular PDF document (but not others). I was able to solve it by removing escript.api from plugins directory. This was in Adobe Acrobat Reader 2022.003.20263, 64-bit, under Windwos 10.

[v.rapp]

...further investigation showed that digital signature of escript.api failed to verify.

[fuadayo]

Thank you :). I was able to resolve the issue with your guidance. 

[TamirB]

Just want to update that if you take out the IA32.api file from the plugin folder you will not be able to print the windows that need to come when you try to print or if you use the icon it will not work. the only fix is to move this file back to the plugin folder

[Brian27900134gemn]

Hello,

We downloaded and installed the latest update 22.003.20310 for the 32-bit version of Adobe Acrobat Reader so that we can deploy it to our organization. However, upon launching the application after install, we receive a fatal error: "Invalid plugin detected. Adobe Acrobat Reader will quit" message. Previous versions from 2022 work fine and do not produce this error. 

Please advise

[Narciso279086791h9i]

I solved this issue deleting folder "plug_ins" from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\" - Adobe Acrobat Reader created it again when started.

[GuiNC44]

Yes ! Works !! Thx a lot

Any idea on "why" ?

[NCampese]

I know for us encountering the error, it was being caused by a 3rd-party add-in. As soon as we removed it from that folder, the issue ceased. If you were to follow @Narciso279086791h9i 's advice, you would be wiping out all 3rd party add-ins. When the folder gets recreated, those 3rd party files don't come back. A more intentional method you could use is the one that @CapitaineSaucisse outlined in his post here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader-discussions/invalid-plugin-detected-adobe-acrobat-read...

Using their method, I found a file "PTC_CreoView0.api" causing issues for a lot of my users. Unless you use the software related to that API file, your culprit will probably be a different API file in that same folder.

[Marc#]

it only partially worked for me:

• delete/rename folder "plug_ins"
• Error Message is gone, but after 11 seconds, Acrobat Reader closes, no matter what i'm doing

The final Solution which worked for me:

• delete/rename folder "plug_ins"
• Start Acrobat Reader
• Help -> Repair Installation (be quick, only 11 seconds)
• Acrobat Reader will close though, but the repair process continues
• after the dialog is closed and start again -> no error message, no self-closing app

I guess its the first time in computer science, a software repair assistant actually fixed something by itself...

Good Job Adobe

[Tracey34071612mqxs · Accepted solution]

Thank you so much for your guidance. It works for me after much time searching for a solution for "Invalid plugin detected. Adobe Acrobat Reader will quit" 

• delete/rename folder "plug_ins"
• Start Acrobat Reader (right click on desktop screen, choose Properties/ Compatibility)
• Help -> Repair Installation (be quick, only 11 seconds)
• Acrobat Reader will close though, but the repair process continues
• after the dialog is closed and start again -> no error message, no self-closing app

[ankit_sharma]

Hi @Brian27900134gemn 

Hope you are doing well. Apologies for the inconvenience caused.

Can you share below details to help us understand the issue further:

1. MSI install logs from folder C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp. Steps to enable logging : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/application-management/enable-windows-...

2. Share the dump / filelist from plugins folder - ""C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\Reader\plug_ins"

3. Are you using any third party plugin in Reader before applying the patch

[Frank27671097v62x]

I found out which api is causing the crash. In our case it is the STDocTransfer.api (something to do with the signature software from signosign). After I deleted the api from the PlugIn folder, the error was gone.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi All,

Thank you for your patience so far.

We have released an optional update (22.003.20314) that addresses this issue.

Please try updating the application. Go to Help > Check for updates. 

For more information, refer to the following help document: https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/continuous/dccontinuousjan2023qfe.....

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[default8l8xlh5b8dg8]

I downloaded Adobe Acrobat Reader DC recently and I am not able to use it. A message pops up saying "Invalid plug in detected. Reader will quit. How to fix this? I downloaded Adobe Reader to my desktop. 

[Amal.]

Hi there

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble. As described, you are getting the error invalid plugin detected. Adobe Reader will quit on opening Acrobat Reader DC application.

What is the version of the Acrobat Reader DC  you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the latest version installed. Go to Help > Check for Updates and reboot the computer once and check.

Are you on mac or Windows machine and what is the version of the OS?

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

You may also check out the correct answer marked (For Windows) in a similar discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-reader/invalid-plugin-detected-adobe-acrobat-reader-dc-will-q... and see if that  helps.

Regards

Amal

[default8l8xlh5b8dg8]

Hello
I will try some of the things you recommended.

Best, Colin Powell

[default8l8xlh5b8dg8]

It is still not working. I really have no idea what I'm doing. I have Windows 8 and did download the latest version of Adobe.

[Amal.]

Hi there

We are sorry to hear that, have you tried creating a new test user profile in Windows OS and using the application there as suggested earlier?

Please share your findings how it goes.

Regards

Amal

[OpenDave98]

Hi All, when opening a PDF doc in IE from the browser itself, the PDF will open however in 3 seconds or so, an error appears stating 'Invalid Plugin detected. Adobe Acrobat Reader DC will quit.' This error will appear even when Acrobat isnt open in the background. The same PDF works fine in Chrome, so thinking it may be an IE issue? Any tips?  Thanks

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I the the problem is that Internet Explorer is OLD and probably has problems with newer plugins. Also, Acrobat no longer includes Flash, so IE could be looking for it. 

I would move to Microsoft Edge if using Windows 10 or just stick with Chrome. Only use IE for ancient websites that might still require it--otherwise avoid using it. It barely supports newer HTML5/CSS3 websites.