Acrobat DC Install Fail, Destination Folder Not Empty

Report · Jan 07, 2022

I had Acrobat DC on the C: Drive, and removed it.
Downloaded the Distribution version for Install.
Tried to Install to the equivalent location on D: (I have other apps in Program Files (x86) on D:)

At the Install Verification stage it fails stating that the desitination folder is not empty and 'Please select an empty folder'.
I have been through every possible location I can think of to remove Adobe folders:
C:/Program Files

C:/Program Files (x86)

C:/Program Files (x86)/Common Files

C:/ProgramData
C:/Users/username/AppData/Local
C:/Users/username/AppData/Roaming
As well as anything on the D: drive.
I have tried running the Adobe Acro Cleaner, but it won't run because it says there isn't an instance of it to clean up.
I think the error must really mean something different.
I can't think of anything else to try. Ideas anyone?

Report · Jan 07, 2022

Don't seem to be able to edit so my D : is coming out as a sad face. D:

Report · Jan 14, 2022

Same problem solved creating installation folder manually (in my case D:\Program files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\). After that lanched the setup and selected folder and sub-folder.

Hope can help You.

Report · Jan 14, 2022

Ah, good plan. Thanks. That crossed my mind, don't know why I didn't try it.
I ended up going to a previous version, which was fine.
Clearly there's a bug in the latest install.

Report · May 12, 2022

I am having the same issue. How did you go to a previous version?

Report · May 12, 2022

Found an older version with which the installation does succeed. For other people with the same issue:

https://www.neowin.net/news/adobe-acrobat-reader-dc-202100520058/

Report · Dec 04, 2022

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Your Workaround worked.

After performing a clean install of Win-11 on my Win-10 laptop via my Win-11 DVD, I tried to install Adobe Reader from the full download.

I had the same issue as you. I had changed the installation location to my D drive and kept the install's recommended directory structure location of:

D:\Program Files(x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC

which pre-existed & had old files in it. BANG! CRAP! So I deleted the directory structure starting at Adobe. Retried the install and again it barfed on me. So I recreated the directory structure ...\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC per your advice. The install finally completed and the software launched successfully.

Been aTekHead for almost 40 years, before PC's roamed the earth. I've seen a lot of crap. I certainly did not expect this one from Adobe.

So, as of this date, Adobe still has not fixed that installation bug. It's been almost a year since your post! Shows how much they really care about us. We're not worth the fix.

Report · Jan 25, 2023

It helped! Since even the most recent version 2200320314 has this bug, I had to ckeck out your trick. At first, after having run through the entire installetion again, it crashed with "Out of space", highlighting the C: drive! So I read your post again and guessed creatting the folders and subfolders one by one only when being asked for was not the right way doing it. Rather, creating the entire path <x:\Program files (x86)\Adobe\Acrobat Reader DC\> (x: is is my not-C: drive) in the 1st place and just selecting the created subfolders as required did the trick!

Report · May 19, 2024

More then 2 years later this bug still remains in the most up to date installer.

Report · Jun 03, 2024

Hi James37495581jbj9,

Thank you for reaching out.

Please let us know what happens when you try to install the application. Are you installing the application for the first time, or is it a reinstallation?

Share the OS version on the machine and a screenshot of the error message.

Refer to the troubleshooting steps suggested here: https://adobe.ly/455hIbF. Check if that helps.

Let us know if the issue has already been resolved.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

Report · May 02, 2025

I have been struggling for the last one hour trying to install this software and am facing the exact same issue that is described here. We are in 2025 and how difficult can it be to fix something as simple as this. It's beyond amazing. After using the hack described here to get the installation going now I am running into errors to do with the installer not being able to write to the registry. And no, there are no permission issues that I need to be told about. The problem is that Adobe needs to up its game and take its products more seriously.

Report · May 24, 2025

Hi @rahul_5131,

Hope you are doing well. Sorry for your experience with installing Acrobat Reader.

Are you using an IT provided machine? Normally, an installation not able to write registry values can be due to two reasons:

1. The installer is not being run as an administrator, due to which it cannot access the registry;

2. The user profile you are in, has restricted access due to which installers are getting blocked from writing data on locations which require elevated access.

If neither is the case, can you try creating a new admin account on your system and then try again?

You can learn more on the steps here: https://adobe.ly/45p68tW.

Once done, download the offline installer from here: https://adobe.ly/4jgFxTa, and start the installation process again.

This time, right-click the installer file > Run as Administrator.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,
Souvik.