Adobe Reader Combine Files Opening Website

[Clyde23913864kluy]

If I open the Tools tab in Adobe Reader DC and click on Combine Files, I am taken to an Adobe website. Am I required to move my documents online to use the Combine Files feature? I thought the Adobe Acrobat PDF Pack I just bought would let me use more features within the desktop app I already have downloaded.

[gary_sc]

Hi Clyde,

Not exactly. What Adobe has done is a cheesy way to make you want to get a "pay for" version. In other words, they show you the tools exist, but if you want to use them, you have to upgrade from the free Reader to either the Standard (for PCs), or Pro (for Macs and PCs).

Personally, I think it's a childish way to do things, but hey, they didn't ask me.

[Clyde23913864kluy]

I did upgrade. I paid for the Acrobat PDF Pack. Now when I click on Combine Files, I am taken to an Adobe website where it has a place to "Drag and drop files to merge into one PDF." I want to be able to use this feature when I don't have internet access. 

[try67]

Acrobat PDF Pack is an online service, so yes, in order to use it you must have internet access, and must upload your files to the cloud. If you don't want (or can't) do that, opt for Adobe Acrobat itself, which is a local application. However, it still requires internet access to function, at least from time to time as it needs to validate your subscription or activate the product, so you can't use it on a completely air-gapped machine.

[Clyde23913864kluy]

Thank you for the clarification. I did not understand what the PDF Pack upgrade was actually getting me. I thought it was unlocking features within the existing Adobe Reader on my computer, not giving me access to a cloud service.

[gary_sc]

HI Clyde,

You identified your product as Adobe Reader. I can only work off what you state.

According to https://helpx.adobe.com/document-cloud/help/using-pdfpack.html, it is acting exactly how it's supposed to act. All tools are web-based. If you want desktop capabilities, you'll have to upgrade to Standard or Pro.

Very Sorry

[Clyde23913864kluy]

Thank you for the clarification. I did not understand what the PDF Pack upgrade was actually getting me; I thought it was unlocking features within the existing Adobe Reader on my computer, not giving me access to a cloud service.

[JR Boulay]

MOVED TO THE ACROBAT READER FORUM

[Test Screen Name]

Adobe are actually not consistent with this. I think they have several different teams on the case, and nobody in charge of providing a uniform experience. If you get a premium subscription

- some things work in Reader. For example, PDF export to Word, which sends the file to Adobe to be converted, but starts in Reader

- some things work by going to the online site directly. For example, combining files. I think many in software development see "on the web" as the natural place for everything, rather than an extra layer of inconvenience and nuisance.

- some things work only if you install different software (Acrobat Pro). For example creating fill-in forms.

[try67]

None of those things can work in Reader. You might be able to trigger those commands from it, but the action conversion or editing is done purely online. To be able to do it locally you have to have Acrobat.

[Clyde23913864kluy]

Thank you for your help. I did not understand what the PDF Pack upgrade was actually getting me. I thought it was unlocking features within the existing Adobe Reader on my computer, not giving me access to a cloud service.