Adobe Reader constandly "Not Responding"

[ncooper1974]

I've seen this come up a few times on a google search. Attempted to delete and re-install a few times to no avail.

I ran through the suggestions on this page:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat-discussions/adobe-acrobat-pro-not-responding-and-constanly-cr...

but this did not resolve either.

I'm not doing anything too demanding. Literally opening a single pdf and have to wait 10-15 seconds of Not Responding before I can do anything.

Running windows 11 64-bit

I've tried running in administrator mode (which is annoying as you have to always press OK on the dialogue box before opening) and as others have pointed out, cannot run in compatibility mode as the options only go up to windows 8.

Bizarrely, I had no problems until I upgrade to a paid version (so I could get signatures) and this is when I 1st started noticing the problem. Is this the reason? Or just coincidence

[sprinklr-integration-user]

Hi @ncooper1974

Hope you are doing well and thanks for reaching out.

What is the version of the Acrobat Reader you are using? To check the version go to Help > About Acrobat and make sure you have the recent version 23.08.2042X installed. Go to Help > Check for updates and reboot the computer once.
 
Also try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works.
 
Please try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://adobe.ly/3OdQNmT
 
You may also try to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Win and try using the application there and check.
 
If it still doesn't work, please remove the application using the Acrobat cleaner tool https://adobe.ly/3NSaxMB, reboot the computer and reinstall the application using the direct link https://adobe.ly/41K34oi

Marking a reply or response “Correct” will help future users with the same issue quickly identify the correct answer.

~Amal

[ncooper1974]

Hi Amal. Thanks for taking the time to help

> What is the version of the Acrobat Reader you are using?

2023.008.20421 | 64-bit

> Also try to repair the installation from the help menu (Win Only) and see if that works

Tried this, but it didn't fix the problem

> Please try to reset the Acrobat preferences as described here https://adobe.ly/3OdQNmT

I have just tried this. I couldn't find a director called PREFERENCES, but I did see USERPREFS (so I assume it's this). I have renamed it and the next time I opened Adobe it did in fact create a new one. I've run some tests, and while it hasn't complete solved the problem, it does appear to have reduced the issue

> If it still doesn't work, please remove the application using the Acrobat cleaner tool

Tried this also before coming here. However, after removing the application I did a re-install WITHOUT rebooting the computer. Is this an important step?

[stevie_5120]

Seriously, sort this out. It is still not working for me.

It isn't good enough.

[stevie_5120]

Seriously, sort this out. It is still not working for me.

It isn't good enough.

[sprinklr-integration-user]

Hi there,

Thanks for trying out the suggestions, rebooting the computer is a vital step so that the changes can come into the effect.

Regards

Amal

[ncooper1974]

Ok. I will repeat this step later and then report back on the progress

[ncooper1974]

I have carried out this step (clean, reboot, install). However, I've noticed that using the link provided, it installed the 32 bit version (I am running a 64 bit version of windows) and now I'm having other problems. 

How can I force to install 64 bit version?

and when forcing the 64bit version, should I go through the clean up routine again?

[Shelby26601044lp2d]

I'm having the same problem. Has anyone found a fix?

[JK2010 · Accepted solution]

Mine seems to be working a lot better after going into preferences and disabling enhanced security and also disabling any online storage under the general settings. 

[Rick246616522ltn]

Thank you!  Disabling enhanced security solved the issue of Acrobat Reader just "spinning" when trying to view a pdf.

[cpopolo]

This did not work for me.  I unchecked all of those you described but still have "not responding".  And I can demonstrate this in a number of different ways.

However, if you SIGN OUT of your Account, the program behaves normally.  It's pretty clear that the delay is happening in the cloud as Adobe tries to figure out how to take away functionality and re-sell it to you for an upcharge on a basic document reader.  

So the answer by JK2010 might make things "better", but it looks to me like it's worth logging out of the account.  If you need to be logged in because you're using a paid version, I guess that's a dilemma.

[bas_9807]

indeed, was Acrobat Reader in the past a robust program, now it is an advertisement for the paid version, which is ridiculously expensive per month. I uninstalled it.

[Abambo]

Moved this to the reader forum.

[ncooper1974]

I've followed all the guidelines in this thread, waited a few weeks to fully test and the problem seems to have been resolved. I cannot say which one specifically helped, but the clean re-install and the instructions from JK2010 both seemed to help

[bsi_bd]

 I started having this not responding issue. It happens on every file we open, then when

we go to print or close. It seemed to start shortly after I setup One Drive O365 on the Windows 10

Computer - although I am not saving or syncing yet. I disable the Enhanced security to no avail.

I looked to disable external storage but did not find where those settings were located. My fix was to uninstall

and re-install reader. Problem was gone - for three days. Then it started again. I again did the uninstall/re-install

and again it was good for approx. 3 days. Now it is again back to not responging.....Any thoughts?? Thanks!!

[ricochet1]

Under Preferences, in the General section, thereis a check box for "show online storage for when opening files" and then there's one for saving files.   Check those boxes OFF.   So far, that has worked for me.

[stevie_5120]

Sorry, but this is not good enough. A fix for this issue should have been sent in an update by now.

I'm struggling to print documents from Adobe Reader.

[Jake3420204777sf]

the only work around Ive found is to go into Menu and disable new Acrobat Reader.  This seems to perform much better in the old version

[catwithninelives]

I just downloaded and installed the Windows version of the fix I found here.  I have Win 8.1 64 bit running 32 bit version of Adobe, it was not responding when opened so couldn't do any changes to the program. It repaired with some errors but so far it has stopped the Not Responding hang.  The Adobe Reader apparently hung on installation and didn't complete, therefore the not responding.  I had tried to repair the Win install of Adobe Reader and it said another program was installing and not complete.  I'm assuming Adobe hung on install.  https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/creative-cloud-install-stuck.html

[jjt34]

I also have the same problem and to add to it, the unprinted pdf gets hung up in my printer's queue and is next to imossible to remove as it is just 'stuck' for alack of a better term. 
It is beyond frustrating!!!  
Add that if it is a multiple page pdf document, it sometimes takes several minutes to print a few pages as each page seems to get 'stuck' in the queue despite it being just one function.