All my desktop icons are Adobe Reader icons, can't access related files

Report · May 26, 2010

I was trying to open a file this morning, and when a pop-menu asked what application I wanted to choose (from a list) to open it, I clicked on Adobe Reader - just as a guess. After that, just about all my desktop icons are Adobe icons, and when I click on them, the pop up menus says I can't access the file. These icons also show up on my menu of all my MS Office programs like Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.

Tech support at Adobe recommended I use System Restore, but it also is now an Adobe icon, so I can't open it. If anyone can help reverse this, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

David

Report · May 26, 2010

What was the file you tried to open initially? You seem to have permanently associated that file extension with Adobe Reader, so you need to reset that file extension.

Report · May 28, 2010

Hi,

First, thanks for responding. Unfortunately, I don't recall what I was trying to open. And yes, I think I've permanently associated nearly everything with the Adobe file extension. In another post, someone else with the same problem uninstalled the Adobe Reader, which I did, and that took care of my problem for now. He said that when he re-installed it, the problem came back. I haven't tried re-installing it, concerned that I'll have the same problem again. But I'll do that in the next few days to see how that works out.

In the meantime, though, if this problem is the same as the other, I'm not sure I've solved the problem. Can you instruct me on how to reset the file extension? Here's the post from this other person:

http://forums.adobe.com/thread/558537

Thanks,

David

Report · Sep 15, 2010

Hi,

This also happened to me this morning. Now all my icons are PDF symbols and Reader opens when I try to open any other program. I uninstalled Reader it and it fixed itself but when I reinstalled the program the same issue occurred.

I wanted to make PDF reader the default application when openning PDF's vs. Distiller, tinkered and broke my computer.

Any clues on how to bring everything back to normaL?

Report · Sep 15, 2010

Hi John,

No direct solution. No one seems to know how to deal with this, not even the folks at Adobe.

As a temporary measure, I basically would install Reader if I really needed to open a PDF, then uninstall it right after. A hassle, but ok when necessary.

My son recently came home and set Google as the default program to open all my PDF's, so now I can open them all but not through Reader.

It seems to work fine, though it's still not the real solution. If you know how to set a web browser to be the application that opens PDF's - you're all set. I don't know how to do it myself.

Hope this helps.

David

Report · Sep 15, 2010

David,

Thanks. Pretty odd situation. I'll try the browser solution and keep tabs on the forum.

John

Report · Sep 16, 2010

Hi David,

From the look of things ot looks like you have associated all .exe's with Adobe Reader and made it as the default association. Thats why any and all applications on your system are trying to open themselves with Adobe Reader.

To fix this issue, you will have to change the default associations for all files with the extension .exe. Can you please try the steps in the below mentioned link:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505 (For Vista and Win7 OS)

For changing the default association for EXEs on a Win XP Machine you can perform the following:

1. Open the File Types dialog from any Explorer window -- use My Documents or My Computer (Tools | Folder Options | File Types Tab).

2. Scroll down to where EXE would be in the alphabetical order and select the entry. Click on the Restore button on the bottom of the dialog. This should restor the association of the file.

3. Incase the entry for EXE is not present, select the New button, type in EXE for the extension and select the Advanced button. From the list pick "Application". Click OK and close the dialogs.

4. Restart your system and you should be good to go.

Hopefully this should fix things for you.!!

Report · Sep 16, 2010

Thanks so much for taking the time to help out. I will work on this soon. Take care,

David

Report · Sep 16, 2010

By the way, I downloaded a PDF reader called Nitro PDF. It's in Beta right now but a great program and very stable.

Report · Sep 16, 2010

Hi Ankit,

I attempted your solution. Reloaded Reader 9 and it took over all my applications again.

Report · Sep 16, 2010

Hi John,

Can you let me know your OS? This will help in narrowing down your problem, since there are separate steps to resolving the issue as per the OS installed. Also, did you restart your system after performing the mentioned steps?

Sorry for so many questions and no answers as of now.

Report · Sep 17, 2010

Ankit,

I'm using Windows Professional 7.

Report · Sep 17, 2010

Hi John,

I am assuming you must have used the following link to rectify your problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950505 and used the Let me fix it myself link.

Can you please confirm whether you restarted your system after doing the same. Cause it takes a restart for the registry changes to take effect.

Report · Sep 18, 2010

Ankit,

Yes, I did follow those instructions.

Report · May 29, 2013

Sorry to dig up an old thread, i figured this might help someone else with this problem.

I just had a user with this problem;

they assosiated the .lnk file extension with adobe somehow.

.lnk is the windows shortcut extension, so all their shortcuts opened adobe...

I used Nirsoft Filetypesman to fix it,

i just looked at the .lnk extension on a good computer, and the bad computer

then changed the bad one to match the good one.

Cheers,

Dan

Report · Dec 12, 2014

This fixed it for me Thank you!

Report · Mar 12, 2015

hi. so I was not a member of this community until by a fluke my issue with this same problem was resolved. I wanted to post to let people know what I did incase it could help someone in the future.

my daughter was on the computer and opened java. it asked her what program she wanted to use to open and she clicked on adobe. it changed some of my icons to adobe reader icons and when they were clicked on they all opened only adobe reader. I went into safe mode and tried to do a system restore but even there it just opened adobe reader:( I was so frustrated...I eventually decided to just use my restore discs to restore the pc but I have a ton of pictures and wanted to save them first. while I was scrolling through my picture folder, I saw a video that i saved from my phone. I decided to watch it and when I clicked on it, it asked me what program settings I wanted to use. I clicked on "recommended" and the moment I did, all my icons in the sys tray went back to normal...IMMEDIATELY!! so happy this worked to out and I hope it will help someone else. as you can tell I am not computer savvy for repairs, that was my late husbands domain, but I am so glad this worked because I just wanted to throw the computer out the window LOL!

Report · Apr 30, 2015

Well, i admit it, im pretty bad at computers, and the same only just now happened. So i made a quick account and came right here.

Question: if i delete the adobe reader, does it delete it for every other account on my computer?

thanks

Report · Feb 26, 2017

Hi David...

I think that's because of a registory error .

simply go to this link and you can find out more about the probloem

link:Application icons change to Acrobat or Reader icon on Windows

Report · Jul 20, 2017

i solved the issue

1- uninstall Adobe program

2- restart your device.

3- every software will reset to its default

Report · Apr 23, 2021

Hi i'm in school and I have a art project on adobe that I need to do. but I've had a strange problem where I can't use the icons, im on a chrome book so does anyone know how to fix the problem please