Default Hide Navigation Pane On Left Side Acrobat Reader DC

[TriendaXTRA]

I to have files open without the huge navigation pane open on the left side. It's messing with previews in Solidworks PDM. This meaning I want ALL PDF files to open and NOT HAVE TO CLICK THE SMALL ARROW to hide the pane ON EVERY SINGLE DRAWING. Here are some snips.

What opens like now:

How we want it to look by default (without having to click on every file):

Thanks in advance!

[Les34297304tv9j]

LOL...the decomissioned license servers for Photoshop when they converted to subscription system. As a result - I lost my permanent Photoshop license when my old computer finally died. Couldn't reinstall Photoshop again - a product for which I paid a hefty stack of $$$...

[eburt]

Thank you!!!! I was going mad with all the side windows opening over all my documents and schematics. You rock!

[Dubblejay]

Perfect solution. 100% invaluable. Thank you. 

[somethingSTRANGE]

The registry hack solution still works with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC v2020.009.20067.

It's sad that we're forced to mess with the registry for this functionality. It should simply be an option provided in preferences. I NEVER want to see the bookmarks and tools panels open when I open a document for viewing.

[John Weinshel]

That's a Windows solution, and it's crazy that you need a registry hack for a feature that's obviously part of the user interface.

But what's a solution for Apple OS?

[DannyVee89]

Thank you so much for this - and don't get me started on how outrageous it is that this isn't simply a preference we can easily change. Adobe is really frustrating like that and fingers crossed someone reads this and changes the App for us. I just want to share what I did, since I'm using a paid version of Acrobat Standard DC through my company. We prepare tax returns and so you can imagine we are opening thousands of pdf documents a day and this pane popping up basically ruins my day.

I changed 3 and it eventually worked - using a current version of Acrobat Standard DC in July 2020. To change each one simply open to edit it in RegEdit and just leave the default path and remove the "%1" at the very end and replace with:      /A "navpanes=0" "%1"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Acrobat.Document.DC\shell\Open\command

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document\shell\Open\command

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AcroExch.Document.7\shell\Open\command

[Tech_Guy]

Thanks DannyVee89! This worked perectly for me and I'm using the latest Acrobat Pto DC via CC.

[Tech_Guy]

Edit: typo

Acrobat Pro* DC

-why can't I edit my reply directly? smh

[Joel22745302xw85]

This worked for me, thank you! I changed only the first two.

For the total newbies like me: 

1) Open Registry editor

2) Navigate to the locations starting with "HKEY_..."

3) Right-click on the files -> "change"

4) remove the "%1" at the very end and replace with:      /A "navpanes=0" "%1", just like written above in DannyVee89 s post. 

[Sajid84]

Thanks DannyVee89, just tried this on my computer, and for anyone reading this in the future, I can confirm this works just as intended, as of 15th May 2022. 

The version I'm using is Adobe Acrobat Pro DC 2021, on a 64-bit Windows 10 laptop.

[Simon249261031rhk]

Thanks all for contributions - 

As a user of:

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (current version 2022.001.20142 64-bit)

I had to access the following reg key:

Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Acrobat.Document.DC\shell\Open\command

and make the same value change from:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" "%1"

to:

"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe" /A "navpanes=0" "%1"

hope that helps somone

To clarify this is to prevent the navigation pane on the left containing the bookmarks from opening by default

[BRENDA264737600l2k]

Need a solution that doesn't require reg key changes, this is for work computer and we don't have access to registry. The "restore last view settings when reopening documents" does nothing. So sick of having to manually close the side menus every time I open an docutment. 

[Roderick5FA0]

Thank you AkanchhaS and harryyoud!

I concur with ekeppel, harryyoud's registry change did just the trick, and it should be the new "Correct Answer" for the latest version of Acrobat Reader DC.

And Akanchha's suggestion is great for auto-hiding the right-hand panel (RHP) at startup with this version of Acrbat Reader DC.

I read a lot of PDFs for my Master's program and for entertainment purposes, so closing the LHP and RHP each time has become incredibly agitating. I am glad that I found the solution to automatically hide both at startup through this thread.

[defaultpifce7x96i3l]

Works great!  Thank you,

[yngvary]

Still works, version 2021.005! Thanks alot!

[ThreeOneEightFourTwo]

This fix (modifying registry lines with a "%1") works in many cases but not when dragging one or more files/shortcuts onto Acrobat's title bar. Dragging is useful for Windows shortcuts to PDF files because if you select more than one in Explorer and press enter it only opens the last one you selected.

I'm using Acrobat Pro 9. If I find a fix I'll post it here.

[bblegacy]

NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

Having that giant Bookarks pane open by default with every document is a major annoyance. When I open a document I want to see the document and nothing else. If I want to seex an index or bookarks I can always open them by choice. Either fix your uselessly "helpful" view or at the least put an option to keep the Bookmarks pane closed into your program defaults. Making ME do it manually with every stinking PDF is IRRITATING.

[Steve5EAB]

It's clear to me that Adobe doesn't want anyone to use Reader anymore. I guess they want to stop supporting, so they make it horrible tp use. I finally had to switch to a 3rd party viewer because I can't edit registry keys on my work laptop. When you open 100 of these a day it gets old to keep closing the bookmark. 

[L. Stelea]

What viewer?
I also got sick of this behavior, most solutions don't work/don't apply but I still use this for compatibility reasons. 

[Steve50B6]

THANK YOU!!! This has been driving me crazy.  Your solution worked PERFECTLY!!!

Appreciate it SO MUCH!!!

[AOD5C71]

The  /A "navpanes=0" "%1" fix doesn't work for us on Adobe Reader DC v21.001.20149

We can get the layout we want using the setting Preferences -> Documents -> Open Settings -> "Remember current state of Tools Pane", which will open Adobe Reader with the Tools Pane hidden if it was hidden last time you had Adobe Reader open, but we are in an enterprise environment so we need to have this set by default with GPO or registry so this isn't practical.

Also, this only affects the Tools Pane and not the other panes, such as the Attachments Pane on the right. This is stuck open for some of our users and they have to hide this manually EVERY time they open a document, regardless of having "Remember current state of Tools Pane" or even "Restore last view settings when reopening documents" is checked.

Has anyone found a current solution to hide all of the side panes in Adobe?

[Edward23169808ek7d]

This does not work.    Adobe, fix your bug!

[Daniel28497631tg3i]

This is, indeed, frustrating as hell. The best option I've found is hitting the F4 key. This quickly gets rid of (and brings back) the bookmark pane, but I have to do it everytime I open a document. For me this is better than clicking around with the mouse.

[Steven283167473vl8]

The command code of modifying registry key as follows:

Reg Add "HKCR\Acrobat.Document.DC\shell\Open\command" /ve /t "Reg_Sz" /d "\"C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe\" /a \"navpanes=0\" \"%%1\"" /f

The above command code is provided for your reference.

[Bob37890827h99a]

I tried all of the regedits on this thread and nothing worked. I installed foxit viewer & it has a nice clean preview in SW PDM off the bat, no longer do I have to hit crtl-H every_single_time I want to preview a drawing in PDM without huge tool bars either side that make the drawing tiny.