Having Problems Opening Multiple PDFs in one Window Despite the Setting in Preferences

[Carol M52]

I am new to thisforum and posted the following as a reply in the thread “Open Multiple PDFs in one Window”. I think I should have posted this in a new thread to have folks reconize it as a NEW post.

I have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (version 2021.001.20155) installed. I've followed the instructions in the thread “Open Multiple PDFs in one Window” to get PDF files to open in one window but that is NOT happening.  I even went so far as to reinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (version 2021.001.20155) and have the setting in Preferences set as shown in the referenced thread to have PDF files open in one window but they continue to open in separate windows.  I have restarted the software multiple times and have even restarted my computer. This used to work and I don't know what happened.  My computer is running Windows 10.

Any help would be appreciated.

Carol

Moving from Using the Community (which is about the forums) to the correct forum... Mod
To ask in the forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/

[Amal.]

Hi Carol

Hope you are doing well and sorry for the trouble. As described 'Open multiple PDFs in same window is not working'

As mentioned you are using the Acrobat Reader DC (version 2021.001.20155), please try to update the application to the new version 21.05.20048 and reboot the computer once and see if that works. Go to Help > Check for Updates. you may also download the patch manually form the link - https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/ReleaseNotesDC/index.html and check.

Also please try to reset the Acrobat preferences to default as described in the help page - https://community.adobe.com/t5/acrobat/how-to-reset-acrobat-preference-settings-to-default/td-p/4792...

If it still doesn't work, please create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Windows and  try using the application there and check. 

Regards

Amal

[Carol M52]

Amal,

Thanks for your response. What you suggested only works sometime.  When I try to open a PDF file from the Internet, for some strange reason the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC executed is version 2021.001.20155 so each file I open is displayed in a separate window.  If I open a PDF file that is on my computer, opening multiple PDF files are opened within the same windw and, checking the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC it is  21.05.20048.  I don't understand how my computer is using two separate versions of Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.  When I tried to reset the Adobe Preferences as described on the link you listed (C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat\[version]), for the last entry [version], the only folder listed is DC. In that folder there is no Preference folder. I also am not sure I understand how to create a new test user profile with full admin rights in Windows and how to use the application there.

[Amal.]

Hi there

We are sorry to hear that. As mentioned when you open files that are stored on your computer they open fine with the latest version. However, when you open the files from Internet they open with older version of the application.

Would you mind sharing the steps you are doing to open the PDFs online? Web browsers use their own PDF mechanism to open and render the PDF content and they are not Adobe dependant.

Please share a small video recording of the same for better understanding of the issue.

Regards

Amal

[Carol M52]

For a PDF file that is on-line (on a website), I just click on the PDF file name which is a link to the PDF file, A pop-up appears asking me what I want to do: open it with my web browser, open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader, or save it. I choose "open with adobe Reader" and the file opens. This process has worked to open the files in ONE Window for many years. Now, it doesn't and apparently it opens Adobe Acrobat Reader DC version 2021.001.20155 which I don't understand how that version is used since when I open Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, the version shown is 21.05.20048. I have no idea of how to make a video of what happens when I open an online PDF file. The major question I have is WHY is this happening now when it worked correctly with opening PDF files in one Window for many years!

[Carol M52]

I have not seen any further response to my problem. The initial response I got fixed ONLY part of my problem. Apparently, no one has any further suggestions. I firmly believe that the issue is either an update that Adobe made to their software or an update to Windows 10 which Microsoft made.  Maybe, just maybe, when further updates are available from either or both Adobe and Microsoft, the problem will be resolved.  The most puzzling thing is that this problem didn't exist a few months ago.  I know Adobe and Microsoft made available updates.  I may be totally wrong but I believe some update caused my problem -- my "vote" is the culprit is an update to Windows 10 from Microsoft.

[Test Screen Name]

Does this happen if you open the files using Open from the File menu, starting with a window that is already open?

[Carol M52]

If I have Adobe Reader DC 21.05.20048 open and, from the File option in the menu bar open a PDF file on my computer, it opens in the open window (21.05.20048) -- it does NOT open a second Adobe Reader window of the version 2021.001.20155. I'm at a loss as to why this is happening because for many years I didn't have this issue.  When I installed verion 21.05.20048, I first did a Windows uninstall of version 2021.001.20155.  I thought that fully uninstalled the Adobe Reader but maybe there is something else that needs to be removed -- I don't know -- I'm just grasping at thoughts!

[Carol M52 · Accepted solution]

I believe I've found the problem.  I have a HP computer and apparently HP decided that their HP Sure Click software needed to be running on my computer.  After doing a lot of searching, I discovered that the HP Sure Click software could be disabled which I did.  After restarting my computer, PDF files opened in any fashion function as I want them to: opening the files in ONE iteration of Adobe Reader DC.  The version of Adobe reader DC that is running on my computer is 2021.005.20058.  Hopefully I won't see the issue that I had been seeing.  My next step is to check for information on uninstalling the HP Sure Click software.  It's terrible that a lot of manufacturers "think" they know what's best for users--I really wish they would STOP!!!