How can I make 32 bit reader update to ONLY 32 bit, not 64 bit?

[DrBob]

How can I make 32 bit reader update to ONLY 32 bit, not 64 bit?

My version of Office 365 is 32 bit, not 64 bit so I need the 32 bit version of Reader.

BUT, it keeps updating to the 64 bit version.

How can I stop this behaviour?

This is not unique to me.

Thanks.

[radzmar]

What's the problem with 64 Bit? What has your Office 365 to to with Acrobat Reader?

[DrBob]

Very Simple.

Acrobat reader installs a Preview Handler for Outlook for PDFs so you can view PDFs in outlook.

This ONLY works if Office and Actobat both have the same bits.  32 and 32 or 64 and 64.  If office if 32 bit - the most common, seeing that you have to go out of your way to install 64 bit - and Acrobat is 64, bit the PDF Preview Handler is not available.

So because on this machine I have a 32 bit office, I need the 32 bit Acrobat.  The problem is that when Acrobat does an update it automatically updates to the latest version that matches your machine architecture, NOT the one the matches your current version.

Therefore the PDF Preview handler gets broken and I am not happy.  The only solution is to deliberately install the 32 bit version, and then use a registry hack to prevent Acrobat from auto updating.  It works, but it isnt desireable given Adobe's track record of security holes in Acrobat etc.

Does that make sense?

[radzmar]

Okay, do you use the Creative Cloud Desktop app to managing Adobes software and updates on your computer?  I do and got the latests version 2021.005.20060 in 32 bit. There have been no switch to 64 bit to me, so there might be something different to you. How are you upgrading in detail?

[DrBob]

No, no, this is just the free Acrobat Reader. I don't do anything to update, it just does it itself.

[MichaelExFairlight]

Radzmar, you must have 32-bit Windows 10?  This incompatibility only occurs in 64-bit Windows 10, where the Adobe installer now installs 64-bit Reader by default.  If you have 32-bit Office then your Outlook PDF preview will be broken by this.  Hopefully Ankit's workaround below will solve the problem, although I am reluctant to try it since everything is fine for me now after disabling automatic updates.  

[morb!d]

Hi DrBob,

I am experiencing the exact same issue.

Would you mind sharing the registry hack you are referring too?

Thanks.

[DrBob · Accepted solution]

Sure.

See https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/PrefRef/Windows/Updater-Win.html?zoom_highlight=u... 

The second section, Mode.

In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Adobe\Adobe ARM\Legacy\Reader\{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-AC0F074E4100} 

and set mode to one of:

0: Do not download or install updates automatically.
1: Do not download or install updates automatically. Same as 0.
2: Automatically download updates but let the user choose when to install them.
3: Automatically download and install updates.
4: Notify the user downloads are available but do not download them.

I set mine to 0.

DrBob

[Ankit K Gupta]

Hi @morb!d  @DrBob 

I have DMed you a workaround to fix this problem of outlook preview not working with 64bit Acrobat. Can you please try that solution and let us know if that works?

Ankit,

Adobe Acrobat Software developer

[default5zpcveok22o6]

Would you please message me the workaround too? 

[Ankit K Gupta]

@default5zpcveok22o6 @done, please let me know if that works?

[Ash Powell Photography]

Can you please send that workaround to me too?
We have tons of issues with this at present.

[Ankit K Gupta · Accepted solution]

If you are facing outlook pdf preview issue. Followings are the registry entried which needs to created:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}]
"DisplayName"="@C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat DC\\Acrobat\\pdfprevhndlr.dll,-101"
"AppID"="{6d2b5079-2f0b-48dd-ab7f-97cec514d30b}"
@="Adobe PDF Preview Handler for Vista"
"DisableLowILProcessIsolation"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\InprocServer32]
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
@="C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat DC\\Acrobat\\pdfprevhndlr.dll"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\ProgID]
@="PDFPrevHndlr.PDFPreviewHandler.1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\TypeLib]
@="{0F6D3808-7974-4B1A-94C2-3200767EACE8}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\VersionIndependentProgID]
@="PDFPrevHndlr.PDFPreviewHandler"

You can alternatively download the .reg file shared below and double click on it and registry entries would be automatically created.

https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:e94a84df-fa43-4b26-99bf-c1906c783c2b 

Please note that running .reg files changes the system configuration, so please ensure to verify the source and content of the file before running it on your system.

Thanks,

Ankit 

Adobe Acrobat software engineer

[Hall Computer5FB0]

This works.. 

Only solution on the internet that does

See attached .zip file that is renamed as .pdf. 

Rename to .zip after download - remove the .pdf off the end unpack and run the reg as supplied above 1 click fix. restart outlook

[Hall Computer5FB0]

.Since adobe will not let me attach

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}]
"DisplayName"="@C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat DC\\Acrobat\\pdfprevhndlr.dll,-101"
"AppID"="{6d2b5079-2f0b-48dd-ab7f-97cec514d30b}"
@="Adobe PDF Preview Handler for Vista"
"DisableLowILProcessIsolation"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\InprocServer32]
"ThreadingModel"="Apartment"
@="C:\\Program Files\\Adobe\\Acrobat DC\\Acrobat\\pdfprevhndlr.dll"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\ProgID]
@="PDFPrevHndlr.PDFPreviewHandler.1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\TypeLib]
@="{0F6D3808-7974-4B1A-94C2-3200767EACE8}"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\VersionIndependentProgID]
@="PDFPrevHndlr.PDFPreviewHandler"

[DrBob]

Hi @Ankit K Gupta (and @morb!d), 

that registry patch worked just fine for me.

What is the history of this, and is it going to be integrated into Acrobat and Acrobat reader?

DrBob

[Ankit K Gupta]

Thanks for confirming @DrBob. Yes, this would be integrated with the next quarterly update of Acrobat/Reader and users won't have to run this file manually.  

[DrBob]

Oh, wonderful!!

DrBob

[Hall Computer5FB0]

@Ankit K Gupta why did adobe make this mess but... lots of love for the devs FAIL

[morb!d]

The registry patch works fine for the preview component but does not resolve compatibilty with other applications (e.g. MYOB). Nor does it resolve the auto update issue.

[Ash Powell Photography]

Agreed, this is a complete joke.