I suddenly can't open a .pdf on Windows 10

[tim_0036]

I am a very basic user of .pdf's, by that I mean I don't generate documents.

I only need a reader to open documents that people send to me.  eg.  Bills, tax returns, work chits/payslips, quotes, invoices, letters, statements etc.  You name it, they all force you to use .pdf format to read their documents.

The other day my PC stopped opening .pdfs, I double click on  the icon and.... nothing happens.

I have uninstalled and then resintalled the acrobat reader...  and it still doesn't work.

So I am now in an interesting position where I basically cannot do any work because I am relying on free software that doesn't offer a support function - there is no one to talk to to get it working again.

So I'd appreciate any help/suggestions please.  Thanks

[try67]

Does the application (Reader) open if you double-click its icon on its own, without trying to open a file?

If so, are you open to open a file from within it, via File - Open?

Is there an error message when you double-click a PDF file, or just nothing happens? Did you try to restart your computer, or to re-install Reader?

[tim_0036]

Thanks so much for coming to help...   1) If I double click on a pdf file icon it doesn't work, just nothing, no error message.  2) I did try opening the app first, and then opening the files within that... but I can't get the app to open at all these days.  3) I have unsintalled, restrated, downloaded todays version and reinstalled, but still I can't get the programme to open at all.

[try67]

Uninstall, run this tool, then re-install it:

https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/Labs/cleaner.html

[tim_0036]

Thank you I will give that a go.

[tim_0036]

I uninstalled, ran the tool, reinstalled, but sadly it didn't work.  Any other ideas please?

[try67]

No, sorry.

[caroline_7072]

This just happened to me as well! I tried unistalling and reinstalling and it shows I've downloaded Reader but I still can't open (or even find it) let alone open any documents. I'm so frustrated!

[tim_0036]

Astonishingly annoying isn't it? Makes you realise how much we all rely on .pdf for looking at documents from all sorts of commercial sources... and how much trouble we are in when it doesn't work.  Adobe should provide some level of support, it is the price of their success.

[try67]

Almost all browsers have their own PDF plugins now. Just drag the file into a browser window and it should display it. If not, there no dozens (if not more) PDF viewers available that you could use. They might not be perfect in terms of compatibility with forms, scripts, etc., but they should offer a decent enough result for most simple PDFs.

[CharuMaheshwari]

Hi,

Sorry for the inconvinience.

Can you please share the below details that will help us in debugging and resolving the issue:
1. OS version of your machine

2. Reader App version that you are using

3. Small video or screenshots of issues

4. Any sample file, if not with sensitive information.

Thanks,

Charu Karwa

[kathleen_7011 · Accepted solution]

Hi Tim, A few days ago I started having the same issue as yourself and I am on an older system. I do create my own documents with Adobe Acrobat X Standard. The updated Adobe reader that I have (totally up to date) indicates an error message "There was an error opening this document. Access denied." I have seen that sometimes my "strings" for other documents are too and don't allow me to save them onto an external hard drive without decreasing the string of names. It basically is saying that the document that I am trying to open is too far into folders, i.e. a file in a folder in a folder in a folder,... It seems that every time an update is done to computer programs, it keeps decreasing the amount of digits that I'm allowed to have withint the folders and file names... so... today, I tried copying the document and others that either wouldn't open at all like yours, or those that gave me error messages, onto my desktop and opening them from there. It worked!!!! Hopefully this works for you. All the best.

[S. S]

Hi @kathleen_7011,

Hope you are doing well.

Thanks for writing what worked for you.

Marking this as a correct answer for future users to use as a reference.

Regards,
Souvik.