PDF docs slow to open in Reader from file explorer

Report · Apr 30, 2019

Hi,

I'm seeing delays of up to 15 seconds when opening a PDF document with Reader from file explorer in Windows 10. The delays occur roughly half of the time, while the files open instantly the other half of the time. The size of the PDF document has no impact on opening times, and the same document can can behave differently on multiple attempts.

If I open Adobe Reader from the desktop shortcut and browse to and open the file from within Reader, the files open instantly all of the time. It's only when opening the files from file explorer, and it's only when opening them in Adobe Reader. If I change my default PDF viewer to anything else, they open instantly from file explorer.

I've tried uninstalling (via the uninstall tool) and reinstalling, modifying the security settings to disable Protected Mode and Enhanced Security, adjusting the rendering settings to the minimum, and adding the location of the files as privileged locations. None of those actions have had any impact.

Any suggestions?

Environment:

Windows 10 1607 LTSB

VMware Horizon 7 virtual desktops

Adobe Reader version 19.010.20099

Report · May 02, 2019

Hey Michael,

I am sorry for the trouble and for the delayed response. Are you trying to open PDF files saved locally or saved on any network or shared drive?

Would you mind sharing the workflow of the PDF file you are opening from the File Explorer?

Are you trying to open the PDF files from File Menu in Adobe Reader>open and selecting the File Explorer as the destination?

Or File Explorer>Right Click on any PDF file>Open with>Adobe Reader DC?

I tried replicating both the behaviors on my system by opening PDF files from file explorer in Adobe Reader and it's opening instantly (within 2-3 secs).

Navigate to Adobe Reader's Preferences once from Edit>Preferences>General> and uncheck 'Show online Storage when opening files' and see if the change in preferences makes any difference.

Are you experiencing this issue with all the PDF files or is it with one specific set of PDF files like PDF forms or scanned PDF or just PDFs with text?

Would it be possible to share some sample PDF files through which you can replicate the issue? Share the files by private message only

How Do I Send Private Message | Adobe Community

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

Report · May 29, 2019

Anand Sri,

This impacts any PDF file opened both locally and on network shares. I only see this behavior if from File Explorer I > Right Click on any PDF file > Open with > Adobe Reader DC (or just double-click on the PDF if Reader is set to the default PDF viewer).

If I open the PDF files from File Menu in Adobe Reader > open and selecting the File Explorer as the destination the PDF files always open instantly.

Disabling 'Show online Storage when opening files' had no impact.

Again, I can open the same PDF document a few times and it'll open without delay, and then the next several times I try to open it it'll open after a long delay.

Report · Dec 06, 2020

I've had the same problem for years! I would love to be able to disable Adobe as the default viewer but my IT folks wont allow it, yet nobody can fix it. Very frustratiung. For years Adobe was the goto, now it is simply one of the largest time wasters in my day. Sick of it.

Report · Mar 16, 2021

Me too.

Report · Mar 17, 2021

Did you find a solution?

Report · Sep 14, 2024

I have this exact same problem.

Takes about 20 seconds from when I double click a PDF in explorer until it opens in Reader.

It just started happening for the last few days (a period when I was using a vpn to connect to the internet. The vpn connection is gegraphically close by and very responsive.

I am using the latest Adobe Reader on Windows 10 Pro with latest updates.

I unchecked show online storage but it had no effect.

Just a second before the PDF opens there is an attempt to connect to:

adobe.demdex.net

sstats.adobe.com

I had fairly heavy internet traffic going on during the times when the PDF was slow to open.

I noticed that Explorer would consume high, single-threaded CPU during the delay until the PDF opened.

After the background internet traffic stopped - the PDFs opened quickly.

I suspect that Reader needs to connect to some internet servers before it will open a PDF from Explorer.

I am not sure how to change that behavior.

Report · Jan 10, 2025

Same issue just started happening. It's remarkable that the company that invented PDF files cannot create software that works as well as third party software.

Report · Apr 27, 2023

I have started to experience this problem after I uninstalled Adobe Pro. I had both Adobe Reader DC and I installed Pro as well. When my pro license expired, I unstalled Pro and now only have Reader DC. Have started to see this problem after uninstalling Pro.

It is also taking a lot of time to open a PDF file from Outlook, and there is no PDF preview available in Outlook.

Report · Dec 04, 2024

I had the same problem and after deselect 'Enable Protected Mode at startup' in 'Security (Enhanced)' menu item in Preferences, Acrobat started to open files using explorer as usual.

I get the idea from this link: https://slickmedia.io/blog/solve-adobe-acrobat-slow-load-at-startup.

Hope this works for us.

Report · Dec 19, 2024

been having the same issue regardless if its the latest version of adobe or 2017 acrobat

clearing the cache in search and disabling hardware rendering fixed the problem but for ONE day.

however the ONLY work around of opening it instantly is if you open the file from navigating from within adobe itself OR if you drag and drop the files onto your adobe program it will open instantly.

but double-clicking from file explorer will 75% of the time take up to 20 seconds.