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24

PDF downloaded from Chrome automatically opening in Acrobat Reader

New Here ,
Oct 24, 2023 Oct 24, 2023

We had a user report an issue to our helpdesk yesterday, she was downloading a PDF document via Chrome, and the document was opening up in Adobe Reader automatically.

 

We checked the settings in Chrome and it was not set to automatically open Adobe Reader after downloading the PDF, and the Adobe Reader extension was not installed, so we weren't sure why this was happening.

 

On further investigation we found a setting in the Preferences - General tab called "Open PDFs automatically in Reader when they are downloaded in Chrome browser". Initially when we tried to turn this setting off it would re-enable itself when we closed and reopened Adobe Reader, however clearing the user's preferences from the registry and trying again worked for us. The setting is under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\AutoDocOpen - bIsAutoDocOpenFeatureEnabled dWord 1.

 

The user is on the current DC build 2003.006.20360.

 

Has anybody else experienced this, and is there any further documentation available about this feature?

 

 

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Modern Acrobat
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correct answers 4 Correct answers

New Here , Jun 20, 2024 Jun 20, 2024

I finally figured out it's in my Chrome setting, not Adobe, that I had to change.

 
 
2 Correct answers
  1. Open Chrome Settings.
  2. Expand Advanced.
  3. Select Downloads.
  4. Select Clear next to "Open certain file types automatically after downloading" ...
  5. Go to Privacy and security.
  6. Expand Site Settings.
  7. Click on PDF Documents.
  8. Make sure Download PDF files instead of automatically opening them in Chrome is enabled.
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Community Beginner , May 21, 2025 May 21, 2025

As last try, this resolved for me.

"2) In adobe "Preferences> Internet > unclick the "display in read mode by default," save changes, and restart your adobe"
This solves the downloaded PDFs opening automatically."

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New Here , May 22, 2025 May 22, 2025

darren_1294_0-1747928039373.png

I changed all of the values to 0 and this solved the problem.

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New Here , Aug 14, 2025 Aug 14, 2025

Open installed Adobe's PDF software on your PC. (I'm sharing steps w.r.t MacBook)

  1.  Click on "Acrobat" on top left corner.
  2.  Click on "Prefrences".
  3. De-select the check box next to "Always open PDFs downloaded from the web".

    Restart you software. see images for ref:


Step 1:

KumarVishal_0-1755164162340.png


Step 2:

KumarVishal_1-1755164234111.png

 

 

 



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New Here ,
Jan 25, 2024 Jan 25, 2024

Uncheck the box that says  "Open PDFs automatically in Reader when they are downloaded in Chrome browser" then press "Enter" That saves the settings. If you just un check it and then close out it will default back on. 

 

Cheers

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 04, 2024 Mar 04, 2024

Also, if you scroll to the bottom of the window, there will be an "OK" button.

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New Here ,
Sep 22, 2024 Sep 22, 2024

Yes, this was helpful, even though I figured that part out before seeing this. I wish I had seen this before. It could have saved me a minute. It was also challenging for me to find the tiny scroll bar on the right side of the popup widow to scroll down to the ok button. 

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New Here ,
Oct 04, 2024 Oct 04, 2024

This works! I saw a lot of suggested answer but nothing changed. Then I saw this and the only thing I was missing the whole time is to press the enter key on my keyboard. 

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 20, 2024 Feb 20, 2024

This is malware-like behaviour. Actually astonishing for Adobe to try and pull this off. Think I'm going to uninstall Adobe immediately and find a free open source alternative.

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 18, 2024 Mar 18, 2024

Not open source, but PDFgear is free and works great

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Explorer ,
Mar 18, 2024 Mar 18, 2024

It appears the issue stemmed from a specific Adobe Acrobat setting in the Preferences - General tab, related to automatically opening PDFs in Chrome. Despite Chrome settings indicating otherwise, Adobe's setting overrode it. Clearing user preferences from the registry resolved the problem. Further documentation on this feature may be available from Adobe support or forums.

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New Here ,
Jul 24, 2024 Jul 24, 2024

Thank you! This has been driving me BONKERS.

 

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New Here ,
Jul 31, 2024 Jul 31, 2024

gt7599a_0-1722447116793.png

Very helpful!
Screenshot for those coming later.


Ed

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New Here ,
Apr 17, 2024 Apr 17, 2024

This issue has started for me as well all of a sudden but neither of those options show in Chrome or Adobe. They've probably updated/changed by now but I can't see how to find how to fix it now.

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 17, 2024 Apr 17, 2024

Just fixed this for someone.  There is two views of Adobe, "New Adobe" and "Old Adobe".  You likely have "Old Adobe" going at the moment and that is why you cannot see the feature.  I think this is a bug on the "Old Adobe" settings view.

To correct this, you'll want to go to View at the top and select Enable new Acrobat (about 2/3 of the way down).  It'll prompt you to relaunch.  From here follow the instructions from above by clicking on menu on the top left and going to prefrences.  Uncheck the box and scroll down and click Ok. 

Next is just a precaution for me, but close out of Adobe and reopen it.  Then under the menu option there should be something about Disable New Acrobat, also about 2/3 of the way down.  Click that and it'll prompt to relaunch.  When it does, you'll have the old layout back and hopefully the automatic opening of your PDF files will stop.  

 

Once again, I think this is a bug not being able to see the function under the Old Adobe layout.  It exists, but end users can't manage it without being under the new view they made.

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New Here ,
Apr 17, 2024 Apr 17, 2024

Thank you thank you so much! That was absolutely what was happening to me. Hopefully this helps anyone else out there too!

 

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 17, 2024 Apr 17, 2024

You're welcome, and glad to hear it worked!

 

Have a good rest of your week!

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New Here ,
Apr 18, 2024 Apr 18, 2024

This answer did fix it for me. Thanks heaps 

I am curious why this just turned on when it wasn't doing this a few days ago. Why do they do that? 

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New Here ,
Apr 24, 2024 Apr 24, 2024

My issue started after a Adobe auto update.  Mine has worked fine for years.  I edited the Adobe registry key and changed the value from 1 to 0

 

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New Here ,
Apr 21, 2024 Apr 21, 2024

Thanks! Great help

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New Here ,
Apr 26, 2024 Apr 26, 2024

Perfect!  Thank you... was driving me crazy

 

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New Here ,
Apr 30, 2024 Apr 30, 2024

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

I've been trying everything and couldn't find someone who had fixed this issue. Your solution was exactly what I needed and will save me from much aggravation as I work. 

You're awesome and I'm sending you mental hugs lol.

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New Here ,
May 14, 2024 May 14, 2024

Cheers mate.

Top banana !!  🙂

 

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New Here ,
May 31, 2024 May 31, 2024

Thank you! Fixed the problem!

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New Here ,
Jul 02, 2024 Jul 02, 2024

I am still not seeing the "Open PDFs automatically in Reader when they are downloaded in Chrome browser" option even in the New Adobe layout. I have tried everything I have seen in this thread and others and Adobe just does not want me to solve this issue. 

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New Here ,
Jul 07, 2024 Jul 07, 2024

Hi 
I followed the above, however no change. 
It worked find for me in windows 10. Now i'm on windows 11 and having these issues 

i have included attachments 

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Adobe Employee ,
Jul 08, 2024 Jul 08, 2024

Hi Hi Craft38474847iefg,

 

Thank you for sharing the information. 

The team is aware of the issue and currently investigating this behavior. 

Please check your inbox. We have shared some information in private messages. 

 

Thanks,

Meenakshi

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New Here ,
Jul 08, 2024 Jul 08, 2024

Hi @Meenakshi Negi I am also having this issue if you could please share information, thank you.

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