PDF Preview not working on Windows file explorer with Adobe

Question

Hi,

The Adobe PDF preview handler in File Explorer is not working anymore and randomly on multiple devices, we tested many options with NO success but when we change the handler to edge it works !!!

Options tested ==>

- install/Uninstal/Repair

- Install Latest version

- Uninstall all third PDF tools/viewer

- disable protection mode on Adobe reader

- unregister/register PDFPrevHndlr.dll , also get the DLL from another working computer and register it

- compar registry Keys :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Classes\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PreviewHandlers]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf]

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Version : 2022.003.20314

Windowd Version : 20H2 & 22H2

We need to make it work with the Adobe Preview Handler.

Anyone can help ? thank you

MattLucas · Answer

I ran into a similar issue back in November and discovered that the following registry pointed to an invalid path. This was due to the 32 bit version being installed on the system but this registry pointed to the 64 bit which no longer existed.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DC6EFB56-9CFA-464D-8880-44885D7DC193}\InprocServer32

Name: (Default)
Type: REG_SZ
Data: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat DC\Acrobat\pdfprevhndlr.dll

Are you running the 32bit or 64bit version of Adobe?

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded