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cmdsltx
Participant
April 11, 2017
Answered

Reader DC Protected Mode incompatibility

  • April 11, 2017
  • 2 replies
  • 67135 views

I am running Windows 10 Pro version 1607, Norton Security Suite version 22.9.1.12 and Malwarebytes Premium version  3.0.6.1469

Within the past two weeks, I began to see the following error when trying to open .PDF documents:

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC cannot open in Protected Mode due to an incompatibility with your system configuration.  Would you like to open Adobe Acrobat Reader DC with Protected Mode disabled?

I have searched and found several forum posts suggesting that I:

1. Read the Protected Mode documentation (done, nothing seems to apply).

2. Repair my Reader DC installation (done, no change)

3. Uninstall using the Cleaner app, then reinstall (done, with a reboot between each step, no change)

Additionally, I turned off anti-virus protection and tried to open a .PDF document and received the same error.

While opening the documents with Protected Mode disabled does work, that is not a secure long term solution.  Is there something I can do to troubleshoot why I am getting this error?  Please help!

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Adorobat

      Hi cmdsltx,

      Could you please check if compatibility settings are applied under Reader shortcut?

      1- Find Reader shortcut on the desktop>right-click>Properties

      2- Check if the box next to "Run this program in compatibility mode for" is checked.

      3- If it is, uncheck the box>click Apply>OK, try opening pdf and see if that works.

      Please confirm Acrobat Reader version installed on the machine.

      To do so, launch Reader>click Help>select About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

      You may also refer to the following link which discusses the same topic:

      Adobe reader cannot open in protected mode due to an incompatability with your system configuration.

      Keep us posted with the results.

      Thanks,

      Shivam

      2 replies

      mahat804
      mahat804
      Participant
      July 21, 2020

      I solved my problem with this guidelines.. Thanks

       

      Adorobat
      Community Manager
      AdorobatCommunity ManagerCorrect answer
      Community Manager
      April 13, 2017

      Hi cmdsltx,

      Could you please check if compatibility settings are applied under Reader shortcut?

      1- Find Reader shortcut on the desktop>right-click>Properties

      2- Check if the box next to "Run this program in compatibility mode for" is checked.

      3- If it is, uncheck the box>click Apply>OK, try opening pdf and see if that works.

      Please confirm Acrobat Reader version installed on the machine.

      To do so, launch Reader>click Help>select About Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

      You may also refer to the following link which discusses the same topic:

      Adobe reader cannot open in protected mode due to an incompatability with your system configuration.

      Keep us posted with the results.

      Thanks,

      Shivam

      C
      cmdsltxAuthor
      Participant
      April 13, 2017

      The compatibility mode box was not checked. 

      However, when I went to verify the version of Reader on my PC, (version 15.023.20070.19033) I noticed that I didn't receive the error message as I had for the past couple of weeks.  In addition, when I opened a .PDF document, I no longer received the error message. I was getting the error message yesterday, and I haven't made any changes since then.

      I'd call this problem solved for now, although I don't know what solved it.  Regardless, thanks for your help!

      Adorobat
      Community Manager
      AdorobatCommunity Manager
      Community Manager
      April 13, 2017

      Glad to hear that!

      Please feel free to update this discussion in case you need further assistance.

      -Shivam

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