Annoying repeated welcome screen and pop-ups

[theyrelosingit]

Ever since the last iOS Adobe Acrobat Reader app update, now, on most days I go to use Adobe Reader on my iPad 2/iOS 10.3.3, the welcome splash screen shows up as soon as I open the app - as if to show me new features after a new update.  There's no way to dismiss it, so I have to swipe through the three or four screens, then hit "Get Started".  Then, after I do that, it clears, and I am about to open one of my Local docs.  Then, a Dropbox pop-up screen comes down, asking me to connect a Dropbox account with Adobe Reader.  I have to stop what I'm attempting to do again and dismiss the box, because I don't want to connect a Dropbox account.  Then, yet another dropdown pop-up shows up asking me where I want to save stuff (I think that's what it says - by now, I'm so completely annoyed I don't give a damn.).  I have to then dismiss that window by tapping outside of the dropdown window.  Only THEN can I begin using the app and open anything.  It is SO f-ing annoying!

Even on days the welcome splash screen doesn't show up, the Dropbox pop-up will.  There are no Preferences on this app to make these things stop or to opt out.  Can someone PLEASE tell me how to make them stop?  If not, I am absolutely dumping this app.  It's that intrusive and annoying.  Thanks.

[AshuMittal]

Hi theyrelosingit​

The First Time Experience (FTE) feature displays help content and tips when the application is started.

Assuming you are using a Windows machine, to disable FTE, set the registry value :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown]

"bToggleFTE"=dword:00000001

Open registry through Run command i.e. type regedit in Run and click ok.

1. Navigate to the Registry location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader\DC\FeatureLockDown.

2. Highlight FeatureLockDown.

3. In the right window, right click in the Blank space and choose New > DWORD (32 bit) Value.

4. Enter the value bToggleFTE

5. Highlight the Registry value i.e. bToggleFTE > Right click and choose Modify.

6. Enter Value Data as 1 and click Ok.

Reboot the computer and launch the Reader.

Please keep us posted with the results.

Thanks,

-ashu

[Bernd Alheit]

Where do see the registry on a iOS system?

[theyrelosingit]

Ashu,

Thanks for your answer, but, as I mentioned in my post, I'm on iOS - on an iPad 2 (actually, an iPad Air 2), with iOS 10.3.3 - not Windows.

[MobileDeveloperCK]

Hi theyrelosingit​,

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Although we do not have a fix for the problem yet, there is a workaround.

1. Make backup copies of the documents that are locally stored on your iPad.
   How to back up and restore PDF documents on iPad/iPhone using iTunes
2. Uninstall Acrobat Reader for iPad and iPhone.
3. Re-install Acrobat Reader from the App Store.
4. Restore your local documents.

Please note that iOS (the operating system) will erase all of your locally stored documents and preferences, when you uninstall any iOS app.  So please make sure that your local documents are backed up.

Several users confirmed that the problem went away after re-installing Acrobat Reader.

Page turning has changed since the 7/10 update.

Being signed out at random.

Would you please give it a try and let us know if it works for you?

Thank you for your help.

[theyrelosingit]

I guess that did it, MDCK.  Thanks.

[MobileDeveloperCK]

Hi theyrelosingit​,

Thank you for letting us know that it worked!

[theyrelosingit]

Spoke too soon.  This answer does NOT solve the problem.  Same thing is happening.  Any other suggestions?

Ben

[MobileDeveloperCK]

Hi theyrelosingit​,

We apologize for the inconvenience.

What I suggested in my previous reply (#4) was just a workaround to avoid the problem temporarily.

Would you please help us by providing additional information about how the problem happened?

Did you sign into Adobe Document Cloud using a Google or Facebook account?

Do you frequently force close iOS apps?

Force an app to close on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

Do you recall what you were doing with the Acrobat app?  Did you close a PDF document or left it open and let your device go to sleep? (We assume that some action/operation triggers an unidentified bug in the app.  But we haven't been able to pinpoint the cause of the problem yet.)

We will continue investigation and try to find a solution.

Thank you for your patience.

[theyrelosingit]

Do not use Adobe Document Cloud.  Not signed in at all.

I frequently force close iOS apps, but I've been doing that long before this problem began.

It's difficult to pinpoint when it happens, since it happens sporadically.  (I will try to take notice what specifically I do.)  It basically happens when I return to the app after a break - maybe a day or two.  I'll have a file/book open and be reading it.  I will not force quit Adobe in between readings and will come back to reading my book at random times.  (Side note - I know there's a preference in Adobe Reader on my MacBook Pro to "Restore last view settings when reopening documents".  Can't find the preference in Adobe on my iPad for this, but my book/file does always reopen where I left off reading.)

This issue doesn't happen all the time, but when I return to continue reading, that's when the Welcome splash occurs.  It's doesn't just popup and interrupt me, while I'm reading.  It occurs when I'm returning to the app.  I have to go through the process of swiping through the Welcome splash, it will have "closed" my book, and I have to locally go search for it again.  When I open the book/file, it does return me to where I had left off.

I was reading the book about 12 hours ago and, this time, I did force quit all apps, including Adobe Acrobat, about 9 hours ago.  Just now I clicked the Adobe app, it opened to my Local list, and the Dropbox popup came down.  I had to hit the "X" to clear it, then go find the book again.  No Welcome Splash this time, however.

Another thing I've noticed is, on my "Local" list in Adobe, there is a "Getting Started" PDF file.  I have repeatedly deleted this file.  However, every time this Welcome splash problem happens, a new "Getting Started" PDF file reappears/is generated.

In Settings, I have Provide Usage Data turned on.  Screen Brightness Lock turned off.  Spotlight Search turned on.

Just did an experiment.  (1) Force quit app, opened app - returned to Local list with no Welcome splash or Dropbox popup - works fine.  (2) Opened my book/file, then force quit app, then opened app - works fine.  (3) Deleted "Getting Started" file (thinking maybe there's something in it that's triggering a "new start"), force quit app, opened app - works fine.  (4) Opened a different file than my book, forced quit app, opened app - works fine.

So, that experiment pretty much covers what I do when it happens - but it's not happening now.  As I said, the Dropbox popup just occurred, and I cleared it.  Maybe it's a daily thing - wouldn't that be annoying!  I will keep on the lookout for when this happens again and what I was doing.

Finally, I mentioned in my initial post about a third popup thing.  I still don't have the exact wording on it, but it's in regards to scanning in a document, and the popup shows up all along the bottom of the screen.

I'll let you know what I find out.  Thanks again.

[MobileDeveloperCK]

Thank you for the detailed problem description.  That's very helpful.

We are trying to figure out how all of the Acrobat internal preferences (including "Welcome screen already shown", "Dropbox popup already shown", etc.) are reset inadvertently.

However, as you mentioned, the problem occurs sporadically, which makes it hard to pinpoint the root cause of the problem.

We will continue investigation and try to provide a fix in a future release.

Thank you again for your help.

[MobileDeveloperCK · Accepted solution]

Hi theyrelosingit​,

We just released Acrobat Reader 17.12.15 to the App Store.

The new version contains the fix for the problems that you have experienced.

Examples:

• The "Welcome to Acrobat Reader" screens and Dropbox popup being presented more than once.
• Involuntarily signed out from Adobe Document Cloud and Dropbox.
• Comments properties (e.g. Author Name, Color, Opacity, Thickness) reset back to default values.

Please give it a try and let us know if it works for you.

We apologize for the inconvenience caused.

[theyrelosingit]

Yes.  It appears the recent updates have fixed the issue.  Thank you very much for your diligence with this.  Much appreciated!

[MobileDeveloperCK]

Thank you for letting us know that the problem is fixed.

We appreciate your help and patience!