Unable to read Adobe Acrobat PDF files

[Berushka-Bee]

Good evening, may I please ask for some advice as I am unable to open Adobe Acrobat PDF files saved on my MacBook Pro. Everytime I click on a chosen PDF file, a box pops up, urging me to either buy a 7day trial, buy Acrobat DC or exit altogether. When I exit the box, the PDF file closes as well. I called Adobe Arobat phone line, to seek advice, but the customer service advisor asked me to download a free-of-charge Adobe Acrobat Reader, which I have done. But it did not resolve the issue. Again, if I click on a PDF file, the same box pops up...? Any ideas what might be going on here? Please help. 

Thanking in advance, BB

[Bernd Alheit]

Open the file with Acrobat Reader, not Adobe Acrobat.

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi Bernd_Alheit,

Thanks, but what exactly do you mean? I have the PDF files stored in various locations, such as "Dropbox", "Desktop", "Downloads", and wherever I try to open the PDF file, the same box pops up? Can you please provide step-by-step instructions on how to get rid of the box and continue reading full PDF files? Many thanks. 

[Bernd Alheit]

Uninstall Adobe Acrobat and install Acrobat Reader.

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi, 

Thanks. When I click on the 'Acrobat Uninstall' in Applications on MacBook Pro, the following messages pops up:

'Uninstall: Uninstall will remove files, folders, and preferences installed by Acrobat from your system. There is no undo available. User data files and directories shared by other Adobe applications will not be removed.'

I am super anxious to uninstall, fearing that I might loose all my PDF files and won't be able to retrieve them. My work depends on those files. 

Any suggestions what to do? I am now unable to work at all as still cannot view PDF files. It is very frustrating. Many thanks. 

[Bernd Alheit]

It will not remove your PDF files.

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi, I appreciate your effort to help here, really do, but how come you are so sure the files will not be wiped out, especially after being warned in a form of that pop-up box, as shared with you in my last post. Many thanks. 

[Test Screen Name]

You installed the wrong software [wrong because it has to be paid for and you don't want to pay] so you must uninstall it. OR you must open the PDF files from Reader, using Open from the File menu (downloading first as needed). This will be a lot more work.

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi, thank you both. With all my respect to you both, how is it guaranteed that by uninstalling the software I will not loose all the PDF files saved on the laptop? Just the thought of it all being wiped up causes me nausea...I do appreciate your advice, but I am really anxious to click the 'uninstall' button, especially as the warning comes up, informing me all will be lost. Gosh, is this ever going to be resolved...? 😞

[Test Screen Name]

Surely it wouldn't matter if the files were wiped out, because you'd use your backups to get them back. If you don't have backups you are in dangerous waters indeed and have much bigger problems than reading PDF files.

[Bernd Alheit]

Read the Message:

'Uninstall: Uninstall will remove files, folders, and preferences installed by Acrobat from your system. There is no undo available. User data files and directories shared by other Adobe applications will not be removed.'

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi, thanks again. So I uninstalled the DC version, now I can view the files, but they all changed their icons from the PDF red ones to blue ones, they still have the .pdf ending but look more like images. Can you please share the link to download the free of charge Adobe reader thing? Many thanks

[Berushka-Bee]

Hi can you please share the free adobe reader link? I don't know which one to pick. I downloaded this: AcroRdrDC_1902120047_MUI.dmg as it came under this web site when googled: https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/ it's the middle option which says: download acrobat reader. WHen it downloads, it does not appear in my app store, it looks like a brown box, but i dont even know where it is stored, it only can be found in Downloads. 

This is super annnoying...

[Test Screen Name]

The free Reader download, for the current version of Reader, which is Acrobat Reader DC, is the one you quoted.

Your downloads go to the Downloads folder, that is normal. They do NOT go to the App Store at all, that's only for things you buy from Apple.

When you download a DMG file, which is one of the two main ways Apple apps are deliverred, you just double click it to see what is inside. A Finder window opens showing you what is inside the DMG. You install it in the usual ways (according to what is there).