Acrobat DC SO HORRIBLE it's making me want to cry.

[keebusameows]

I can't find anywhere to file a complaint or submit feedback, so here it is.

Acrobat DC is horrible. I feel like it wasn't made for professionals at all and makes it much more difficult to navigate a simple document. My custom toolbar at the top? Gone. Replaced by ridiculous pre-school style buttons on the right. Want to re-organize page order? It opens up an entirely separate window for that, totally unnecessarily.

Thanks for giving me a day of trying to figure out how I can delete this worthless pile of kindergarten garbage and somehow get back to just Acrobat XI while still using my cloud sub.

[slacker]

couldn't agree more - the Acrobat DC interface is an abomination. Takes seasoned professionals 3 google searches just to crop a document.

[jskerrigan]

I agree. Is there another product out there that I can use in-place of ADOBE ??

[jskerrigan]

I agree. Is there another product out there that I can use in-place of ADOBE ??

[bobm12203236]

Acrobat has been and may always be the worst, most unintuitive user interface ever developed. God only knows how this atrocity could have happened and lived to become a standard. Adobe -> PLEASE STOP BUILDING THINGS AROUND IT.

Our only hope is that Adobe rewrites Acrobat from scratch. Or that a competitor, perhaps a smart entrepreneur with time on their hands, has the patience to write something that actually makes sense and that the public will embrace as its replacement. They could make millions.

When this is done, as Kevin O'Leary from Shark Tank says, PLEASE "take it behind the barn and shoot it".

Praying for deliverance from our pain and captivity,

Bob

[paul campagna]

I avoid Acrobat like the plague.  I just create PDFs from Photoshop, or inDesign. The actual program makes my head hurt.

[andrewj38722735]

As a business user all we wanted was a simple light-weight PDF reader which we can remotely deploy to 200 users to open a PDF, view/zoom/rotate, save and print. THAT'S IT. Acrobat DC is the complete opposite of this and we're now looking for an alternative equivalent to what Reader 8/9 was.

Over the last few versions of Acrobat we've seen more and more features being added which we don't want/need. Well maybe some of the digital signing features were ok, but the vast majority of users don't use this. This is a cash grab, plain and simple, and a continuation of Adobe's recent behavior towards their customer-base.

Adobe:

- We shouldn't have to TRAIN staff how to use this product. You've produced something which is not only counter-intuitive but actually requires the user to re-learn everything that came naturally in previous versions. Add to this the bloated (and frankly quite useless) DC features and it makes for quite sh!tty product now.

- What's wrong with producing a mobile version separately?

- Why on earth is there a need to follow INSTRUCTIONS on how to uninstall this product and down-grade!!?

- If you really insist on introducing this DC rubbish and changing the interface why can't you also produce an alternate (basic) cut-down version of Acrobat without all this bloat which simply opens, views and prints PDF files on a desktop/laptop? (Because it doesn't make you money right?)

Does anyone have any suggestions for no-cost, bloat-free, basic, ad-free, malware-free PDF reader suitable as the default PDF reader in a professional environment?

"People don't want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole" In the same way, no one loves Adobe because they make great software, they love the output the software produces. Unfortunately Adobe are interpreting their current market domination as an indicator of future success. Who in their right mind thinks this company has been doing good things for their CUSTOMERS in the last 5 years!! What a joke. Once the market or the technology conditions change ahead of Adobe's complacency to produce a cheaper, better product-line we'll be not far from seeing this company come crashing down à la Kodak. We'll be reviewing Adobe's demise in strategy planning text books in future years of how not to run a company. Personally, I cannot wait.

[pattivaitaitis]

Thank you to everyone for validating what I thought when I first saw the mess that Acrobat has become. Awful. Stupid. I feel like it is the Fisher-Price version for toddlers. Meh.

I actually uninstalled and went back to Acrobat 7!!!!!

Don't even get me started on the miserable subscription plan. I hope lots of folks have figured out how to get out of that trap without paying. I am still trying because this software is now unusable.

Back to digging around for the Acrobat 9 version I know I bought and still have on CD somewhere. When I have more time I will go look for an alternative. To think I have been such an Adobe Fan-Girl for over a decade, only to be insulted with this cr@p.

[David.G.P]

Guys, this company has deserved to die. Just move on to PDF-XChange Editor, and never look back.

[pattivaitaitis]

Back in the day, when Adobe and Apple had their little spat, I used to wish that they would both just learn to get along, for the sake of the many users who loved the products from both companies. Sadly, that didn't happen, and Adobe took it further by killing off FrameMaker for the Mac. (Something I still grumble about almost daily.)

Now, I can only look forward to the day when Apple decides to BURY Adobe with a far superior, can't-live-without replacement.

Maybe Adobe isn't reading this forum, but I can bet you someone from Apple is.

[paul campagna]

I couldn't agree more with this statement. Acrobat is a BLOATED P.O.S.  I scroll, (or try to scroll) and nothing happens for 2 seconds. by then, i'm wondering if something is wrong with my mouse., but no, acrobat can't even keep up with the cursor. It's ridiculous that after this many years, it still keeps getting worse and worse. I have to open a pdf doc in preview, just to use it.

I would ask that first you make it so that when you want to scroll, it actually moves. Can we start there? This is on a 4GHz i7 with 32 GB of ram. Should I buy a supercomputer to scroll correctly with acrobt??

[jaaks54]

This software is just about useless. It crashes and crashes and crashes and crashes. Yes, I know I should save my work, but if I am deep into a project, I often forget to do this.  I did have auto save checked, but it didn't work, implying is is unreliable as well. Lost 3 hours worth of work. More time that this software is worth and am likely going to miss a deadline, which means I will need to give a discount to the client at a minimum. And yes, I have the latest version. Updated yesterday.

I have two questions:

Is there better software available?

is there any way to do a recover?

[azuleta1960]

Thanks for this feedback. I had the same Problem (no "issue") and I uninstalled DC version and was able to Install the Reader XI.  I was eager to comment my Problem. I can't believe that if I install this DC I have no option to decide if and when to install its updates.

I don't need any Cloud. I want to be free to decide what to install on my devices.

It was not possible to send a short and direct feedback to Adobe. I was thinking I was so stupid to find out how to do it. Some how I feel that Adobe doesn't want any feed back from the users.

Thanks again for your comment.

[sheriw24702457]

Ditto. I so share your frustration! Simple things now take more steps. And the ginormous dialog boxes and buttons are ridiculous. And WHY has another window been added to a "Save As" command?! Just awful.

[rb91362]

I upgraded from Acrobat 8 (which I love) and was excited to see all the new improvements.  Instead, I am looking at a program that is taking me 20 steps backwards! Here is just the tip of the iceberg of my disappointments:

1. The toolbar can't be customized like in Acrobat 8.  I am very limited in how I can move the icons around.  I don't see where I can make the toolbar bigger so more than one line of icons show (like in Acrobat 8).
2. I now have to click on the tool EVERY time i need to use it!  In Acrobat 8, I could click the Line tool once and use it as many times as I wanted in my document.  I do a lot of commenting and this is an absolute deal breaker if this is the case.
3. The Page thumbnails and bookmarks side bar used to show up automatically (Acrobat 8) and now I don't see in the Preferences that this is even an option.
4. The option for Continuous scrolling is on, but I have to check it again every new document!
5. I also agree about the kindergarten icons.
6. I used to be able to drag pages from one pdf to another (Acrobat 8), but now it won't let me!? (another deal breaker for me).

I had to upgrade because I went to Windows 10 and lost the ability to use Acrobat 8 as my default program (I could choose it, but it did not ever stick).  Does anyone know if Acrobat XI works in Windows 10 and keeps the same functionality as Acrobat 8???

[Bernd Alheit]

6. When the documents are not protected you can drag and drop pages.

[jerg19313941]

Wow I didn't realise so many people felt the way I do, I just thought I'd Google "why is Adobe so s***" and was amazed I came up with this. Just like a previous comment I just signed up to this forum to basically agree with absolutely everyone's complaints. The people who run Adobe (and obviously MS and Apple etc.) are clearly living in a completely different universe to the majority of 'normal' people.

[Doug_Hanna]

As someone who managed a 12,000 seat Acrobat installation I've seen, read, and heard about every complaint that has been posted here.

I think something folks forget is how deeply Acrobat is integrated into Windows and the complexities that involves.  It hooks into the printer subsystem, font subsystem, window controls, Office, browsers, etc.  Adobe has to attempt to get this thing to install, properly, against all odds that the so-called 'computer experts' that tweak, tune, and generally make life miserable for software vendors can throw at them.  You know the ones, that install memory compressors, hack the registry, and refuse to install software in the vendors preferred location.

I've had my share of issues with Acrobat installs... invariably they have all boiled down to something we did (or didn't do) on our end.  The last 'Adobe's fault' install I ran into was 4.0.5 - which was pre-enterprise deployment toolkit.

Is Acrobat DC UI better than 9 (or X or XI), in my professional opinion - NO.  However, it wasn't written for me.  It was written for first-time customers.  Was that decision myopic?  That's debatable.  Could they have done better?  I would say, Yes.

Has Adobe Reader become 'larger than life' - yes.  But in order to enable digital signatures, form fill-in and saving, commenting and saving, and Reader Extensions technology, you pretty much have to deploy the full Acrobat engine to make this work.  The primary deployment difference between Reader and Acrobat are in the available plugins.  That's it.

What the heck is DC?  DC is the cloud-based document interchange facility that is integrated with Acrobat and Reader.  Other than the DC extensions, Acrobat and Reader are exactly the same as they've always been... local desktop apps.

For folks that need to post Acrobat deployments to multiple employees - be sure to check out the Enterprise Deployment pages. The work you spend in there will save you support calls later.

As for the 'competition' - In the past year I evaluated 12 different PDF desktop creation products.  From vendors large and small.  From expensive to cheap.  Only one - yes ONE! was able to create a PDF that was even close to Acrobat. These were not some convoluted torture test where I was trying to game the system in favor of Adobe.  It was a test designed so that I didn't have to deal with a support call regarding a short-sighted vendor decision.  The test was very simple and straight forward... would the tool embed fonts properly (not just Windows standard TTF, but run-of-the-mill third-party OpenTypes from reputable vendors (e.g. Monotype Imaging, FontFont GmbH, Adobe, etc.), would it convert a Word vector drawing as vector, would the colors in a bitmap be reasonably close to the originals, etc.  Basically the day to day work that any company or organization would do and expect out of their PDF creation product.

So, you can take your chances with a third-party tool, do the testing yourself, or go with a product (that I agree, has grown more than a few warts), that continues to drill that 1/4" hole - straight and true - each and every time.

Thanks

Doug

[susiecc777]

Just an fyi, Doug…

Most of the issues with Acrobat DC come from 2 primary areas—a horribly designed user interface and program instability and bugs.

The program instability makes processing documents unreliable. With crashes, hangs on opening, conversion, and modification, Acrobat DC is not efficient for use. Actual logged bugs have not been fixed. For example, over a year ago, a bug for the Mac version was logged where guidelines did not display while dragging. Adobe said they were fixing it. Still, after a year, it remains unfixed. This is one of many examples of features that don’t work properly.

The horribly designed user interface makes every operation time consuming. Something that took 2 steps to accomplish now might take 5 or more steps.

Adobe should not be defended in any way for poor programming and lack of follow-up.

Susanne Caulfield

Director, Publishing Technologies

Perseus Books

A Division of Hachette Book Group

(720) 406-7281

[ericr85456293]

I must agree the new acrobat DC is the most horrible program I've ever seen it also it uninstalled my previous Acrobat program and rammed this down my throat.

    I found it hard to use it forced me to save things to the cloud my interface between my scanner disappeared.

    I don't know why I just can't go to the store and buy Acrobat 12 or 11 or something like that instead of this crappy DC.

    it was horribly written it was horribly designed it's like they got a child to do it instead of a professional.

   It's not made for professionals it's a joke and they want money for it too on top of that.

   and the part I really really don't like is it uninstalled my previous version of Acrobat meaning of now I have to go find the disk and spend all day reinstalling the damn thing.

     the interface is a joke and it's childish it really is and I don't like storing anything on the cloud.

  It's a an invasion of my privacy then that's the one thing they don't seem to really respect somebody's privacy anymore.

    is like Microsoft doing the same thing they don't respect the privacy of the individual anymore it's we'll do what we want whenever we want if you don't like it tough.

     I'm just going get an Apple I'm sick and tired all of this and what gets me is they just don't seem to care you can complain all you want but they're going to do whatever they want and you have to pay for it and like it and I don't like it

Eric Rothgeb

Microscope Guy

[louisemcd]

I don’t very often make complaints about software. Actually never. But in the case of Acrobat DC with the clipart icons, the rewrite and look of Acrobat makes my head hurt every time I open it. It is SO un-intuitive. It has brought me also to tears. I have been struggling with it for close on 6 months and nothing I do makes it easier. It is still hard to find what I need. I’ve been using the software since 2001 and I am gobsmacked it has been changed so much. It is like learning a new programme from scratch, knowing it does stuff but can’t find where on earth the damn tools have been put. I often just give up thinking I’ll come back to it later, I don’t have time for this now. Here's the thing - I’ve taken to making screen shots when it’s too hard to take into presentations and emailing images rather than PDFs. Seriously.

I honestly can’t state enough just how difficult this program has become from something that was so obviously simple.

[Guest]

***BUYER BEWARE***

Do not dismiss this thread. This version of Acrobat has completely shut down our govt business for months. We are in the process of developing a completely new workaround so we never have to use Adobe for ANYTHING EVER AGAIN. The support is as bad as the product. The cloud sucks and Adobe has no idea what they are doing with it so it makes it that much worse. EPIC FAILURE all around for ADOBE.

[Kristy__U_]

I have not one production house on this the new Acrobat DC (Diarrhea Coding). it fulfills 20% of the items XI did. and there help is awful I remember when I good get answers the same day, this is not the Adobe I want! resembles old Quark Xpress!

Avoid Acrobat DC! Demand a version of XI!!!!!!!!

Will the real Acrobat please standup!!!!

[jonahl39009833]

Here is some feedback from an IT Professional on this whole "Cloud" suite from adobe. It is clearly not written from the advantage point of the user, but of the company. It has:

1. Updater you CANNOT turn off unless you alter the REGISTRY. Every user has to right to accept or not accept an update, especially as some updates can break perfectly working product, but Adobe has decided to force updates on everyone who is not a techie while leaving just enough wriggle room to avoid lawsuits on the claim it is impossible to turn off the updates so it's just impossible for the average user. Unfriendly, unethical, but not technically actionable. Cute.

2. If you are unfortunate enough to try to use the subscription model you have to install this HUGE bloat/rootkit tool call "Creative Cloud" and there is no obvious way of getting your reader without it. (They could have built in an expiry license model into the product but instead uses a product to monitor your ENTIRE computer). After seeing it, I decided to do away with it but...could not uninstall the create cloud kit (it would NOT uninstall) without uninstalling Adobe Acrobat DC pro first and even then, to it refused because I had other professional apps  from previous generation from adobe products which it decided counted under it's blank umbrella apps even though they were too old and never touched them. This qualifies as rootkit like behavior (some antivirus/security products do this too) requiring an external app to uninstall it. That is just poor behavior.

3. The Interface alone is much worse than Adobe 11 and the features, less  features but rather shackles. Adobe wants to use the model of Windows 10 (which I professional advise against, especially lawyers and medical professionals).

Conclusion: Follow a bad business model/behavior (Windows 10/Saas) you get a bad product. a reader that is 2.96 GB (?!?) and a client/enforcer that is several hundred megs). If that isn't bloatware (with monitoring, and if you don't say in simple language that it sends your data to the company, it's technically spyware folks. If you can, try the stand alone products but I suspect Adobe is already modifying those to behave similar to Acrobat DC so I suggest you research any updates to your adobe products carefully before you read them. It's a same when you can't trust your updates the way you used to.

[Brian_Capt]

Absolutely   agree what is this panacea  of "The Cloud" utterly useless invasive clunky oh god i could go on all day.I may be an old fart but when something works, leave it alone

[RustyNic]

This is by far the worst piece of software I've ever used from Adobe. We create large maps using ArcGIS and plot these map to a large format plotter. What a nightmare. What a joke. What a slow, sloow, slooow, PDF reader/viewer...Took forever just to get it to plot something over 30". It's like going backwards in time. You should be making your apps better, not worse.