File preview thumbnails aren't working for Acrobat DC files in Windows Explorer

[#1]

I just upgraded from Acrobat XI to Acrobat DC on Windows 7, and now any new PDFs I create display with a generic PDF icon rather than a thumbnail preview of the file.  Files created in Acrobat XI are displaying correctly (see screenshot).  Is anyone else experiencing this and is there a resolution?

[#2]

I just upgraded from Acrobat XI to Acrobat DC on Windows 7, and now any new PDFs I create display with a generic PDF icon rather than a thumbnail preview of the file.  Files created in Acrobat XI are displaying correctly (see screenshot).  Is anyone else experiencing this and is there a resolution?

[#3]

Hey julieb26452343,

The new icon for PDFs created by using Acrobat DC seems to appear like this only (as a generic PDF icon)

PDF files that were created using Acrobat XI represent the same icon as it used to be earlier.

It is not a problem and you can just enjoy this amazing new look of your PDF icons.

Regards,

Anubha

[#4]

Well that's no good, if you are like me and have over 4,000 PDF files for job previews, you can't see which job is which quickly. Manually opening every document to see what it is is very tedious and tremendously time-wasting.

Will there be a fix coming for this? I need to see the preview in the thumbnail view of windows Explorer.

[#5]

Chris, Julie : We had to remove the thumbnail preview functionality from Acrobat and Reader DC for technical reasons. We know there are users who value it but certain design considerations forced us to make this change.

[#6]

Hi AbhigyanModi, thanks for the reply. This is no good to me - is it possible to install the old version of Acrobat Pro so I can get this functionality back? It's essential

Chris

[#7]

Hi AbhigyanModi,

I agree with CrsK and joernki that thumbnail file previews are really an essential feature that should be restored if at all possible...it doesn't seem like a big deal until you are picking through a hundred file names in a folder.  Sounds silly but it's killing my workflow.

Here's hoping there's a fix soon!

[#8]

Hi @AbhigyanModi

I'd like a more technical explanation. Please evolve the reasons.

There was also a "PDF Information" tab, on the properties page (right click / properties) on PDF files. Is that removed for the same (unspecific) reasons?

Thanks,

Andreas Jansson

[#9]

AbhigyanModi‌, this is ridiculous. Can you clarify what the technical reasons were for removing previews in explorer?

This is essential functionality in a production workflow. Macs preview PDFs with ease in Finder. I cannot believe Adobe saw fit to remove this from Windows. It once again re-iterates Adobe's complete lack of understanding as to how it's products are used.

Reinstate this feature please.

[#10]

After having been waiting for 3 long years of development : We were at least expecting a Fix for the x64 thumbnail UNSOLVED bug !

Instead of just listening the users community, you to made fun of our needs...

I've been waiting for 3 years spending many times to help the users on forums (from an other ID) and did not received any fix for this thumbnails major bug.

Here is the end. I'll not wait anymore : Foxit is not perfect but they take care of there users community.

I'll be back if you fix this very QUICKLY but I don't believe this will happen...

Please, excuse my poor and sickened english.

Good luck to "Loyal" users.

A frustrated user

[#11]

This should be fixed pronto!  Why would Adobe sacrifice functionality for design considerations?  Huge mistake.  It's made my job a gazillion times harder to do.  I don't have admin rights to make changes to my computer at work, so the workarounds can't even be installed.  Very frustrated.

[#12]

^ Nevermind my issues stated above. ^

I found that Adobe Bridge will give me the thumbnails I need for viewing my work files.  I wonder if Abobe took away the thumbnail preview to force people start using "Bridge", because before this happened, I NEVER used it.....

[#13]

Useless! You have lost a longtime customer. I am uninstalling Acrobat and purchasing a 3rd party product that will allow me to to the same editing AND display thumbnails. So long Adobe

[#14]

Exact same sentiments... feels like I need to save everything in an image format now

[#15]

I have absolutely nothing else to say to that other than the fact that you guys have gone absolutely out of your mind.

This will kill your product, as you can see, people are installing other products to get that functionality back.

Whoever thought this is a good design is simply not in touch with reality.

I simply can not believe you guys thought that removing this is of any good.

[#16]

This relates to thumbnails, though in my case, its MAC OS-X 10.

Please explain the "technical reasons" -- perhaps there are folks outside of Adobe who are willing to contribute suggestions/expertise on how to overcome this egregious omission. What's the ETA (if any) for overcoming the "technical reasons" for taking-away PDF thumbnails?  What's the definitive answer to the missing thumbnails issue?  Is it: "certain design considerations forced us to make this change?"  This is pretty scary stuff. What's the next feature (from which Adobe CC application) that we rely on that will be dropped without notice or opportunity for comment ahead of time.

By the way, the "restored" previous version of Acrobat PRO IX does "not" work identically to the PRO IX that was replaced when upgrading to Acrobat DC. When I downgraded back to PRO IX, many files which were issue-free, now hang-up in Acrobat requiring a Force Quit. We've gone from a high-productivity application, to a negative. Who (please name a person) can we contact who has the power to commit the resources to correct this faux pas.  Thanks for information, details and clarity on what we can and should expect from Adobe.

[#17]

Useless support on this issue.

Here is another spot to lodge feedback that I have found, on a link to "Our Support Promise". Makes for an amusing read when you know what their support is really like!

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/what-contact-options.html

Our Support Promise

We want every connection you have with Adobe to be as exceptional as our products. So, if you’re stuck, or something doesn’t work the way you expect it to, our Customer Care promise is to provide you with an easy way to get a quick response that is accurate and complete. When we don’t live up to that promise, please let me know. Your feedback is what helps us learn from our mistakes and allows us to continually improve the experience we deliver.

— Chris Hall, Head of Adobe Customer Success

How are we doing? Let us know. >

[#18]

Useless support on this issue.

Here is another spot to lodge feedback that I have found, on a link to "Our Support Promise". Makes for an amusing read when you know what their support is really like!

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/what-contact-options.html

Our Support Promise

We want every connection you have with Adobe to be as exceptional as our products. So, if you’re stuck, or something doesn’t work the way you expect it to, our Customer Care promise is to provide you with an easy way to get a quick response that is accurate and complete. When we don’t live up to that promise, please let me know. Your feedback is what helps us learn from our mistakes and allows us to continually improve the experience we deliver.

— Chris Hall, Head of Adobe Customer Success

How are we doing? Let us know. >

[#19]

Sadly funny... 😕

[#20]

Sorry and ??????? Thats it ???? You can do much better Adobe, I know. !!

72. Re: File preview thumbnails aren't working for Acrobat DC files in Windows Explorer

gjn gss Jun 29, 2015 2:31 PM (in response to ronaldg69102224)

Useless support on this issue.

Here is another spot to lodge feedback that I have found, on a link to "Our Support Promise". Makes for an amusing read when you know what their support is really like!

https://helpx.adobe.com/contact/what-contact-options.html

Our Support Promise

We want every connection you have with Adobe to be as exceptional as our products. So, if you’re stuck, or something doesn’t work the way you expect it to, our Customer Care promise is to provide you with an easy way to get a quick response that is accurate and complete. When we don’t live up to that promise, please let me know. Your feedback is what helps us learn from our mistakes and allows us to continually improve the experience we deliver.

— Chris Hall, Head of Adobe Customer Success

How are we doing? Let us know. >

[#21]

i followed your link and wrote a mail to the support...

[#22]

I have uninstalled DC, and reverted to Adobe XI.  We rely on thumbnails to combine documents.  Now I see there is an extra charge for an add on to merge documents in DC??

[#23]

Really not liking the clumsiness of the new DC at all, especially the page thumbnails which for us as well is a very important part of the workflow.

I think I will need to remove and install an earlier version -

Until this is fixed.

Also, all my stamps - and customized features are gone - I wasn't crazy about the last version, but it at least allowed for personalization -

[#24]

Using Adobe Bridge (free product through Adobe Creative Cloud with my Acrobat DC Std month-month plan) provides the pdf thumbnail functionality, although it does mean I have a duplicate file browser.

[#25]

    

       AbhigyanModi     Apr 10, 2015 3:04 AM  (in response to CrsK)      

"Chris, Julie : We had to remove the thumbnail preview functionality from Acrobat and Reader DC for technical reasons. We know there are users who value it but certain design considerations forced us to make this change."

Would you care to elaborate on this AbhigyanModi, what design considerations exactly? I fail to see how adding a checkbox in preferences allowing the option for thumbnails could be bad thing, all your other flagship products allow thumbnails

Furthermore have all those just discovering this now been asleep? It has been this way since at least the last release possibly the one before as well.

[#26]

Totally unacceptable. Fix it. Today!!!

[#27]

Dear Adobe staff members,

I specially signed up for this forum just so i can reply on this thread.

I know that my oppinion or what i do is not very important to Adobe but i signed up just to inform you that from now untill further notice i am uninstalling Adobe Acrobat Reader DC and any and all other Adobe products and switching to different pdf viewer because of this monstrous decision to remove thumbnail preview from Adobe Reader DC. As someone already commented, i think that whoever was in charge of this decision doesn't have the slightest clue of how your clients use your products. As a person who has over 100.000 pdf files on my computer and very often as much as few hundred up to few thousand in one folder, Adobe Reader DC completely lost any and all funcionality for me. I can no longer find the files i need and worst of all is that you don't leave me an easy way just to uninstall and roll back to previous version of your reader. I don't want to install any of your creative clouds, i just want to be able to find easy - one click solution to reinstall Acrobat Reader XI but all you offer is this shamefull atrocity of Acrobat Reader DC. Also, as someone already said, the comment about "just enjoying the amazing new look of the pdf icons" is something i consider an direct verbal insult to my intelligence. What i need from your software is it's functionality and you can apply "amazing new looks" next time you visit a beauty parlor or bake a birthday cake.

Since you didn't leave that option open i am informing you that as a customer i am leaving all your products and switching to other solutions untill further notice.

Kind regards with hope that in the future you will have more understanding for your customers' needs.

Darko Bodulic

[#28]

You are completely right. I already moved to foxit reader, thumbnails there functions perfectly.

[#29]

The problem is -- I don't think Adobe is monitoring this important thread anymore.  And, frankly, I don't think they care about this important productivity issue.   I uploaded Foxit.   They seem to have a handle on this and it has some other functionality.  For instance, I like that they call Mail (to send the PDF) "Share" .  Very 2016 Soc Media --   There are some shortcomings like having to take an extra step to get to My Files. This thread was helpful.

[#30]

Updating to Acrobat DC has killed thumbnail previews for EVERY PDF, not just the ones newly-created.

This is, in turn, destroying my workflow and frustrating me greatly.

Is there any way to uninstall the Document Cloud and go back to Acrobat Pro until this is fixed? Because DC is not providing me with enough value to justify the headaches.

[#31]

Hi jzawada

If you really wish to uninstall Acrobat DC and go back to Acrobat Pro XI, then you might need to refer the KB doc link mentioned here:

Acrobat DC uninstalled Acrobat XI | How to get Acrobat XI back

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Anubha

[#32]

This is still not working.

I have uninstalled Acrobat Pro DC, but when I go to the linked download page, select Acrobat XI Pro, and click the button which says "Download Acrobat XI Pro," it begins to download Acrobat Pro DC.

Does a link need to be updated or something...?

[#33]

Hi Anuba Goel,

Thanks for that. Unfortunately, for me at least, the download doesn't start - it launches the Creative Cloud Application but nothing appears in the Apps bar.

I've tried restarting CC, restarting my PC, trying a different browser, running as administrator, etc.

Any advice?

Thanks,

Chris

[#34]

jzawada wrote:

This is still not working.

I have uninstalled Acrobat Pro DC, but when I go to the linked download page, select Acrobat XI Pro, and click the button which says "Download Acrobat XI Pro," it begins to download Acrobat Pro DC.

Does a link need to be updated or something...?

Previous versions of Acrobat can be found on Adobe's FTP website. Acrobat XI Pro for Windows is at ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobat/win/11.x/11.0.10/ (latest version)

Acrobat Reader XI for Windows is at ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/11.x/11.0.10/

Choose your language from the appropriate subdirectory.

Other platforms are available higher up in the directory structure.

If running Windows, it helps to reboot your computer after removing Acrobat DC to remove any remaining files.

After reinstalling Adobe XI or Adobe Reader XI, you can restore your PDF thumbnails by going to File->Open and viewing the selected directory contents. Thumbnails will be recreated as you view them in the list. You don't actually have to open any file. To view the thumbnails in Explorer or on the Desktop, you may have to refresh the display (F5 or Ctrl-F5 or right-click, Refresh).

[#35]

rbailin,

Thank you for letting us know where to find Adobe Reader 11. Thank you so, so much! I had been searching for Adobe Reader 11, but was having a hard time.

I uninstalled Adobe DC, rebooted; installed Adobe Reader 11; rebooted - My previewer is back to normal now. Everyone who would like to try this route, please remember to reboot each time.

[#36]

Uninstalling Acrobat DC and reinstalling Acrobat Pro XI does not help bring back thumbnails. Don't waste your time.

[#37]

Hi,

Yes it does, you need two handful plug ins.

1. Adobe Reader preview handler x64 fixer / Fixes for 64-bit Adobe Reader preview handler and thumbnails

2. Sagethumbs / SageThumbs download | SourceForge.net

Regards

[#38]

How about the Mac version? I am not aware of any posts for the Apple environment. If anyone has had success fixing the thumbnail glitch with Acrobat Pro or Acrobat DC for Macs please pass your information along.

[#39]

Sagethumbs did the job. (for me)

It is a shame, have to install a open source 0$ program to view thumbnails for a program that cost 500$ per year.

Adobe ! Why you didn't provide Thumbnails for PSD/PDF ?

Are you want to force us using Bridge ? Well Bridge is fine, but it's not usable for daily work on it ...

Anyway ...

SageThumbs works fine

[#40]

when can we have thumbnails back again please ?

[#41]

What kind of an anwser is that: You can just enjoy the this amazing new look of your PDF icons....

I dont want to know how many people feel ridiculed.

Having a pdf preview saves SO MUCH TIME!!! What gave Adobe the idea that thumbnails are a bad thing. If that was so, why have thumbnails at all.

Is there going to be a fix?

[#42]

"What kind of answer is that?"

It's a patronising, "We don't care what you want, we're doing it OUR way" answer

[#43]

I wish there was a dislike button so I can dislike Anubha's ridiculous post - "It is not a problem and you can just enjoy this amazing new look of your PDF icons."

The software developers at Adobe evidently have no clue over how many people use Acrobat. They clearly don't care either - first they force everyone to subscribe, then they break a third-party fix (the pretentiousname.com fix) to a problem that many people face. Then they insult their customers by saying "it is not a problem".

Listen to your customers, Adobe. The worse you treat your customers, the quicker they'll jump the moment they find an alternative.

[#44]

i have the same problem and discussed that already here:

Re: Missing Thumbnail previews in Windows Explorer

i'm the opinion nowadays this is a "no go" to have no thumbnail previews especially when you are working as a professional like CrsK said...

to see only the "amazing new look of your PDF icons" is an anachronism!

in my case i have no thumbnail previews anymore because a parallel installation of the reader DC to acrobat DC killed them all - the old ones from former acrobat versions, too!

i don't know what "technical reasons" you had... but i already made a feature request to get them back in an update!

[#45]

joernki     Apr 10, 2015 4:24 AM  (in response to julieb26452343)   

"...i'm the opinion nowadays this is a "no go" to have no thumbnail previews especially when you are working as a professional like CrsK said...

to see only the "amazing new look of your PDF icons" is an anachronism!"

I'm a professional and both myself and my clients value thumbs for quick identification especially with X number of revisions. After all we work in a VISUAL MEDIUM do we not? If one believes thumbs are a bad idea, or 'unprofessional'..by all means they should be able to prevent thumbnails for that document on saving.

Should be optional enough said.

Hm Foxit is indeed looking more attractive with each adobe release.

[#46]

This is a massive drawback, and it is frankly unbelievable that a company such as Adobe allow themselves to do such things.

A warning before upgrade would have been more than welcome.

Who's going to pay for user time wasted on such an issue?

Abhigyan Modi - Thanks for your insight but when can we expect a fix?

[#47]

It's really not that unbelievable to me anymore. "New and Improved" just means "We suck and you can't do anything about it!". It's much like the "convenience fee" when you pay a bill online. While they no longer pay anyone to process the payment, you have to pay them for the privilege of...,not paying anyone to process the payment!

[#48]

Found a work around in Windows 7, install Foxit Reader and associate PDFs with it on the install, it will bring back the thumbnails. Then after the Foxit install right click a PDF and choose Acrobat DC as your default program, the Thumbnails will stay and open in Acrobat. Sucks we have to install anther program to get this feature.

Adobe you really need to fix this.

[#49]

thimothy, this works for me, too!

though the thumbnails are only in square design... former acrobat versions showed them in the right rectangulars...

but now i can see what the files bare...

but i agree: THIS IS THE WORK FOR ADOBE TO FIX THIS!

[#50]

Thanks Timothy ... I did exactly what you said and my thumbnails are back, works perfect.

[#51]

Thanks Timothy!  Do the file thumbnails continue to generate in the future, even after you have switched back to Acrobat DC as your default program?

[#52]

yes, they do, julie!

just proved it a minute ago!

[#53]

Hi Timothy,

i just installed it on WIN 7 and the icons just changed to Foxit Icons. No thumbnails though. Which version did you use?

Thanks and kind regards,

Atahualpa Seyffert

[#54]

@ Atahualpa

i installed the actual version 7.1.3.320...

[#55]

How come the Adobe Staff isn't responding to this thread??????????????

[#56]

They did,  and it seems that they really do not care.

               AbhigyanModi     Apr 10, 2015 3:04 AM    (in response to CrsK)    

Chris, Julie : We had to remove the thumbnail preview functionality from Acrobat and Reader DC for technical reasons. We know there are users who value it but certain design considerations forced us to make this change.

[#57]

This works for Windows 8 too!  Thanks so much

[#58]

Thanks Timothy, it worked for windows 8! Not pleased that Adobe took such a needed feature away.

[#59]

Unfortunately not for me.

Please, please, fix it, Adobe!!

[#60]

Thanks for posting this!  I have been searching the internet for a fix to this problem.  This worked like a charm.  Thank you

[#61]

hannahd80828989 wrote:

Thanks for posting this!  I have been searching the internet for a fix to this problem.  This worked like a charm.  Thank you

Which method actually work for you? Could you be clear on which one gave the result that worked for you? Thanks

[#62]

Ohh yeah!!
Foxit really work!
thanks for the tip