Unable to install Adobe Pro and Adobe Reader side by side on Windows Server 2019

[KGriffiths]

I have a client who is running Server 2019 Remote Desktop server and want to have both Reader and Pro installed on the same system.

Adobe support have tried to assist with this but they have not been able to resolve so looking if anyone on here who has setup this way or some insight to why its not working.

The process support instructed me to go through is to install Pro from: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html

Then install Reader following https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/install-reader-dc-windows.html

If we do this, Reader will not install, it error with "Old/New Acrobat vesion alread installed."

If we install in the reverse Reader then Pro, the Pro instyaller removes reader as part of the process.

I have also tried the cleaner utilities to completely remove both Reader and Pro and tried again but no different.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

[ls_rbls]

"Acrobat requires licensing. Reader requires a distribution agreement." 

Quote found on this link: 

• https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/AdminGuide/basics.html

Specifically, see the visrtualization guide:

• https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/VirtualizationGuide/index.html

You need these guides and some heavy reading to do.

Also see the Note about system requirements and recommended deployment of  x64 machines versus x86:

• https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/VirtualizationGuide/vmware.html

[KGriffiths · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the resources very useful for optemising our deployment. I could not find any refrence to installing both products side by side.

However I have managed to fix it.

It seems once pro is installed, the reader installer from https://get.adobe.com/reader/ will not complete due to an existing installation.

However I was able to download the reader installer and update packet from the below links and they installed without any issues. I found them at.

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/AcrobatDC/1500720033/AcroRdrDC1500720033_en_US.ex...

https://ardownload2.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/AcrobatDC/2100520060/AcroRdrDCUpd2100520060.msp

[ls_rbls]

You're welcome.

Happy to read that you were able to sort it out.

[Pietro5E61]

in the VDI environment we need to hide the PRO version for users who are not licensed but share the same MasterImage!

[diamedca]

You can have both functionalities on the same server with the new unified version of the software.

I tested this today (August-13-2025) and it worked for my terminal server.

Basically Adobe unified the installer (and the software) into a single version.

If you don't login, you have the reader, if you login and have a valid license, then you can use all tools.

The issue is, that after installing the reader and login in with a licensed credential, Adobe updates to the pro version and then it will ask all other users to login. To avoid Adobe forcing to login, you have to enable "reduce mode"

Then the procedure would be to install adobe acrobat DC (Not the reader) and then add a registry Key to enable reduce mode.

The registry key to enable reduced mode for Acrobat 64-bit is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown:"bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx"=dword:0000001

I found the above in this adobe procedure:
https://www.adobe.com/devnet-docs/acrobatetk/tools/VirtualizationGuide/singleinstaller.html
At the end of the procedure you will find the Registry Key that needs to be added to enable "reduce mode":

[diamedca]

Here is the link for the unified installer:
https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/win32/Acrobat_DC_Web_x64_WWMUI.zip

Then after installing it, you have to go to the registry and add a DWORD key:
bIsSCReducedModeEnforcedEx
Value: 1
The path for the DWORD in the registry is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureLockDown

I did the above on August 13, 2025 and it worked on my Windows Server 2022 Datacenter.

But if that does not work, then try the Non Unified installer, that claims to live installed side by side with acrobat reader. Here is the link for the non unified:
https://trials.adobe.com/AdobeProducts/APRO/Acrobat_HelpX/win32/Acrobat_DC_Web_WWMUI.zip
Notice that the difference is that the Unified is 64bit and the non unified is 32bit, meaning, if you want both, the reader version should be 64bit.

Both links were found in this page:

https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/acrobat-dc-downloads.html